Camouflage for transmission towers and lines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9696119-B2
Application number	US-201514597807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2015
Priority date	Jan 15, 2015
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to camouflaged systems and related camouflaging methods. The camouflaged systems can include at least one camouflaged object, including but not limited to transmission lines and transmission towers. One or more pluralities of lights may be disposed on or otherwise coupled to a surface of the camouflaged object. Each of the one or more pluralities of lights can be configured to emit light having a characteristic that appears like (e.g., matches, mimics, simulates, corresponds to, or otherwise blends with) an environmental condition, which can include any variety of background environmental landscapes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camouflaged transmission system, comprising:
at least one camouflaged object comprising at least one of a transmission line and a transmission tower;
a first plurality of lights that are configured to emit light having a first characteristic that corresponds to a first environmental condition, wherein the first plurality of lights is configured to emit light based on the presence of an observer and turn off in the absence of the observer; and
a second plurality of lights that are configured to emit light having a second characteristic that corresponds to a second environmental condition, wherein the first environmental condition differs from the second environmental condition.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the camouflaged object comprises a transmission line.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the camouflaged object comprises a transmission tower.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first environmental condition comprises the camouflaged object's surroundings when the camouflaged object is viewed from a first location, and the second environmental condition comprises the camouflaged object's surroundings when the camouflaged object is viewed from a second location.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first environmental condition comprises a first background environmental landscape when the camouflaged object is viewed from a first location, and the second environmental condition comprises a second background environmental landscape when the camouflaged object is viewed from a second location.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second background environmental landscapes comprises at least one of the following: a forested landscape, a wooded landscape, a mountainous landscape, a coastal landscape, a rocky landscape, a snowy landscape, a hilly landscape, a desert landscape, a plain landscape, an agricultural landscape, a sky landscape, a water landscape, a grassy landscape, an industrial landscape, a commercial landscape, and a residential landscape.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first characteristic comprises at least one of a color or intensity, and the second characteristic comprises at least one of a color or intensity.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second pluralities of lights comprises light emitting diodes.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor to determine at least one of the presence and the location of the observer of the object.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a camera, a radar, and an RF receiver.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first plurality of lights is configured to emit light based on the location of the observer relative to the object.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of lights is configured to vary light emission based on an ambient light condition.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of lights is configured to vary light emission based on time.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of lights and the second plurality of lights are disposed in a non-linear pattern.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of lights and the second plurality of lights is disposed in a non-linear pattern on a linear surface of the camouflaged object so as to cause the linear surface of the camouflaged object to appear non-linear and reduce an ability to recognize the camouflaged object.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first characteristic is configured to change in response to a change in a characteristic of the first environmental condition, and the second characteristic is configured to change in response to a change in a characteristic of the second environmental condition.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a sensor that is configured to detect a change in at least one of the first environmental condition and the second environmental condition.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a camera, a clock, a radar, and a photometer.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the sensor is configured to cause a change in at least one of the first characteristic and the second characteristic that corresponds to the change detected in the at least one of the first environmental condition and the second environmental condition.

20. A camouflaged transmission system, comprising:
at least one camouflaged object comprising at least one of a transmission line and a transmission tower; and
a first plurality of lights that are configured to emit light having a first characteristic that corresponds to a first environmental condition, wherein the first plurality of lights are operated on at least a portion of the camouflaged object in a non-linear pattern so as to cause at least the portion of the camouflaged object to appear non-linear and reduce an ability to recognize the camouflaged object, wherein the first plurality of lights is configured to emit light based on the presence of an observer and turn off in the absence of the observer.

21. A method for camouflaging an object, the object comprising at least one of a transmission line and a transmission tower, comprising:
operating a first plurality of lights on a first surface of the object, the first plurality of lights being configured to emit light having a first characteristic that corresponds to a first environmental condition, wherein the first plurality of lights is configured to emit light based on the presence of an observer and turn off in the absence of the observer; and
operating a second plurality of lights on a second surface of the object, the second plurality of lights being configured to emit light having a second characteristic that corresponds to a second environmental condition, wherein the first environmental condition differs from the second environmental condition.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising initiating light emission from at least one of the lights.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the object comprises a transmission line.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the object comprises a transmission tower.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the first environmental condition comprises the object's surroundings when the object is viewed from a first location, and the second environmental condition comprises the object's surroundings when the object is viewed from a second location.

26. The method of claim 21 , wherein the first environmental condition comprises a first background environmental landscape when the object is viewed from a first location, and the second environmental condition comprises a second background environmental landscape when the object is viewed from a second location.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein each of the first and second background environmental landscapes comprises at least one of the following: a forested landscape, a wooded landscape, a mountainous landscape, a coastal landscape, a rocky landscape, a snowy landscape, a hilly landscape, a desert landscape, a plain landscape, an agricultural landscape, a sky landscape, a water landscape, a grassy landscape, an industrial landscape, a commercial landscape, and a residential landscape.

28. The method of claim 21 , wherein the first characteristic comprises at least one of a color or inten

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Cheatham Iii Jesse R
• Deane Geoffrey F
• Gates William
• Hyde Roderick A
• Ishikawa Muriel Y
• Kare Jordin T
• Myhrvold Nathan P
• Petroski Robert C
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Tuckerman David B
• Whitmer Charles
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F41H3/00 Primary

  Camouflage, i.e. means or methods for concealment or disguise (for vessels B63G8/34, B63G13/02 {; sound camouflage, i.e. simulating gun fire noise, F41A33/04; dummy or decoy targets F41J; chaff per se F41J2/00; ammunition for dispensing chaff F42B5/15, F42B12/70; radar absorbing fabrics H01Q17/005}) · CPC title

• F21V33/00

  Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• F21Y2113/13

  comprising an assembly of point-like light sources · CPC title

• E04H12/12

  of concrete or other stone-like material, with or without internal or external reinforcements, e.g. with metal coverings, with permanent form elements · CPC title