Active adaptive thermal stealth system
AssigneeEltics Ltd
InventorRonen Meir
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims20
An infrared detection countermeasure system for a target object, the system comprising:
- a screen, including at least one thermoelectric unit coupled to a plate, couplable to a target object;
- a power source coupled to each said TEC unit;
- a controller for controlling individually each said at least one TEC unit, said controller coupled to said power source for causing said power source to provide a level of power to each said thermoelectric unit, so as to generate a selected heat signature in at least part of said screen;
- a video image processor coupled to said controller;
- a thermal imaging camera, mounted on pan tilt and configured to capture thermal images of a portion of said screen in a first position, and then capture thermal images of a background of the target object in a second position, and provide said captured images to the video image processor;
- and
- a motor, controlled by said controller, coupled to said thermal imaging camera, for selectably rotating said camera, thereby causing said camera to alternately face said screen or said background;
- wherein said controller is configured to receive and compare radiometric data of the processed image of the background and radiometric data of the processed image of the screen and to control said power source to adjust the temperature of said screen so that the observed thermal signature image as captured by said thermal imaging camera will be substantially the same as the observed thermal signature image of said background.
A method for providing infrared detection countermeasures for a target object having a screen coupled thereto, said screen including at least one thermoelectric unit coupled to a plate and to a power source and a controller coupled to the power source, the method comprising:
- alternately capturing thermal images of a portion of the screen radiated towards a viewer by a screen thermal imaging camera mounted on pan-tilt in a first position facing the screen;
- alternately capturing thermal images of a background of the target object by said thermal imaging camera in a second position facing the background;
- providing said captured thermal images to a video image processor coupled to the controller, the video image processor processing said thermal images and providing radiometric data therefrom to the controller;
- comparing, in said controller, radiometric data of the processed images of the background with radiometric data of the processed images of the screen;
- and
- controlling individually each said at least one TEC unit so as to generate a selected temperature in at least part of said screen by controlling said power source to adjust the temperature of said screen so that the observed thermal signature image as captured by said thermal imaging camera is substantially the same as the observed thermal signature image of said background.
A method for conserving energy in an infrared detection countermeasure system for a target object having at least one thermoelectric (TEC) unit coupled to a controller controlling a power source coupled to the TEC unit, the method comprising:
- providing a first pulse of selected power and length of time, causing heating (or cooling) of the TEC unit to reach a selected temperature;
- providing an indication of temperature of said TEC unit to a controller;
- in response to said temperature indication, determining in said controller that said TEC unit is cooler (or hotter) than said selected temperature;
- and
- providing a plurality of additional pulses, of lower power than said first pulse, for selected lengths of time, in response to said temperature indication, to maintain said TEC unit at said selected temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.