Advanced cooperative defensive military tactics, armor, and systems

• US 7,609,156 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey D. Mullen
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D. Mullen
• Inventors: Mullen, Jeffrey D
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout; Brent
• Application Number:
  US11/101,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20060053534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.17, 340/539.13, 340/5.82, 340/539.1, 340/539.12, 340/539.22, 455/404.2, 455/100, 455/404.1, 455/166.1, 235/384, 701/1, 89/360.9, 245/6, 246/3, 245/5, 2/25
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/147 based on detection of a firing weapon
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 1/02 Armoured or projectile- or missile-resistant garments; Composite protection fabrics F41H5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/005 Unmanned ground vehicles, i.e. robotic, remote controlled or autonomous, mobile platforms carrying equipment for performing a military or police role, e.g. weapon systems or reconnaissance sensors F41H11/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0295 by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet

Abstract

This invention provides impact detection and vehicle cooperation to achieve particular goals and determine particular threat levels. For example, an impact/penetration sensing device may be provided on a soldier'"'"'s clothing such that when this clothing is impacted/penetrated (e.g., penetrated to a particular extent) a medical unit (e.g., a doctor or medical chopper) may be autonomously, and immediately, provided with the soldiers location (e.g., via a GPS device on the soldier) and status (e.g., right lung may be punctured by small-arms fire).

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a personal armor;

a first system that is operable to determine if an impact occurs on said armor; and

a first communications system that is operable to communicate information about said impact to a second communications system, wherein said information about said impact is communicated to a vehicle moving itself according to a first behavior and said vehicle moves itself according to a second behavior as a result of said communicated information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein personal information associated with the armor is retrieved from a remote database.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said first system includes processing circuitry.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said information about said impact includes the location of said impact.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said information about said impact includes the impact speed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said information about said impact includes the impact type.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein personal name information associated with said armor is communicated.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein personal weight information associated with said armor is communicated.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein personal height information associated with said armor is communicated.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle communicates with a second vehicle, wherein said second vehicle moves itself according to a third behavior.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein an injury is associated to said impact and said injury is prioritized with respect to a second injury.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said armor comprises bullet-proof clothing.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said impact is virtualized on a virtual character on a computer.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle, wherein said second behavior includes firing a weapon located on said vehicle.

15. A system comprising:

a plurality of vehicles that are operable to communicate with one another in order to protect a package, wherein each one of said plurality of vehicles is operable to;

move itself according to a first behavior;

track the location of said package;

determine when an attack occurs as a result of determining the impact of an object on an armor; and

select a second behavior, from a plurality of additional behaviors, to protect said package as a result of said determined attack; and

operate itself according to said selected second behavior.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said second behavior includes firing on a target.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said protective behavior is with respect to said package.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein said package is a second vehicle.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein said protective behavior comprises a protect and defend behavior with respect to said package.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is an air-based vehicle.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is a water-based vehicle.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is further operable to determine the direction of said attack.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is further operable to determine a type of said attack.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is further operable to determine a trajectory of said attack.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is further operable to determine the direction of said attack, wherein said protective behavior comprises shielding said package from said attack.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is further operable to deploy supplemental armor in response to said attack.

27. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is further operable to track damage to said at least one of said plurality of vehicles.

28. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is further operable to sense a moving projectile.

29. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is further operable to sense a moving projectile and deploy a shield before said projectile strikes.

30. The system of claim 15, wherein said protective behavior comprises working together with a second vehicle to protect said package.

31. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is further operable to communicate with said package.

32. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is further operable to communicate with said package and provide said package with data on how to operate.

33. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is a land-based vehicle.

34. The system of claim 15, wherein said armor includes a non-smooth surface.

35. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is operable to be stowed on at least another one of said plurality of vehicles.

36. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles is operable to couple to a power supply of another one of said plurality of vehicles.

37. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes a positioning receiver.

38. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes a temperature sensor.

39. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes a directional sensor.

40. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes a light sensor.

41. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes an altitude sensor.

42. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes an inertial sensor.

43. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes a radar.

44. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes a metal sensor.

45. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes a motion sensor.

46. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes a spectrometer.

47. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes a speech recognition sensor.

48. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes a noise sensor.

49. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicles includes a precipitation sensor.