Active adaptive thermal stealth system
AssigneeEltics Ltd
InventorRonen Meir
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a thermal vision countermeasure system to enable concealment of objects from identification by thermal imaging night vision systems, including a screen made of thermoelectric modules, disposed between the target object and an IR detector. The screen, formed of at least one thermoelectric unit, is coupled to the target object, and the thermoelectric unit includes a Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC) module coupled to a plate formed of a material selected from aluminum, copper, or aluminum with copper, the plate being substantially larger than the TEC module.
Claims21
An infrared detection countermeasure system for a target object, the system comprising:
- a screen, formed of at least one thermoelectric unit, couplable to a target object;
- said thermoelectric unit including a TEC module coupled to a plate formed of a material selected from aluminum, copper, or aluminum with copper, said plate being substantially larger than said TEC module;
- a controller for controlling individually said thermoelectric unit;
- further comprising a second thermal imaging temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of a background behind the target object and providing an indication thereof to a video image processor to obtain radiometric data for said controller;
- wherein said controller adjusts a temperature of said TEC to a level above or below the temperature of said background, according to data from a background temperature sensor;
- further comprising a computer processing unit (CPU) and a video image processor to generate thermal signature that mimics a background of said target object;
- the image processor providing data defining thermal patterns of said background, said data being utilized by said video image processor and CPU to control temperatures of said thermoelectric units so as to form said thermal patterns;
- further comprising:
- a scanner for recording temperatures of a selected area;
- a processor for dividing said area into a plurality of zones, analyzing recorded temperatures of each said zone, and assigning a temperature to each of said thermoelectric units corresponding to a temperature of one of said zones.
An infrared detection countermeasure system comprising:
- a screen, formed of a plurality of thermoelectric units, couplable to a target object;
- a controller for controlling, individually, said thermoelectric units;
- a plurality of thermal signatures accessible by said controller;
- a temperature sensor for measuring temperature of one side of said thermoelectric module and providing an indication thereof to said controller;
- and
- a power source coupled to each said thermoelectric unit;
- wherein said controller is coupled to said power source for causing said power source to provide a level of power, selected in accordance with a selected thermal signature selected from said database, to said thermoelectric units so as to generate a selected temperature in at least part of said screen to create said selected thermal signature;
- further comprising means in said controller for providing pulse width modified DC controlled current to each said thermoelectric unit to enable said unit to reach a selected temperature.
An infrared detection countermeasure system for a target object, the system comprising:
- a screen, formed of at least one thermoelectric unit, couplable to a target object;
- said thermoelectric unit including a TEC module coupled to a plate formed of a material selected from aluminum, copper, or aluminum with copper, said plate being substantially larger than said TEC module;
- wherein said screen includes a metal plate having a plurality of apertures drilled at least partially therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.