Improvised explosive device countermeasures
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for mitigating effectiveness of an improvised explosive device (IED), the method comprising:
- detecting a presence of the IED by detecting a presence of a non-linear electronic component of the IED, wherein detecting the presence of the non-linear component of the IED comprises;
illuminating the IED with a first signal containing a first plurality of frequencies and having a comparatively wide beam, andreceiving a first complex signal return including at least one of sum or difference frequencies or harmonics produced by interaction of the first signal with one or more of the IED'"'"'s non-linear components;
in response to detecting the presence of the IED, verifying the presence of the IED by determining whether a signature of the first complex signal return is consistent with expected IED signatures;
in response to verifying the presence of the IED, determining a location of the IED by;
illuminating the IED with a second signal containing a second plurality of frequencies and having a comparatively narrow beam, andreceiving a second complex signal return including at least one of sum or difference frequencies or harmonics produced by interaction of the second signal with one or more of the IED'"'"'s non-linear components, wherein the second plurality of frequencies are higher than the first plurality of frequencies; and
in response to determining the location of the IED, disabling the IED by directing a burst of electromagnetic radiation to the determined location of the IED.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for mitigating the effectiveness of IEDs are disclosed. The method can include detecting IEDs by sensing the presence of a non-linear electronic component of an IED. The presence of a non-linear electronic component of the IED can be detected by illuminating the device with a high power microwave signal containing a plurality of radio frequencies of electromagnetic radiation and receiving sum and/or difference frequency components that are produced by interaction of the illuminating signals with a non-linear IED component and subsequently re-radiated.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method for mitigating effectiveness of an improvised explosive device (IED), the method comprising:
-
detecting a presence of the IED by detecting a presence of a non-linear electronic component of the IED, wherein detecting the presence of the non-linear component of the IED comprises; illuminating the IED with a first signal containing a first plurality of frequencies and having a comparatively wide beam, and receiving a first complex signal return including at least one of sum or difference frequencies or harmonics produced by interaction of the first signal with one or more of the IED'"'"'s non-linear components; in response to detecting the presence of the IED, verifying the presence of the IED by determining whether a signature of the first complex signal return is consistent with expected IED signatures; in response to verifying the presence of the IED, determining a location of the IED by; illuminating the IED with a second signal containing a second plurality of frequencies and having a comparatively narrow beam, and receiving a second complex signal return including at least one of sum or difference frequencies or harmonics produced by interaction of the second signal with one or more of the IED'"'"'s non-linear components, wherein the second plurality of frequencies are higher than the first plurality of frequencies; and in response to determining the location of the IED, disabling the IED by directing a burst of electromagnetic radiation to the determined location of the IED. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system for mitigating effectiveness of an improvised explosive device (IED), the system comprising:
-
a first transmitter and a first transmit antenna for illuminating the IED with a first signal containing a first plurality of frequencies and having a comparatively wide beam; a first receiver and a first receive antenna for receiving a first complex signal return including at least one of sum or difference frequencies or harmonics produced by interaction of the first signal with one or more of the IED'"'"'s non-linear components to detect a presence of the IED; a detection verification system for verifying a presence of the IED in response to the detected presence of the IED based on whether a signature of the first complex signal return is consistent with expected IED signatures; a second transmitter and a second transmit antenna for illuminating the IED with a second signal containing a second plurality of frequencies and having a comparatively narrow beam; a second receiver and a second receive antenna for receiving a second complex signal return including at least one of sum or difference frequencies or harmonics produced by interaction of the second signal with one or more of the IED'"'"'s non-linear components to determine a location of the IED in response to the verified presence of the IED, wherein the second plurality of frequencies are higher than the first plurality of frequencies; and a third transmitter and a third transmit antenna for disabling the IED in response to the determined location of the IED by directing a burst of electromagnetic radiation to the determined location of the IED. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A system for locating an improvised explosive device (IED), the system comprising:
-
means for detecting a presence of the IED by detecting a presence of a non-linear electronic component of the IED, the detecting means comprising; means for illuminating the IED with a first signal containing a first plurality of frequencies and having a comparatively wide beam, and means for receiving a first complex signal return including at least one of sum or difference frequencies or harmonics produced by interaction of the first signal with one or more of the IED'"'"'s non-linear components; means for verifying the presence of the IED by determining whether a signature of the first complex signal return is consistent with expected IED signatures in response to the detecting means; means for determining a location of the IED in response to the verifying means, the determining means comprising; means for illuminating the IED with a second signal containing a second plurality of frequencies and having a comparatively narrow beam, and means for receiving a second complex signal return including at least one of sum or difference frequencies or harmonics produced by interaction of the second signal with one or more of the IED'"'"'s non-linear components, wherein the second plurality of frequencies are higher than the first plurality of frequencies; and means for disabling the IED by directing a burst of electromagnetic radiation to the determined location of the IED in response to the determining means.
-
Specification