Electromagnetic weapon

• US 7,051,636 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2004
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Department of The Navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Snow, Jeffrey M., Snow, Trevor M.
• Primary Examiner(s): ELDRED, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US10/945,573
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 89/11.1, 86/50, 250/341.1, 250/395
• US Class Current: 89/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0068 the high-energy beam being of microwave type, e.g. for causing a heating effect in the target
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0075 the high-energy beam being a radiofrequency beam

Abstract

An electromagnetic weapon that includes semi-randomly arranged antenna elements and a central weapon computer. The antenna elements are coordinated to function as an active phased array capable of finding and executing a resonate mode of a target. The central weapon computer controls all the antenna elements, and is able to determine the location of all the antenna elements.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic weapon, comprising:

(a) semi-randomly arranged antenna elements, the antenna elements coordinated to function as an active phased array capable of finding and executing a resonate mode of a target with sufficient energy to disable the target;

(b) a central weapon computer, the central weapon computer controlling all the antenna elements, the central weapon computer being able to determine the location of all the antenna elements.

2. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 1, wherein the location of all the antenna elements are determined by measuring time delays of signals between the antenna elements.

3. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 1, wherein the location of all the antenna elements are determined by phase differences of signals between the antenna elements.

4. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 1, wherein the location of all the antenna elements are determined by differential GPS of signals between the antenna elements.

5. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 1, wherein the antenna elements are dipoles.

6. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 1, wherein the antenna elements are loops.

7. An electromagnetic weapon, comprising:

(a) semi-randomly arranged antenna elements, the antenna elements coordinated to function as an active phased array capable of finding and executing a resonate mode of a target with sufficient energy to disable the target, the antenna elements comprises of a radiating element, an amplifier, a phase shifter, and a communications link, the radiating element, the amplifier and the phase shifter electronically communicating with the communications link; and

(b) a central weapon computer, the central weapon computer controlling all the antenna elements, the central weapon computer being able to determine the location of all the antenna elements, the communications link electronically communicating with the central weapon computer.

8. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic weapon further comprising an attenuator, the attenuator electronically communicating with the communications link.

9. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 8, wherein the communications link is a radio frequency link.

10. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 9, wherein the radiating element radiates largely equally in azimuth.

11. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 10, wherein the location of all the antenna elements are determined by measuring time delays of signals between the antenna elements.

12. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 10, wherein the location of all the antenna elements are determined by phase differences of signals between the antenna elements.

13. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 10, wherein the location of all the antenna elements are determined by differential GPS of signals between the antenna elements.

14. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 10, wherein the antenna elements are dipoles.

15. The electromagnetic weapon of claim 10, wherein the antenna elements are loops.