System and method for defending against a projectile

• US 7,654,185 B1
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Yannone, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; Bret
• Assistant Examiner(s): David; Michael D
• Application Number:
  US11/651,146
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 89/11.1, 89/361.7
• US Class Current: 89/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/04 for dispersing fire from a battery ; for controlling spread of shots; for coordinating fire from spaced weapons
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/147 based on detection of a firing weapon
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 5/14 for vehicle-borne guns
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves

Abstract

An embodiment of a protection system for an object includes first and second sensors and a processor coupled to the sensors. The sensors are mountable to a side of the object a predetermined distance apart, and each sensor is operable to detect a respective angle between the sensor and a location from which a projectile is fired toward the side. The processor is operable to determine from the detected angles whether the firing location is aligned with the object. If the firing location is aligned with the object, then the processor is operable to calculate from the detected angles and the predetermined distance a time window during which the processor estimates that the projectile will strike the object, and is operable to cause a protection unit to defend against the projectile for the duration of the time window. Such a protection system may be less expensive to acquire, install, or operate than prior protection systems, and may expand defenses more efficiently than prior protection systems.

Claims

1. A protection system for an object, the system comprising:

first and second sensors for mounting to a side of the object a predetermined distance apart, each sensor adapted to detect a respective angle between the sensor and a location from which a projectile is fired toward the side; and

a processor coupled to the sensors and programmed

to determine from the detected angles whether the firing location is aligned with the object, and

if the firing location is aligned with the object, then

to calculate from the detected angles and the predetermined distance a first time and a second time that is later than the first time, the first and second times defining a time window within which the processor estimates that the projectile will strike the object, and

to cause a protection unit to enable a defense against the projectile for the duration of the time window.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the sensors comprises a respective multi-band infrared sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the sensors comprises a respective warner sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

each of the first and second sensors has a respective substantially planar surface facing away from the object side; and

the respective angle is measured from the surface of the sensor.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the protection unit is adapted to enable the defense by launching at least one countermeasure.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to determine that the firing location is aligned with the object if the firing location is between the first and second sensors.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to calculate the first and second times by:

calculating a range of the firing location from the detected angles and the predetermined distance;

calculating a range error factor from one of the angles, the range, the predetermined distance, and an error factor for the one of the angles;

calculating the first and second times from the range, the range error factor, and a predetermined speed profile of the projectile.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to calculate the first and second times by:

calculating a range of the firing location from the detected angles and the predetermined distance;

calculating a range error factor from one of the angles, the range, the predetermined distance, and an error factor for the one of the angles;

calculating the first and second times from the range, the range error factor, and a predetermined average speed of the projectile.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein:

at least one of the sensors is operable to detect a firing signature of the fired projectile; and

the processor is operable to identify the fired projectile from the firing signature.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory that is coupled to the processor and adapted to store a firing signature and a speed profile of the projectile.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory that is coupled to the processor and adapted to store a firing signature and an average speed of the projectile.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising the protection unit mountable to the object and coupled to the processor.

12. A vehicle, comprising:

a side;

first and second sensors disposed on the side and separated by a predetermined distance, each sensor configured to detect a respective angle between the sensor and a location from which a projectile is fired toward the side;

a vehicle-protection unit configured to enable a defense against the projectile; and

a processor coupled to the sensors and to the protection unit, the processor programmed to;

determine from the detected angles whether the firing location is aligned with the vehicle, and

if the firing location is aligned with the vehicle, then

calculate from the detected angles and the predetermined distance a first time and a second time that is substantially later than the first time, the first and second times defining there between a time window within which the processor estimates that the projectile will strike the vehicle, and

cause the protection unit to enable the defense for the duration of the time window.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a weapon disposed on the vehicle at a predetermined position between the sensors and operable to target the location from which the projectile is fired; and

wherein the processor is adapted to target the weapon at the location in response to the detected angles, the predetermined distance, and the predetermined position.

15. A system, comprising:

first and second sensors for mounting to a side of an object a predetermined distance apart, each sensor adapted to detect a respective angle between the sensor and a location from which a projectile is fired toward the side; and

a processor coupled to the sensors and programmed

to determine from the detected angles whether the firing location is aligned with the object, and

if the firing location is aligned with the object, then

to calculate from the detected angles and the predetermined distance a first time and a second time that is later than the first time, the first and second times defining a time window within which the processor estimates that the projectile will strike the object, and

to cause a protection unit to enable a defense against the projectile for the duration of the time window.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the processor is further adapted to determine that the firing location is between the first and second sensors when one of said respective detected angles is acute and the other of said detected angles is obtuse when the detected angles are measured in a same direction.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the processor is further adapted to determine that the firing location is not between the first and second sensors when both of said detected angles are acute when measured in a same direction.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the processor is further adapted to determine that the firing location is not between the first and second sensors when both of said respective detected angles are obtuse when measured in a same direction.

19. A vehicle, comprising:

a side;

first and second sensors disposed on the side and separated by a predetermined distance, each sensor configured to detect a respective angle between the sensor and a location from which a projectile is fired toward the side;

a vehicle-protection unit configured to enable a defense against the projectile; and

a processor coupled to the sensors and to the protection unit, the processor programmed;

to determine from the detected angles whether the firing location is between the first and second sensors, and

if the firing location is between the first and second sensors, then

to calculate from the detected angles and the predetermined distance a time window within which the processor estimates that the projectile will strike the vehicle, and

to cause the protection unit to enable the defense for the duration of the time window.