Visual disruption network and system, method, and computer program product thereof

• US 9,714,815 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Moraites, Stephen C., Herman, Carl R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnston, Phillip A
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSAI, HSIEN C
• Application Number:
  US13/527,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20150293212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 2504921, 250504 R, 2504951, 356 501, 35617903, 356 401, 342 14, 342 52, 342 53, 342 54, 342 55, 342 61, 342 62, 342 63
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• 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 13/0056 for blinding or dazzling, i.e. by overstimulating the opponent's eyes or the enemy's sensor equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/00 Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position line determinations; Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using active systems G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosed subject matter involve an airborne-based network for implementing a laser-based visual disruption countermeasure scan pattern system, method, and computer program product. The scan pattern can be comprised of a plurality of lasers each with their own scan pattern and may be used to disrupt an optical system of a weapon or an individual. One vehicle in the network can transmit target information and/or scan information to one or more other vehicles or to a non-vehicle remote location in the network.

Claims

1. A visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method, comprising:

electronically receiving, from a first vehicle at a remote location, information at a second vehicle regarding a common portion of at least two different previously identified flash detection areas; and

responsive to said electronically receiving, automatically applying from the second vehicle in scanning fashion an amount of laser energy to the common portion.

2. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, wherein said automatically applying an amount of laser energy includes applying an increased amount of laser energy relative to an initial amount of energy applied by the first vehicle at the remote location, the increased amount of laser energy including at least one of increasing scanning frequency of one or more lasers for the common portion and increasing intensity of one or more of lasers for the common portion.

3. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, further comprising:

electronically receiving, from the remote location, information regarding a plurality of different flash detection areas including said at least two different flash detection areas; and

deploying a plurality of different laser scan patterns corresponding to said plurality of different flash detection areas, the number of different flash detection areas matching the number of different laser scan patterns, and each laser scan pattern enveloping its corresponding flash detection area.

4. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 3,

wherein the plurality of different laser scan patterns are deployed simultaneously or substantially simultaneously from the first and second vehicles, and

wherein the plurality of different laser scan patterns are maintained substantially for a same amount of time.

5. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, wherein said automatically applying in scanning fashion an amount of laser energy to the common portion is prior to any previous scanning associated with the location of said electronically receiving from the remote location.

6. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, the amount of laser energy to the common portion is of an amount sufficient to interfere with an optical system of a weapon or an optical system of a person.

7. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, where the remote location is associated with one of a ground-, water-, space-, or air-based vehicle.