# US 8,788,218 B2 · Event detection system having multiple sensor systems in cooperation with an impact detection system

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- Number: US 8,788,218 B2
- Document ID: US8788218B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/161,968
- Filed: 2011-06-16
- Published: 2012-07-26
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2011-01-21
- Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
- Applicants: Alexander M. Soles; Matthew R. Walsh; Eric B. Scott
- Inventors: Alexander M. Soles; Matthew R. Walsh; Eric B. Scott
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788218B2

## CPC

- G06F 7/00: Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled (logic circuits H03K19/00)
- F41A 23/56: Arrangements for adjusting the gun platform in the vertical or horizontal position (F41A17/10, F41A17/12 take precedence {; ground engaging vehicle fittings for lifting or supporting it B60S9/04; supports for mobile cranes B66C23/78})
- F41H 5/007: Reactive armour; Dynamic armour
- F41H 5/24: for stationary use, e.g. fortifications {; Shelters; Guard Booths (air-raid shelters E04H9/04)}
- F41H 7/02: Land vehicles with enclosing armour, e.g. tanks (endless-track vehicles, steering thereof B62D {; vehicles for placing portable or sectional bridges E01D15/127; vehicles carrying floating bridges E01D15/22})
- F41J 5/04: Electric hit-indicating systems; Detecting hits by actuation of electric contacts or switches
- F41J 5/041: {Targets comprising two sets of electric contacts forming a coordinate system grid}
- G01M 5/0033: {by determining damage, crack or wear}
- G01M 5/0066: {by exciting or detecting vibration or acceleration (vibration testing of structures G01M7/00)}
- G01M 5/0091: {by using electromagnetic excitation or detection}
- G01N 27/20: Investigating the presence of flaws
- G01N 29/04: Analysing solids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14)
- G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection}
- G07C 5/00: Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
- G08B 13/126: {for a housing, e.g. a box, a safe, or a room}
- H04N 7/18: Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
- H05K 13/00: Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
- Y10T 29/49117: Conductor or circuit manufacturing
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- F41A: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
- F41H: ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL
- F41J: TARGETS; TARGET RANGES; BULLET CATCHERS {(targets for shooting or hurling games A63F9/0204)}
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A damage detection and remediation system includes a sensing device for detecting damage events related to a structure of interest. Such damage events may include impact from a ballistic object, a tamper event, a physical impact, or other events that may affect structural integrity or cause failure. Illustratively, the sensing device is in communication with a measurement system to determine damage criteria, and a processing system which is configured to use the damage criteria to determine, for example, a direction of the initiation point of a ballistic causing the damage event.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An event detection system comprising:
an impact sensing device including a layer, and a plurality of measuring portions supported by the layer, each of the measuring portions including an input coupling point and an output coupling point and adapted to conduct an electrical signal from the input coupling point to the output coupling point;
a measurement system in electrical communication with the measuring portions of the impact sensing device, the measurement system configured to provide electrical signal inputs to the input coupling points of the sensing device, and configured to measure electrical signal outputs at the output coupling points of the sensing device;
an acoustic detection system including a plurality of microphones configured to detect soundwaves generated by an event, the acoustic detection system configured to process time offsets from the soundwaves at the plurality of microphones for determining the direction of the source of the event;
a processor operably coupled to the measurement system and the acoustic detection system for determining a damage event origination axis directed to the point of origin of the event;
wherein the damage event origination axis is determined by the processor based on changes between the electrical signal input at the input coupling point and the electrical signal output at the output coupling point of the impact sensing device, and time offsets from the soundwaves at the plurality of microphones of the acoustic detection system;
an imaging system in communication with the processor, the imaging system including at least one camera configured to detect weapon fire flash events which is correlated by the processor with data from the impact sensing device; and
wherein the processor includes a look-up table of signature data associated with a plurality of impact event origination devices to correlate data from the impact sensing device, the acoustic detection system, and the imaging system with a specific impact event origination device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The event detection system of claim 1, further comprising a portable illumination beacon configured to transmit coded signals for detection by the imaging system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The event detection system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface operably coupled to the damage detection processing system and configured to provide a visual display of the damage data including a representation of a damage alert, the damage event location and the damage event origination axis.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The event detection system of claim 3, wherein the visual display includes a plurality of light sources selectively illuminated in alignment with the damage event origination axis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The event detection system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator operably coupled to a weapon supported by a vehicle, the actuator in communication with the processor and configured to move the weapon in the direction of the damage event origination axis in response to the data from the processor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The event detection system of claim 1, further comprising a coupler securing the impact sensing device to an exterior of a vehicle.

### Claim 7

An impact detection system comprising:
a first sensing device including a first layer for sensing impacts, the first layer including a plurality of measuring portions, each of the measuring portions adapted to conduct an electrical signal from an input coupling point to an output coupling point;
a first measurement system in electrical communication with the first sensing device, the first measurement system including a multiplexer configured to provide electrical signal inputs to the input coupling points of the first sensing device, and configured to measure electrical signal outputs at the output coupling points of the first sensing device;
a second sensing device positioned in spaced relation to the first sensing device, the second sensing device including a second layer operably coupled to the vehicle for sensing impacts, the second layer including a plurality of measuring portions, each of the measuring portions adapted to conduct an electrical signal from an input coupling point to an output coupling point;
a second measurement system in electrical communication with the second sensing device, the second measurement system including a multiplexer configured to provide electrical signal inputs to the input coupling points of the second sensing device, and configured to measure electrical signal outputs at the output coupling points of the second sensing device;
an acoustic detection system including a plurality of microphones configured to detect soundwaves generated by an event, the acoustic detection system configured to process time offsets from the soundwaves at the plurality of microphones for determining the direction of the source of the event;
an imaging system including at least one camera configured to detect weapon fire flash events;
a processor operably coupled to the measurement system, the acoustic detection system, and the imaging system for determining a damage event origination axis directed to the point of origin of the event;
wherein the damage event origination axis is determined by the processor based on changes between the electrical signal input at the input coupling point and the electrical signal output at the output coupling point of the impact sensing device, and correlated with time offsets from the soundwaves at the plurality of microphones of the acoustic detection system, and the flash events from the imaging system; and
wherein the processor includes a look-up table of signature data associated with a plurality of impact event origination devices to correlate data from the impact sensing device, the acoustic detection system, and the imaging system to correlate an impact event with the impact sensing device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The impact detection system of claim 7, further comprising a portable illumination beacon configured to transmit coded signals for detection by the imaging system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The impact detection system of claim 7, further comprising a user interface operably coupled to the damage detection processing system and configured to provide a visual display of the damage data including a representation of a damage alert, the damage event location and the damage event origination axis.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The impact detection system of claim 9, wherein the visual display includes a plurality of light sources selectively illuminated in alignment with the damage event origination axis.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The impact detection system of claim 7, further comprising an actuator operably coupled to a weapon supported by a vehicle, the actuator in communication with the processor and configured to move the weapon in the direction of the damage event origination axis in response to the data from the processor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The event detection system of claim 7, further comprising a coupler securing the impact sensing device to an exterior of a vehicle.

### Claim 13

A method of detecting a damage event associated with a structure of interest, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a sensing device including a plurality of measuring portions;
providing input electrical signals to input coupling points of each of the measuring portions;
measuring output electrical signals from output coupling points of each of the measuring portions;
determining data on a damage event based on changes between the electrical signal inputs at each of the input coupling points and the electrical signal outputs at each of the output coupling points;
detecting soundwaves generated by the source of the damage event;
detecting flash events from the source of the damage event;
determining a damage event origination axis based on changes between the electrical signal input at the input coupling point and the electrical signal output at the output coupling point of the impact sensing device;
correlating the damage event origination axis with time offsets from the soundwaves at the plurality of microphones of the acoustic detection system, and the flash events from the imaging system; and
accessing a look-up table of signature data associated with a plurality of impact event origination devices to correlate data with a specific impact event origination device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of processing time offsets from the soundwaves at a plurality of microphones for determining the direction of the source of the event.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of detecting coded signals from a portable illumination beacon.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing a visual representation of the origination axis.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the visual representation includes illuminating selected ones of a plurality of light sources in alignment with the damage event origination axis.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the determining data step includes calculating an electrical signal change based on a comparison between a first measuring portion and a second measuring portion.

### Claim 19

A method of detecting a damage event associated with a structure of interest, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a sensing device including a plurality of measuring portions;
providing input electrical signals to input coupling points of each of the measuring portions;
measuring output electrical signals from output coupling points of each of the measuring portions;
determining data on a damage event based on changes between the electrical signal inputs at each of the input coupling points and the electrical signal outputs at each of the output coupling points;
detecting soundwaves generated by the source of the damage event;
detecting flash events from the source of the damage event;
determining a damage event origination axis based on changes between the electrical signal input at the input coupling point and the electrical signal output at the output coupling point of the impact sensing device;
correlating the damage event origination axis with time offsets from the soundwaves at the plurality of microphones of the acoustic detection system, and the flash events from the imaging system; and
determining baseline measurement data based on a predetermined data value associated with a first state of the sensing device by taking an electrical signal measurement portion of the sensing device before the damage event.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of processing time offsets from the soundwaves at a plurality of microphones for determining the direction of the source of the event.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of detecting coded signals from a portable illumination beacon.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of providing a visual representation of the origination axis.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the providing the visual representation includes illuminating selected ones of a plurality of light sources in alignment with the damage event origination axis.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the determining data step includes calculating an electrical signal change based on a comparison between a first measuring portion and a second measuring portion.