Free-space sensor network

• US 8,050,568 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2008
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Hunt, Jeffrey H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben; Loha
• Application Number:
  US12/276,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20100272443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 398/115, 398/118, 340/531, 340/539.1, 340/572.8, 342/165, 342/357.14, 342/357.48, 342/450, 342/464, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/67.14, 455/67.16, 701/3, 701/4, 701/7, 701/9, 701/301
• US Class Current: 398/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1125 using a single common optical path

Abstract

A free-space network may include: a plurality of geographically distributed free-space sensors for sensing at least one target; a networking apparatus for combining sensed information regarding at least one target from the geographically distributed free-space sensors; a target information device for communicating to at least one user combined sensed information regarding at least one target, from the geographically distributed free-space sensors, as provided by the networking apparatus; and at least one communication link connecting in free-space the geographically distributed sensors, the networking apparatus, and the target information device.

Claims

1. A free-space sensor network comprising:

a plurality of geographically distributed free-space sensors for sensing at least one target, wherein at least two of the sensors are of different types;

a networking apparatus for combining sensed information regarding the at least one target from the geographically distributed free-space sensors;

a target information device for communicating to at least one user the combined sensed information regarding the at least one target, from the geographically distributed free-space sensors, provided by the networking apparatus; and

at least one communication link connecting in free-space said geographically distributed sensors, said networking apparatus, and said target information device.

2. The free-space sensor network of claim 1 wherein each of the geographically distributed free-space sensors comprises at least one of an imaging sensor and a spectral sensor.

3. The free-space sensor network of claim 1 wherein the networking apparatus comprises at least one free-space optical communications network for allowing a plurality of cooperative users to communicate, wherein said at least one free-space optical communications network comprises a plurality of free-space multi-channel relay converters for tracking the plurality of cooperative users and a connection system for aligning the plurality of free-space multi-channel relay converters with one another to allow the plurality of cooperative users to communicate.

4. The free-space sensor network of claim 1 wherein the networking apparatus comprises at least one processor.

5. The free-space sensor network of claim 1 wherein the target information device comprises at least one of a display, an audio device, a processor, an aircraft, a spacecraft, a satellite, a rocket, a missile, a ship, a submarine, a tank, and a vehicle.

6. The free-space sensor network of claim 1 wherein the at least one communication link comprises at least one of an optical laser and a radio frequency link.

7. The free-space sensor network of claim 1 wherein the free-space sensor network is at least one of in, over, under, and on at least one of space, air, ground, and water.

8. A free-space combat sensor network comprising:

a plurality of geographically distributed free-space sensors for sensing at least one combat target;

a networking apparatus for combining sensed information regarding the at least one combat target from the geographically distributed free-space sensors, wherein the networking apparatus comprises at least one free-space optical communications network for allowing a plurality of cooperative users to communicate;

a combat target information device for communicating to at least one user combined sensed information regarding the at least one combat target, from the geographically distributed free-space sensors, provided by the networking apparatus; and

at least one communication link connecting in free-space said geographically distributed sensors, said networking apparatus, and said combat target information device.

9. The free-space combat sensor network of claim 8 wherein each of the geographically distributed free-space sensors comprises at least one of an imaging sensor and a spectral sensor.

10. The free-space combat sensor network of claim 8 wherein said at least one free-space optical communications network comprises a plurality of free-space multi-channel relay converters for tracking the plurality of cooperative users and a connection system for aligning the plurality of free-space multi-channel relay converters with one another to allow the plurality of cooperative users to communicate.

11. The free-space combat sensor network of claim 8 wherein the networking apparatus comprises at least one processor.

12. The free-space combat sensor network of claim 8 wherein the combat target information device comprises at least one of a display, an audio device, a processor, an aircraft, a spacecraft, a satellite, a rocket, a missile, a ship, a submarine, a tank, and a vehicle.

13. The free-space combat sensor network of claim 8 wherein the at least one communication link comprises at least one of an optical laser and a radio frequency link.

14. The free-space sensor network of claim 8 wherein the free-space combat sensor network is at least one of in, over, under, and on at least one of space, air, ground, and water.

15. A method of communicating over a free-space network, the method comprising:

sensing at least one target using a plurality of geographically distributed free-space sensors;

sending sensed target information regarding the at least one target from the geographically distributed free-space sensors over at least one communication link to a networking apparatus;

combining the sensed target information regarding the at least one target using the networking apparatus; and

communicating the combined sensed target information regarding the at least one target to a user through a target information device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the sensing step further comprises sensing at least one combat target using different types of geographically distributed free-space sensors comprising at least one of an imaging sensor and a spectral sensor.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the sensed target information comprises at least one of a real-time location, a direction, an orientation, a speed, and an identification of said at least one target, and the communication link comprises at least one of an optical laser and a radio frequency link.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the networking apparatus comprises at least one of a processor and a free-space optical communications network, wherein said at least one free-space optical communications network comprises a plurality of free-space multi-channel relay converters and a connection system comprising an internal alignment reference and steering mirrors.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the target information device comprises at least one of a display, an audio device, a processor, an aircraft, a spacecraft, a satellite, a rocket, a missile, a ship, a submarine, a tank, and a vehicle.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the method is used to communicate information regarding a combat target to a friendly user at least one of in, over, under, and on at least one of space, air, ground, and water.