THREAT WARNING SYSTEM

• US 20200134852A1
• Filed: 10/30/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Mercier, Michael N.
• Application Number:
  US16/174,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20200134852A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/142 based on observation of a first shoot; using a simulated shoot training F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/224 Deceiving or protecting means jamming or anti-jamming of radio-wave systems in general G01S7/36, G01S7/38; defense installations in general F41H11/02; chaff dispensers F42B12/70
• 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 11/02 Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/582 adapted for simultaneous range and velocity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/584 adapted for simultaneous range and velocity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/726 Multiple target tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/883 for missile homing, autodirectors missile guidance systems F41G7/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/11 for solving equations , e.g. nonlinear equations, general mathematical optimization problems optimization specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a threat warning system that utilizes an image sensor and an active radar to determine whether a muzzle flash is the source of a threat to a platform carrying the threat warning system. The threat warning system may be a new operation of existing or legacy components on a platform that are implemented as a software update to accomplish the new objectives of the present disclosure. Alternatively, the components described herein may be provide as a newly constructed group of components networked together to accomplish the intended functions of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sensing, with a sensor on a platform, a flash occurring remotely from the platform;

generating, with a signal generator, a signal indicative of the flash;

providing the signal to a radar coupled to the platform;

directing, from the radar coupled to the platform, a radar beam towards a source of the flash;

detecting, with object detection and tracking logic, an object moving through the radar beam;

tracking, with the object detection and tracking logic, the object; and

determining whether the object is a threat to the platform.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deploying at least one countermeasure from the platform in response to the determination that the object is a threat to the platform.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maneuvering, evasively, the platform in response to the determination that the object is a threat to the platform.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the flash is a muzzle flash produced from a firing platform; and

sensing, with the sensor, an electro-optical or infrared (EO/IR) signature of the muzzle flash.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

sensing, with the sensor, an intensity characteristic of the muzzle flash; and

generating, with the signal generator, the signal that includes the intensity characteristic of the muzzle flash.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

sensing, with the sensor, a spectral characteristic of the muzzle flash; and

generating, with the signal generator, the signal that includes the spectral characteristic of the muzzle flash.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

sensing, with the sensor, a temporal characteristic of the muzzle flash; and

generating, with the signal generator, the signal that includes the temporal characteristic of the muzzle flash.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining, with a device carried by the platform, a geolocation of the source of the muzzle flash.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, with bearing calculation logic, a bearing of the object moving from the geolocation of the source;

wherein the object does not emit photons while moving from the source.

10. A threat warning system comprising:

a sensor on a platform to detect a muzzle flash from a source occurring remotely from the platform;

a signal generator in operative communication with the sensor that generates a signal in response to the sensor detecting the muzzle flash;

a radar on the platform that receives the signal from the signal generator to cue or point a radar beam generated by the radar towards the source of the muzzle flash; and

object detection and tracking logic in operative communication with the radar to detect an object moving through the radar beam and to determine whether the object is a threat to the platform.

11. The threat warning system of claim 10, further comprising:

wherein the source is a gun barrel; and

wherein the object is a bullet that does not emit photos after being fired from the source.

12. The threat warning system of claim 10, further comprising:

signal generation logic in communication with the signal generator that evaluates intensity characteristics of the muzzle flash from the source that is remote from the platform.

13. The threat warning system of claim 10, further comprising:

signal generation logic in communication with the signal generator that evaluates spectral characteristics of the muzzle flash from the source that is remote from the platform.

14. The threat warning system of claim 10, further comprising:

signal generation logic in communication with the signal generator that evaluates temporal characteristics of the muzzle flash from the source that is remote from the platform.

15. The threat warning system of claim 10, further comprising:

signal generation logic in communication with the signal generator that evaluates flash characteristics of the muzzle flash from the source that is remote from the platform.

16. The threat warning system of claim 10, further comprising:

signal generation logic in communication with the sensor to determine whether the muzzle flash is a flash-of-interest or an errant muzzle flash.

17. The threat warning system of claim 10, further comprising:

an inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the platform that calculates the geolocation of the source of the muzzle flash.

18. The threat warning system of claim 10, further comprising:

bearing calculation logic in operative communication with or in the object detection logic to calculate the bearing of the object moving through the radar beam.

19. The threat warning system of claim 10, further comprising:

wherein the sensor on the platform is a passive sensor that is one of an infrared (IR) sensor and an ultraviolet (UV) sensor.

20. The threat warning system of claim 10, further comprising:

wherein the source of the muzzle flash is one of a gun, a turret, a surface-to-air rocket launcher, a man-portable air defense system (MANPAD), and tank.