Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Shape generating
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-21
2004-02-03
Nguyen, Phu K. (Department: 2672)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Shape generating
Reexamination Certificate
active
06686917
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to explosive devices such as mines which are situated in a marine environment, more particularly to methods and apparatuses involving the anticipation, recognition or avoidance of underwater mines and minefields.
A mine is an explosive device which is usually concealed either underground or underwater, and which is used primarily by military forces for defensive purposes. Mines generally are difficult to detect and thus pose great threats to troops and ships. Most mines are “independent mines” inasmuch as they are not controlled by the user after laying; they permit the defending military force to concentrate its personnel elsewhere, since the mines, once laid, do not require human maintenance or operation.
Mines typically are self-contained devices which include an explosive capability and a detonator (a firing mechanism for triggering the mine explosion), and which explode when touched by or approached by a target. “Minefields” are areas where mines have been placed. Generally, there are two categories of mines, based on their situation, viz., “land mines” and “underwater mines.”
A typical land mine comprises an explosive charge buried just below the surface of the ground. Land mines can be set to fire, for example, in response to weight (e.g., of vehicles or troops) thereon, or upon the passage of time, or via remote control. “Antipersonnel mines” are designed to target people. “Antitank mines” are designed to target tanks and other land vehicles.
Underwater mines are synonymously referred to as “water mines,” “submarine mines,” “sea mines” or “naval mines.” As used herein, the terms “water mine,” “underwater mine,” “submarine mine,” “sea mine” and “naval mine” are considered interchangeable; any of these terms broadly represents a mine which is situated in or on water or contiguously with respect to water or which otherwise bears physical or functional relation to a water environment. A typical underwater mine comprises an explosive charge positioned underwater and set to fire in response to the presence of a marine vehicle (e.g., a ship or submarine) in contact therewith or in proximity thereto. Underwater mines are generally laid in the water for purposes of damaging or sinking ships or of deterring ships from entering an area.
“Moored mines” are underwater mines having positive buoyancy, typically held below the water surface at a preselected depth by a mooring (e.g., cable) attached (e.g., tethered) to an anchor (e.g., on a sea bottom). “Bottom mines” are underwater mines having negative buoyancy and resting on a seabed (e.g., at the bottom of relatively shallow water). “Floating mines” are underwater mines which are not entirely underwater but are visible on the surface.
Underwater mines are triggered either by direct contact or by indirect influence. When an underwater mine is triggered, an expanding gas sphere caused by the explosion sends shock waves through the water, these shock waves having deleterious effects on the nearby target marine vessel. “Contact mines” are actuated as a result of physical contact between the target ship and the mine's casing or one or more of the mine's appendages (e.g., rods or antennae protruding from the mine's surface). “Influence mines” are actuated either as a result of sensing an “influence field” emanating from the target marine vessel, or as a result of the target marine vessel's intrusion within an “influence field” emanating from the mine. Generally, influence mines sense changes in physical patterns in surrounding water, such as pertaining to magnetic fields (“magnetic mines”), pressure change (“pressure mines”) or sound waves (“acoustic mines”).
An important aspect of naval defense involves the assessment of various regions of the world wherein the presence of underwater mines constitutes a threat to vehicles navigating such waters. Currently, littoral mine threat zones have to be plotted manually from navigational charts. This is a time-consuming and error-prone task. It would be desirable to avail of a more efficient strategy or approach for evaluating mine threats to marine vessels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide method and apparatus for effectively and expeditiously assessing, within a particular geographical area, the existence of navigational risk associated with underwater mine capability.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide, in association with accomplishing same, method and apparatus for selecting such particular geographical area from among a number of geographical areas or from a larger geographical area which encompasses said particular geographical area.
In accordance with many embodiments of the present invention, a method is provided for displaying data pertaining to water mine threat on a display screen of a computer. The inventive method comprises: accessing (e.g., acquiring or gaining access to) information relating to the topography of a region which includes at least one body of water; selecting a water depth below which the water mine threat is considered an insignificant water mine threat and above which the water mine threat is considered a significant water mine threat; and, displaying a map of the region which exhibits at least one of the insignificant water mine threat and the significant water mine threat.
Typical inventive practice provides that if the map exhibits both the insignificant water mine threat and the significant water mine threat, the map exhibits contrastingly, in terms of geographical extent or scope, the insignificant water mine threat versus the significant water mine threat. If the region includes one or more land portions, and if the map exhibits the insignificant water mine threat, the map exhibits contrastingly the insignificant water mine threat versus the one or more land portions. If the region includes one or more land portions, and if the map exhibits the significant water mine threat, the map exhibits contrastingly the significant water mine threat versus the one or more land portions. If the region includes one or more land portions, and if the map exhibits both the insignificant water mine threat and the significant water mine threat, the map exhibits contrastingly the insignificant water mine threat versus the significant water mine threat versus the one or more land portions; that is, the insignificant water mine threat, the significant water mine threat and the nonexistent water mine threat (associated with the one or more land portions) are shown contrastingly with respect to each other. In other words, generally according to the present invention, the three main mine threat categories—namely, “insignificant” (or inconsequential, negligible, inconsiderable, insubstantial, etc.), “significant” (or consequential, considerable, substantial, etc.) and “nonexistent”—if and to the degree that they are present in the selected geographical region, are shown in mutually contrasting fashion.
Further provided in accordance with the present invention is a computer program product for use in a computer system having a central processor for implementing graph display management on a user interface display screen. The computer program product enables visual representation of a geographical area in terms of explosive threat such as mine threat to marine navigation. The present invention's computer program product comprises: a recording medium; means, recorded on the recording medium, for obtaining data pertaining to the geographical area from a geographical database, the data including information pertaining to the terrain of the geographical area; means, recorded on the recording medium, for choosing at least one safe-depth, each said safe-depth at least approximately being the maximum marine depth beyond which a mine threat to a contemplated marine vessel is considered negligible; and means, recorded on the recording medium, for graphically displaying the geographical area as indicative of mine threat
Kaiser Howard
Nguyen Phu K.
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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