BODY MOUNTED DETECTOR AND METHOD FOR DETECTING FLASH IN SOLAR BLIND ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRAL REGION

• US 20110025521A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Secretary of the Army
• Inventors: GURTON, KRISTAN PETER
• Granted Patent: US 8,334,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.1
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/00 Defence installations; Defence devices constructional aspects see Section E, e.g. air-raid shelters E04H9/04; protective arrangements for buildings E04B1/92; extinguishing or preventing the spread of fire from, incendiary bombs A62C3/06; dynamic armour F41H5/007; ballistically deployed systems for restraining persons or animals F41H13/0006; electronic countermeasures G01S
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/00 Means of attack or defence not otherwise provided for details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/781 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/783 using amplitude comparison of signals derived from static detectors or detector systems

Abstract

A detector assembly for detecting a flash from the firing of a weapon comprising: a first support; a plurality of sensors supported by the first support for detecting light from the flash; the sensors operating to receive light in the range of ultraviolet light from approximately 100 nm to approximately 290 nm; a directional indicator for indicating the directional location of the first support; and an indicator assembly comprising at least one indicator; the at least one indicator operating to display the directional location of the flash.

Claims

1. A detector assembly for detecting a flash from the firing of a weapon comprising:

a first support;

a plurality of sensors supported by the first support for detecting light from the flash;

the sensors operating to receive light in the range of ultraviolet light from approximately 100 nm to approximately 290 nm;

a directional indicator for indicating the directional location of the first support; and

an indicator assembly comprising at least one indicator;

the at least one indicator operating to display the directional location of the flash.

2. The detector assembly of claim 1 wherein the operating range of the sensors is approximately 230 nm to approximately 290 nm.

3. The detector assembly of claim 1 wherein the sensors are avalanche photo detectors.

4. The detector assembly of claim 1 wherein the sensors are UV avalanche photodetectors operated in the Geiger mode, and wherein the sensors provide 360 degrees of coverage.

5. The detector assembly of claim 1 wherein the first support is a helmet.

6. The detector assembly of claim 1 wherein the indicator assembly comprises a wrist mounted support with a plurality of LED indicators.

7. The detector assembly of claim 1 further including a transmitter and receiver, the transmitter being operationally connected to the plurality of sensors and directional indicator, and a receiver operationally connected to the indicator assembly;

the transmitter operating to transmit data relating to the directional location of the flash to the receiver for display by the indicator assembly.

8. The detector assembly of claim 7 wherein the transmitter and receiver utilize Bluetooth technology.

9. The detector assembly of claim 1 wherein the directional indicator comprises a plurality of indicators which indicate the direction of the flash using polar coordinates.

10. The detector assembly of claim 1 wherein the directional indicator comprises a plurality of indicators comprising north, south, east and west indicators.

11. The detector assembly of claim 1 comprising a first component which is supported by head gear and a second component which is removably attached to a human body, the first component comprising the plurality of sensors and directional indicator, the second component comprising the a directional indicator for indicating the indicator assembly.

12. The detector assembly of claim 11 wherein the first component is contained within a helmet and the second component is wrist mounted.

13. The detector assembly of claim 12 wherein the second component comprises a wrist watch.

14. A device for detecting a flash within the solar blind ultraviolet range of light comprising:

a first support;

at least one sensor supported by the first support for detecting light from the flash;

a directional indicator for indicating the directional location of the first support; and

an indicator assembly comprising at least one indicator;

the at least one indicator operating to display the directional location of the flash.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the device can be attached to a body for carriage thereon.

16. The device of claim 14 further comprising a power source supported by the human body, the at least one sensor being powered by electrical power from the power source.

17. The device of claim 14 wherein the at least one sensor is an UV avalanche photodetectors operated in the Geiger mode.

18. The device of claim 14 further including a transmitter and receiver, the transmitter being operationally connected to the plurality of sensors and directional indicator, and a receiver operationally connected to the indicator assembly;

the transmitter operating to transmit data relating to the directional location of the flash to the receiver for display by the indicator assembly.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the transmitter and receiver utilize Bluetooth technology.

20. A method of detecting weapons fire in the solar blind ultraviolet wavelength range comprising;

mounting a plurality of sensors and an indicator assembly to the body of a person;

connecting the sensors to a directional indicator which indicates the north, south, east or west direction from which a weapons fire originated;

processing the signals in a processor to combine the directional indicator and sensor information;

transmitting the output of the processor;

receiving the signal indicating the sensed weapons fire for display by the indicator assembly which indicates the north, south, east or west orientation of the weapons fire.