Multi spectral detection device including an acoustic array, a protection system, and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9741220-B2
Application number	US-201615207256-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2016
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A multi-spectral detection device is provided that includes a housing, a bezel spacer, a microphone, an end cap and electro-optical sensors mounted to the end cap. The housing has an inner chamber that holds sensor components. The bezel spacer has a first end and an opposed, second end. The first end of the bezel spacer extends from a first end of the housing. The bezel spacer has a central bezel passage leading to the inner chamber of the housing. The bezel spacer further has at least four side walls. Each side wall is positioned 90 degrees away from an adjacent side wall. A microphone is coupled to each side wall of the bezel spacer in such a manner that each microphone is faced 90 degrees with respect to an adjacent microphone to form a compact acoustic array. The end cap is coupled to the second end of the bezel spacer and the electro-optical sensors are mounted to the end cap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-spectral detection device comprising:
a sensor housing having a front end, a back end, and an inner chamber;
at least one electro-optical sensor having sensor components housed within the inner chamber of the sensor housing;
a bezel spacer coupled to the front end of the sensor housing; and
an acoustic array coupled to the bezel spacer, wherein the acoustic array includes at least one microphone coupled to at least one side wall of the bezel spacer such that the acoustic array has 360 degrees of total acoustic coverage around the multi-spectral detection device.

2. The multi-spectral detection device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one microphone includes at least one pair of opposing microphones positioned 180 degrees away from each other on opposing side walls of the bezel spacer.

3. The multi-spectral detection device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one microphone includes:
a first microphone coupled to a first side wall of the bezel spacer;
a second microphone coupled to a second side wall of the bezel spacer;
a third microphone coupled to a third side wall of the bezel spacer; and
a fourth microphone coupled to a fourth side wall of the bezel spacer, wherein the first microphone, the second microphone, the third microphone, and the fourth microphone each face away from its respective adjacent microphones of the acoustic array by 90 degrees.

4. The multi-spectral detection device of claim 1 , wherein the bezel spacer includes a central bezel passage leading to the inner chamber of the sensor housing.

5. The multi-spectral detection device of claim 1 , further comprising an end cap coupled to an end of the bezel spacer opposite the front end of the sensor housing.

6. The multi-spectral detection device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one electro-optical sensor is mounted to the end cap.

7. The multi-spectral detection device of claim 6 , wherein the sensor components include cables passing through central apertures of the bezel spacer and the sensor housing to a back passage on the back end of the sensor housing.

8. The multi-spectral detection device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one windscreen coupled to the bezel spacer covering the at least one microphone.

9. The multi-spectral detection device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electro-optical sensor includes at least one of an ultraviolet sensor, a visible-near infrared sensor, or a mid-wave infrared sensor.

10. The multi-spectral detection device of claim 1 , wherein the bezel spacer further includes a microphone aperture and a respective counter sunk microphone portion in which the at least one microphone is mounted.

11. The multi-spectral detection device of claim 10 , wherein the bezel spacer further includes an O-ring located within the counter sunk microphone portion to seal the microphone aperture from moisture.

12. A protection system including:
a multi-spectral detection device comprising:
a sensor housing having a front end, a back end, and an inner chamber housing sensor components of at least one electro-optical sensor;
a bezel spacer coupled to the front end of the sensor housing; and
at least one microphone of an acoustic array coupled to at least one side wall of the bezel spacer such that the acoustic array has 360 degrees of total acoustic coverage around the multi-spectral detection device;

an alarm system; and
a controller operably coupled with the multi-spectral detection device and the alarm system, and configured to:
determine a threat based, at least in part, on signals received from the at least one electro-optical sensor and the acoustic array; and
activate the alarm system responsive to the threat being determined.

13. The protection system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to determine direction of arrival of the threat based, at least in part, on the signals received from the acoustic array.

14. The protection system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a geolocation of the threat based, at least in part, on the signals received from the acoustic array.

15. The protection system of claim 12 , further comprising an object to which the multi-spectral detection device is coupled for protection.

16. The protection system of claim 15 , wherein the object is a vehicle.

17. The protection system of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

18. A method of operating a threat protection system for an object, the method comprising:
receiving signals from at least one electro-optical sensor housed within a multi-spectral detection device;
receiving acoustic signals from an acoustic array having at least one microphone coupled to an outer surface of a bezel spacer coupled to a sensor housing for the multi-spectral detection device, the acoustic array having a 360 degree coverage range around the multi-spectral detection device;
determining a threat based in part, on the signals from the at least one electro-optical sensor and the acoustic signals from the acoustic array; and
activating an alarm system responsive to determining the threat.

19. A method of forming a multi-spectral detection system, the method comprising:
coupling at least one electro-optical sensor to a sensor housing having an inner chamber such that sensor components of the at least one electro-optical sensor are housed within the inner chamber;
coupling a bezel spacer to a front end of the sensor housing; and
coupling at least one acoustic array to an outer surface of the bezel spacer, the at least one acoustic array having a 360 degree coverage range around the multi-spectral detection system.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein coupling the at least one acoustic array to the outer surface of the bezel spacer includes:
coupling a first microphone to a first side wall of the bezel spacer;
coupling a second microphone to a second side wall of the bezel spacer facing away from the first microphone by 90 degrees;
coupling a third microphone to a third side wall of the bezel spacer facing away from the second microphone by 90 degrees; and
coupling a fourth microphone to a fourth side wall of the bezel spacer facing away from the third microphone by 90 degrees.

Assignees

• Orbital Atk Inc

Inventors

• Mederos Raymond
• Carter Jonathan L
• Kenyon John R
• Cleckler Jay B
• Walker Mark E

Classifications

• G01V1/00

  Seismology; Seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting · CPC title

• G08B13/19

  using infrared-radiation detection systems {(G08B13/194 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G08B13/1672 Primary

  using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range · CPC title

• G01V8/10

  Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers (by reflection from the object G01S17/00) · CPC title

• G08B13/194

  using image scanning and comparing systems · CPC title