Countermeasure device for a mobile tracking device

• US 8,493,261 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2012
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Bradley, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US13/621,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20130015374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 455/1, 89/11.1, 244 31- 319, 244/1.R, 244/118.2, 244/129.1, 244/137.4, 342 13- 20, 342 52- 56, 342/59, 342 61- 68, 342 73- 81, 342/175, 2504931-504 H, 250/200, 250/206, 2502061-2063, 250/330, 250/334, 356/3, 356/4.01, 356/27, 356/28, 356/138, 356/139.04, 356/625, 356/635, 701/1, 701/3, 398/39, 372/109
• US Class Current: 342/14
• 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: G01S 3/782 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/495 Counter-measures or counter-counter-measures using electronic or electro-optical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/067 Fibre lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/42 characterized by the control of the jamming frequency or wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/43 characterized by the control of the jamming power, signal-to-noise ratio or geographic coverage area
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/62 by exposing communication, processing or storing systems to electromagnetic wave radiation, e.g. causing disturbance, disruption or damage of electronic circuits, or causing external injection of faults in the information
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/825 by jamming

Abstract

A countermeasure device for directing a mobile tracking device away from an asset is provided. The countermeasure device includes a continuous wave laser source whose output is directed at a seeker head of the mobile tracking device. The countermeasure device causes the generation of localized sources within the mobile tracking device and confuses the mobile tracking device as to the true location of the asset.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with an asset and for interacting with a mobile tracking device, the apparatus comprising:

a pod configured to be attached to the asset, the pod including an optical window;

a continuous wave fiber laser positioned within the pod; and

a battery source operatively coupled to the continuous wave fiber laser and positioned within the pod, the battery source providing power to the continuous wave fiber laser to produce a continuous beam of optical energy.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pod includes a rotatable head having an optical window through which the continuous beam of optical energy exits the pod.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a battery charger positioned within the pod and coupled to a power source of the asset, the battery charger charging the battery source when the asset is operating in a low power mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a system cooling module positioned within the pod, the system cooling module providing cooling fluid to the continuous wave fiber laser.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a laser designator positioned within the pod, the laser designator determining a distance from the pod to the mobile tracking device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the continuous beam of optical energy is focused at a distance shorter than the distance from the pod to the mobile tracking device determined by the laser designator.