Neutralization of a target with an acoustic wave

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9242708-B2
Application number	US-201113008809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2011
Priority date	Jan 19, 2010
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

An embodiment of an apparatus includes a transducer array and a controller that is operable to cause the transducer array to generate a signal having a frequency, and to direct the signal toward an object having a resonant frequency that is approximately equal to the frequency of the signal. For example, an embodiment of a mine-hunting-and-neutralizing apparatus may generate an acoustic wave with a transducer array, and may disable or destroy a mine by directing the wave toward the mine. The apparatus generates the acoustic wave having a frequency that is approximately equal to the natural frequency of a component of the mine such that the wave causes the component to resonate in a manner that is sufficient to disable the mine from detonating, or that is sufficient to cause the mine to detonate. For example, if the component is the detonator, then the wave causes the detonator to resonate at an energy level that is sufficient to render the detonator unable to detonate the mine, or that is sufficient to cause the detonator to detonate the mine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
generating a first acoustic wave having a first frequency;
disabling with the acoustic wave a device having a component with a resonance at approximately the first frequency;
generating a second acoustic wave;
directing the second acoustic wave toward the device;
identifying the device with a portion of the second acoustic wave reflected from the device; and
determining the resonance of the component in response to the identity of the device.

2. A method, comprising:
generating a first acoustic wave having a first frequency;
disabling with the acoustic wave a device having a component with a resonance at approximately the first frequency;
generating a second acoustic wave;
directing the second acoustic wave toward the device; and
determining the resonance of the component from a third acoustic wave that the component generates in response to the second acoustic wave.

3. A method, comprising:
generating a first acoustic wave having a first frequency;
disabling with the acoustic wave a device having a component with a resonance at approximately the first frequency;
generating a second acoustic wave;
directing the second acoustic wave toward the device; and
identifying the device in response to a third acoustic wave that the component generates in response to the second acoustic wave.

4. A method, comprising:
generating a first acoustic wave having a first frequency;
disabling with the acoustic wave a device having a component with a resonance at approximately the first frequency;
generating a second acoustic wave;
directing the second acoustic wave toward the device;
determining the resonance of the component from a third acoustic wave that the component generates in response to the second acoustic wave; and
identifying the device in response to the determined resonance of the component and in response to a portion of the second acoustic wave reflected by the device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling the device comprises destroying the device.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein disabling the device comprises destroying the device.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein disabling the device comprises destroying the device.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein disabling the device comprises destroying the device.

Assignees

• Cuschieri Joseph M
• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Cuschieri Joseph M

Classifications

• F41H13/0081

  the high-energy beam being acoustic, e.g. sonic, infrasonic or ultrasonic · CPC title

• F42B33/06

  Dismantling fuzes, cartridges, projectiles, missiles, rockets or bombs ({F42B33/004 and} F42B33/04 take precedence; {elimination of undesirable components of explosives C06B21/0091}) · CPC title

• G01S15/02 Primary

  using reflection of acoustic waves (G01S15/66 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B63G7/08 Primary

  of acoustic type · CPC title

• G01S7/539

  using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section · CPC title