Projectile delivery of disruptive media for target protection from directed energy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9846016-B2
Application number	US-201615088286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2016
Priority date	Apr 1, 2016
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems may protect a target from undesirable electromagnetic radiation by detecting electromagnetic radiation (including coherent radiation such as laser beams) aimed at a target from a source; calculating a first release position to disrupt the electromagnetic radiation thereby protecting the target; launching a projectile that may include a disruptive medium or a disruptive-medium precursor; directing the projectile to the first release position; and releasing the disruptive medium from the projectile at the first release position, such that the releasing of the disruptive medium forms a cloud of the disruptive medium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
detecting electromagnetic radiation aimed at a target from a source;
calculating a first release position to disrupt the electromagnetic radiation thereby protecting the target, the first release position being a spatial position where a disruptive medium or a disruptive-medium precursor is released from a projectile;
launching the projectile comprising the disruptive medium or the disruptive-medium precursor;
directing the projectile to the first release position; and
releasing the disruptive medium or the disruptive-medium precursor from the projectile at the first release position, the disruptive-medium precursor being operable to transform into the disruptive medium while releasing the disruptive-medium precursor,
wherein the releasing of the disruptive medium or the disruptive-medium precursor forms a cloud of the disruptive medium.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the detecting, the calculating, or the launching is performed at the target.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the detecting, the calculating, or the launching is performed remotely from the target.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the calculating of the first release position comprises;
computing a position of the source; and
computing a distance from the source at which the cloud obscures a predetermined range of a propagation angles (α) of the electromagnetic radiation.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
calculating a second release position to disrupt the electromagnetic radiation thereby continuing to protect the target, the second release position being an additional spatial position of where the disruptive medium or the disruptive-medium precursor is further released from the projectile;
directing the projectile to the second release position; and
releasing the disruptive medium or the disruptive-medium precursor from the projectile at the second release position;
wherein the releasing of the disruptive medium or the disruptive-medium precursor forms an additional, cloud of the disruptive medium.

6. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the electromagnetic radiation comprises tracking radiation;
wherein the calculating of the first release position comprises computing a time at which the source locks reliably onto a position of the target or a trajectory of the target.

7. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the calculating of the first release position comprises computing a time window between detecting the electromagnetic radiation and an exposure threshold, the time window is computed based on at least one of wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation, intensity of the electromagnetic radiation, or an incident angle of the source to the target.

8. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the projectile is selected from a set of projectiles based on a sensed parameter of the electromagnetic radiation;
wherein the disruptive medium or the disruptive-medium precursor differs in composition, constituent size, quantity, or a number of charges between at least two members of the set of projectiles.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the launching comprises a use of at least one of gravity, compressed gas, expanding gas, an electromagnetic field, or an engine attached to the projectile.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing a course of the projectile after the launching.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
sensing a change in the electromagnetic radiation or a relative position of the source and the target after the launching; and
re-calculating the first release position to compensate for the change.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein after the launching, the projectile is guided toward the first release position by a remote system.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein after the launching the projectile is guided toward the first release position by a system internal to the projectile.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the releasing is triggered by a system internal to the projectile.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the releasing comprises spraying, misting, burning, or explosion.

16. A projectile, comprising:
a first container, comprising a first disruptive medium or a first disruptive-medium precursor,
a first release mechanism, operable to release the first disruptive medium or the first disruptive-medium precursor from the first container;
the first disruptive-medium precursor being operable to transform into the first disruptive medium while releasing the first disruptive-medium precursor,
the first disruptive medium being operable to block electromagnetic radiation;

a controller, in communication with the first release mechanism;
calculation logic, in communication with the controller;
wherein the controller triggers the first release mechanism to release the first disruptive medium or the first disruptive-medium precursor at a first release position, the first release position being a spatial position where the disruptive medium or the

disruptive-medium precursor is released from the projectile;
wherein the calculation logic calculates the first release position in response to detection of electromagnetic radiation by a sensor in communication with the controller or with the calculation logic.

17. The projectile of claim 16 , further comprising
a second container, comprising a second disruptive medium or a second disruptive-medium precursor, having
a second release mechanism, operable to release the second disruptive medium or the second disruptive-medium precursor,
the second disruptive-medium precursor being operable to transform into the second disruptive medium while releasing the second disruptive-medium precursor,
the second disruptive medium being operable to block the electromagnetic radiation;
the second release mechanism being in communication with the controller;
wherein the controller triggers the second release mechanism to release the second disruptive medium or the second disruptive medium at a second release position; and
wherein the second release position differs from the first release position.

18. The projectile of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the controller, the sensor, or the calculation logic are internal to the projectile.

19. A system, comprising:
a sensor, operable to detect electromagnetic radiation aimed at a target;
a measurement module, operable to characterize the electromagnetic radiation;
calculation logic, operable to calculate a release position for a disruptive medium or a disruptive-medium precursor to protect the target based on a characterization by the measurement module;
at least two of a clock, a position sensor, or a velocimeter;
a projectile launcher;
a projectile, comprising a container and a release mechanism
the container comprising the disruptive medium or the disruptive-medium precursor,
the release mechanism being operable to release the disruptive medium or the disruptive-medium precursor from the container at the release position;
the release position being a spatial position where the disruptive medium or the disruptive-medium precursor is released from the projectile;
the disruptive-medium precursor being operable to transform into the disruptive medium while releasing the disruptive-medium precursor,
the disruptive medium being operable to block the electromagnetic radiation; and

control logic, operable to trigger the release mechanism to release the disruptive-medium or the disruptive-medium precursors at the relea

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Drouin Jr Donald V
• Clemen Jr Mark J

Classifications

• F42B12/50 Primary

  by dispersion · CPC title

• F41H13/0062

  causing structural damage to the target · CPC title

• F42B12/48

  smoke-producing {, e.g. infrared clouds} · CPC title

• F42B15/01

  Arrangements thereon for guidance or control ({steering arrangements F42B10/60}; aircraft flight control B64C; guidance systems other than those installed aboard F41G7/00, F41G9/00; locating by use of radio or other waves G01S; flight control in general G05D1/00; computer aspects G06]) · CPC title

• F42B12/70

  for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material (radar-reflector targets, active targets transmitting infrared radiation F41J2/00; radar-reflecting surfaces H01Q15/14) · CPC title