Electronic curtain for vehicle protection

• US 8,098,191 B1
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Pergande, Albert N., Griffin, Lloyd Dan Jr., Gray, Steven G., Le, Hung Q., Nicholas, Steve T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr
• Application Number:
  US12/265,063
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 244 31- 33, 89/11.1, 342/59, 342/61, 342/62, 342/27, 342/28, 342/118, 342126-144, 342 13- 20, 342 82- 87, 342/89, 342/91, 342/93, 342/175, 342/195, 342 63- 68, 342/159
• US Class Current: 342/61
• 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: F41H 5/007 Reactive armour; Dynamic armour
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/28 with time compression of received pulses
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/32 using transmission of continuous waves, whether amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated, or unmodulated
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/582 adapted for simultaneous range and velocity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00

Abstract

An apparatus and method for protecting against incoming projectiles comprising transmitting two radar waveforms, the first waveform comprising a pulsed continuous wave waveform, and the second waveform comprising a pulsed linear chirp waveform over a bandwidth, and based on returned radar data, causing deployment of a defense mechanism to intercept a detected incoming projectile.

Claims

1. A method of protecting against incoming projectiles, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting two radar waveforms, the first waveform comprising a pulsed continuous wave waveform, and the second waveform comprising a pulsed linear chirp waveform over a bandwidth; and

based on returned radar data, causing deployment of a defense mechanism to intercept a detected incoming projectile.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the causing step occurs on detection of an amplitude peak distinct from that of ground clutter.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the waveforms are interleaved.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first waveform employs high pulse repetition frequency.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the bandwidth is at least approximately 500 MHz.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the bandwidth is about 500 MHz.

7. An apparatus for protecting against incoming projectiles, said apparatus comprising:

a radar transmitting two radar waveforms, the first waveform comprising a pulsed continuous wave waveform, and the second waveform comprising a pulsed linear chirp waveform over a bandwidth; and

a defense system which, based on returned radar data, causes deployment of a defense mechanism to intercept a detected incoming projectile.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the defense system causes deployment upon detection of an amplitude peak distinct from that of ground clutter.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the waveforms are interleaved.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first waveform employs high pulse repetition frequency.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the bandwidth is at least approximately 500 MHz.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the bandwidth is about 500 MHz.

13. A method of detecting incoming projectiles, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting two radar waveforms, the first waveform comprising a pulsed continuous wave waveform, and the second waveform comprising a pulsed linear chirp waveform over a bandwidth; and

based on returned radar data, outputting a signal indicating detection of an incoming projectile.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the outputting step occurs on detection of an amplitude peak distinct from that of ground clutter.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the waveforms are interleaved.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the first waveform employs high pulse repetition frequency.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the bandwidth is at least approximately 500 MHz.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the bandwidth is about 500 MHz.