System and method for a directable countermeasure with divergent laser

• US 9,465,100 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2014
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elbit Systems of America LLC (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Elbit Systems of America LLC (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Lundquist, Jan Stephan, Soletsky, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): TILLMAN, JR, REGINALD S
• Application Number:
  US14/316,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20150323656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 89/11.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/224 Deceiving or protecting means jamming or anti-jamming of radio-wave systems in general G01S7/36, G01S7/38; defense installations in general F41H11/02; chaff dispensers F42B12/70
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0056 for blinding or dazzling, i.e. by overstimulating the opponent's eyes or the enemy's sensor equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/495 Counter-measures or counter-counter-measures using electronic or electro-optical means

Abstract

A system includes a threat warning system and an countermeasure system. The threat warning system generates threat data that includes at least a threat coordinate value. The countermeasure system includes a wide-angle laser beam director and the infrared counter measure system receives the threat data including the threat coordinate value from the threat warning system and causes the beam director to direct a divergent laser beam based on the threat coordinate value.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a threat warning system to generate threat data, wherein the threat data comprises at least a threat coordinate value and an angle of approach value for a threat; and

a countermeasure system comprising a wide-angle laser beam director, wherein the countermeasure system is configured to;

receive the threat data including the threat coordinate value from the threat warning system;

cause the beam director to direct a divergent laser beam comprising a jamming cone of light based on the threat coordinate value; and

cause the beam director to vary an angle of the cone based on the angle of approach value.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the divergent laser beam comprises a jamming cone of light in the range of one degree to five degrees.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the divergent laser beam comprises a jamming cone of light in the range of one degree to ten degrees.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the countermeasure system directs the divergent laser beam without the use of a tracking camera.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the countermeasure system provides a feedback loop between the beam director and the threat warning system and updates the direction of the beam director based on an updated threat coordinate value received from the threat warning system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the countermeasure system does not alter the direction of the beam director after initial direction.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving threat data from a threat warning system, wherein the threat data comprises at least a threat coordinate value and an angle of approach value for a threat;

causing a wide-angle laser beam director to direct a divergent laser beam comprising a jamming cone of light based on the threat coordinate value, and

causing the beam director to vary an angle of the cone based on the angle of approach value.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the divergent laser beam comprises a jamming cone of light in the range of one degree to five degrees.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the divergent laser beam comprises a jamming cone of light in the range of one degree to ten degrees.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising directing the divergent laser beam without the use of a tracking camera.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising updating the direction of the beam director as a result of receiving an updated threat coordinate value from the threat warning system.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive threat data from a threat warning system, wherein the threat data comprises at least a threat coordinate value and an angle of approach value for a threat;

cause a wide-angle laser beam director to direct a divergent laser beam comprising a jamming cone of light based on the threat coordinate value; and

cause the beam director to vary an angle of the cone based on the angle of approach value.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the divergent laser beam comprises a jamming cone of light in the range of one degree to five degrees.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the divergent laser beam comprises a jamming cone of light in the range of one degree to ten degrees.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the processor further directs the divergent laser beam without the use of a tracking camera.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the processor further updates the direction of the beam director as a result of receiving an updated threat coordinate value from the threat warning system.