Notification of incoming projectiles

• US 9,922,518 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2015
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hannigan, Russell J., Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Johanson, 3ric, Kare, Jordin T., Pan, Tony S., Tegreene, Clarence T., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Jr., Lowell L., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US14/933,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20160171860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 34053913, 3405731, 3406911, 3408154, 3403841, 342 27, 342 53
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits

Abstract

Described embodiments include a real-time system, method, and apparatus. A system includes an incoming object sensor configured to be worn by a human and to acquire data indicative of a trajectory of an incoming projectile. The system includes a warning device configured to be worn by the human and to provide a notification to the human. The system includes a processing circuit configured to (i) receive the data indicative of a trajectory of the incoming projectile; (ii) predict a spatial relationship of the trajectory of the incoming projectile relative to the human; and (iii) initiate a notification by the warning device suggesting a movement by the human to evade the incoming projectile.

Claims

1. A real-time system comprising:

an incoming object sensor configured to be worn by a human and to acquire data indicative of a trajectory of an incoming projectile relative to the human;

a warning device configured to be worn by the human and to provide a notification to the human; and

a processing circuit configured to;

receive the data indicative of the trajectory of the incoming projectile;

predict a spatial relationship of the trajectory of the incoming projectile relative to the human;

initiate a notification by the warning device suggesting a movement by the human to evade the incoming projectile;

receive data indicative of a movement by the human after the notification of the suggested movement to evade the incoming projectile;

compare the suggested movement with the data indicative of the movement by the human occurring after notification of the suggested movement to evade;

determine an updated suggested movement by the human to evade the incoming projectile; and

initiate a notification by the warning device of the updated suggested movement by the human to evade the incoming projectile.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming projectile includes a ballistic projectile or a rocket propelled projectile.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming object sensor is configured to be carried by the head of the human.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming object sensor includes at least one of an imaging system, a lidar system, a sonar system, or a radar system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming object sensor includes an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, an audio sensor, or a millimeter radar sensor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming object sensor includes a multi-frequency radar sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming object sensor includes a Doppler radar sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming object sensor is configured to acquire data indicative of a closest approach to the human by the trajectory of the incoming projectile.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming object sensor is configured to acquire data indicative of a trajectory of an incoming projectile and a location of a ground impact by the incoming projectile.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a head protection gear, wherein the incoming object sensor is coupled to the head protection gear.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning device is configured to be carried by the head of the human.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning device is configured to be worn on an appendage of the human.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning device includes a haptic element configured to generate a stimulus tactilely perceivable by the human.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning device includes a speaker.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning device includes a vibratory element.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning device includes a plurality of warning modules.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a head protection gear, wherein the warning device is coupled to the head protection gear.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to predict a proximity and spatial relationship of the incoming projectile relative to the human.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to predict a closest approach to the human by the incoming projectile.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to predict a trajectory of an incoming projectile and a location of a ground impact by the incoming projectile.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to predict a temporal relationship of the trajectory of the incoming projectile relative to the human.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes a suggested movement of the human away from the trajectory of the incoming projectile.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes an indication of a direction of the incoming projectile.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes a generalized notification of the incoming projectile.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes an indication of a velocity of the incoming object.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes a haptic output.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes a vibratory output.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes an audible output.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes a visual output.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes a notification of the incoming projectile and a suggested movement by the human to evade the incoming projectile.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes a suggested movement by the human to evade the incoming projectile in advance of a predicted impact of the incoming projectile.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes a suggested movement by the human to evade a future incoming projectile responsive to the predicted spatial relationship of the trajectory of the incoming projectile relative to the human.

33. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes a suggested movement by the human to evade an incoming projectile on a round-by-round basis (e.g., for mortars and grenades, or for bullets) responsive to the predicted spatial relationship of the incoming projectile relative to the human.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device includes a suggested movement by the human to evade an incoming projectile on an aggregate basis (e.g., for a burst of bullets) responsive to the predicted spatial relationship of the incoming projectile relative to the human.

35. The system of claim 1, further comprising a body orientation sensor configured to acquire data indicative of a current orientation of a body part of the human.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

receive data indicative of a current orientation of a body part of the human;

determine a current orientation of the body part of the human relative to the trajectory of the incoming projectile; and

initiate a notification by the warning device suggesting a movement by the human to evade the incoming projectile responsive to the current orientation of the body part of the human.

37. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification by the warning device further includes a notification responsive to a proximity parameter satisfying a predetermined threshold.

38. The system of claim 1, further comprising a movement sensor configured to acquire data indicative of a movement by the human.

39. The system of claim 1, wherein the updated suggested movement includes a modified parameter of the initial suggested movement by the human to evade the incoming projectile.

40. A method implemented in real-time, the method comprising:

acquiring data indicative of a trajectory of an incoming projectile relative to a human using an incoming object sensor worn by the human;

predicting a spatial relationship of the trajectory of the incoming projectile relative to the human;

notifying the human of a suggested movement by the human to evade the incoming projectile using a warning device worn by the human;

receiving data indicative of a movement of the human after the notification of the suggested movement to evade the incoming projectile;

comparing the suggested movement with the determined movement by the human occurring after notification of the suggested movement to evade;

determining an updated suggested movement by the human to evade the incoming projectile; and

notifying the human of an updated suggested movement by the human to evade the incoming projectile.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the predicting includes predicting a proximity and spatial relationship of the incoming projectile relative to the human.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

receiving data indicative of a current orientation of a body part of the human;

determining a current orientation of the body part of the human relative to the trajectory of the incoming projectile; and

notifying the human of a suggested movement to evade the incoming projectile responsive to the current orientation of the body part of the human.