Countermeasure threat emulator and method

• US 6,934,217 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Dutton, C. Ray, Potter, Lynn A., Lopes, Joseph B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US09/780,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20040228213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 367/1, 114/21.3, 434/6, 434/10
• US Class Current: 367/1
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/002 target simulators
• 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: F41J 2/00 Reflecting targets, e.g. radar-reflector targets; Active targets transmitting electromagnetic or acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 9/04 Seagoing targets
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/537 Counter-measures or counter-counter-measures, e.g. jamming, anti-jamming

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for a countermeasure threat emulator (CME) provided in a tubular housing that may be launched from a submarine or ship. The CME electronics include a CPU board for running software, communicating with a computer external to the housing and data recording. The external computer preferably incorporates a database having data representative of a plurality of both foreign and domestic countermeasures. The data may be downloaded to the CPU board as well as updated for reprogramming of the CPU board. A digital signal processing board utilizes a plurality of DSP processors for running software capable of producing a wide range of acoustic signal outputs. A neural network may be used for analyzing and identifying acoustic sounds from incoming threats and notifying the CPU board for selection of a preprogrammed response for transmission by a transducer stack.

Claims

1. A programmable countermeasure threat emulation system, comprising:

a tubular housing suitable for launching from a submarine;

power supply within said tubular housing, said power supply including controls for selecting between operating remotely and operating connected to an external power source;

hovering system for said tubular housing for controlling mobility of said tubular housing within water;

transmitter for transmitting acoustic signals;

digital signal processing unit for producing waveforms to be transmitted by said transmitter; and

a central processing unit for storing digital information related to one or more countermeasure threats and supplying said digital information to said digital signal processing unit.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a receiver hydrophone.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a neural network analyzing signals from said receiver hydrophone.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of field programmable gate arrays for said digital signal processing unit.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of digital signal processing integrated circuits for said digital signal processing unit.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a signal conditioner operable for converting a stream of digital signals into analog signal for broadcast by said transmitter.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a database stored in a computer external to said housing, said database containing a plurality of countermeasure threat.

8. A method for emulating a countermeasure threat, said method comprising:

maintaining a database having a plurality of countermeasure threats;

downloading data for at least one of said plurality of countermeasure threats into a computer within a housing;

launching said housing for underwater operation; and

transmitting an emulation of at least one of said plurality of countermeasure threats into water through an acoustic transducer.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising processings said data utilizing one or more digital signal processing integrated circuits.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing a plurality of field programmable gate arrays for reprogramming said digital signal processing circuits.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising utilizing a receiver hydrophone in said countermeasure threat emulator for receiving acoustic signals produced by an incoming torpedo.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising identifying said incoming torpedo from said received acoustic signals.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising utilizing a neural network within said countermeasure threat emulator for said identifying.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising responding to said incoming threat based on said identification and a preprogrammed response for said identification.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising simultaneously broadcasting acoustic signals and receiving acoustic signals.