System for visual obscuration of an object and dissipating energy of a laser weapon

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10415941-B2
Application number	US-201615234459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2016
Priority date	Aug 11, 2016
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A visual obscurant system for obscuring object from an observer having a field of view (FOV) is disclosed. The system comprises a sensor for detecting characteristics that indicate a presence of the object, a light source for emitting light in an electromagnetic spectrum, a source, and a controller. The source releases an obscurant into atmosphere to create a cloud. The obscurant attenuates a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The cloud is positioned within the FOV of the observer so as to obscure the object when the light emitted from the light source is directed towards the cloud. The controller is in communication with at least the sensor and the source. The controller modulates the light source at a frequency sufficient such that the observer interprets the light as being constant when energized.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A visual obscurant system for obscuring an object from an observer having a field of view (FOV), the system comprising:
a sensor for detecting characteristics that indicate a presence of the object and an external object that approaches the visual obscurant system and the object;
a light source for emitting light in an electromagnetic spectrum;
a source for releasing an obscurant into atmosphere to create a cloud, wherein the obscurant attenuates a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, and wherein the cloud is positioned within the FOV of the observer so as to obscure the object when the light emitted from the light source is directed towards the cloud; and
a controller in communication with at least the sensor, the source and the light source, the controller modulating the light source at a frequency sufficient such that the observer interprets the light as being constant, wherein the controller executes instructions to:
detect the external object by the sensor;
in response to detecting the external object, activate the source to release the obscurant; and
activate the sensor immediately after the light source emits light to view the object.

2. The visual obscurant system of claim 1 , wherein the external object is indicative of an unfriendly force.

3. The visual obscurant system of claim 1 , wherein the external object is selected from a group comprising: an aircraft, a ground-based vehicle, a ground-based structure, troops, and energy weapons.

4. The visual obscurant system of claim 1 , wherein the object is selected from a group comprising: an individual, a group of individuals, an aircraft, a ground-based vehicle, a ground-based structure, and a portion of a battlefield.

5. The visual obscurant system of claim 1 , wherein the observer represents one of an individual and an apparatus belonging to an unfriendly force.

6. The visual obscurant system of claim 1 , wherein the obscurant is selected from a group comprising: an optically inactive substance, an optically fluorescent substance, a reflective substance, and smoke.

7. The visual obscurant system of claim 1 , wherein the object is positioned within the cloud.

8. The visual obscurant system of claim 1 , wherein the object is positioned behind the cloud so as to obscure the object from the FOV of the observer.

9. The visual obscurant system of claim 1 , wherein the controller modulates the light in a pseudo-random modulation sequence.

10. A system for dissipating a laser beam, the system comprising:
a sensor for detecting the laser beam generated by the laser weapon and an energy associated with the laser beam, wherein the laser beam is generated by an unfriendly force's laser weapon;
a source for releasing an obscurant into atmosphere to create a cloud, wherein the obscurant is an optically non-linear substance externally energized by the laser beam generated by the laser weapon; and
a controller in communication with both the sensor and the source, wherein the controller activates the source to release the obscurant into the atmosphere to create the cloud based on the sensor detecting the laser beam generated by the laser weapon.

11. The system of claim 10 , comprising a defensive laser in communication with the controller, wherein the defensive laser emits a defensive laser beam directed towards the cloud.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller activates the defensive laser in response to determining the energy associated with the laser beam emitted by the laser weapon is not sufficient to excite the obscurant to an energy level required in order to make an energy transition.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller activates the defensive laser in response to determining the energy associated with the laser beam emitted by the laser weapon is not sufficient to ionize the obscurant.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the obscurant includes quantum dots.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the cloud surrounds a target, and wherein the laser weapon directs the laser beam towards the target.

16. A method of obscuring an object from an observer having a field of view (FOV), the method comprising:
detecting, by a sensor, an external object that approaches the object;
in response to detecting the external object, releasing, by a source, an obscurant into atmosphere to create a cloud, wherein the obscurant attenuates a portion of an electromagnetic spectrum;
emitting light in the electromagnetic spectrum by a light source, wherein the cloud is positioned within the FOV of the observer so as to obscure the object when the light emitted from the light source is directed towards the cloud;
activating the sensor immediately after the light source emits the light in order to view the object, wherein the sensor detects characteristics that indicate a presence of the object; and
modulating the light source by a controller at a frequency sufficient such that the observer interprets the light as being constant, wherein the controller is in communication with at least the sensor and the light source.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Clemen Jr Mark J
• Drouin Jr Donald V
• Provost Stephen N
• Bernhardt Roger D

Classifications

• F41H13/0087

  the high-energy beam being a bright light, e.g. for dazzling or blinding purposes (F41H13/0056 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F41H13/0062

  causing structural damage to the target · CPC title

• F41H13/0056

  for blinding or dazzling, i.e. by overstimulating the opponent's eyes or the enemy's sensor equipment · CPC title

• F41H9/06

  Apparatus for generating artificial fog or smoke screens ({for producing special effects on stages A63J5/00}; smoke-pot projectors, e.g. arranged on vehicles, F42B5/155) · CPC title

• F41H5/007

  Reactive armour; Dynamic armour · CPC title