Radiant energy – Radiant energy generation and sources – With radiation modifying member
Reexamination Certificate
1978-05-04
2001-09-11
Buczinski, Stephen C. (Department: 3662)
Radiant energy
Radiant energy generation and sources
With radiation modifying member
C250S495100, C359S298000, C362S291000, C362S305000, C362S350000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06288408
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to infrared countermeasures systems and more particularly to multipulse infrared countermeasures systems.
Modulated infrared sources are employed to countermeasure heat seeking missiles which home in on the heat generating portions of a target such as the engines of an airplane or helicopter. Certain of such systems provide a counter measuring signal to a heat seeking missile through spatial modulation by sweeping a beam in space. Reflective optics are rotated about a source of infrared radiation such that the missile receives a pulse of energy each time the beam passes the missile.
While illuminating the missile with single pulses of infrared radiation provides an effective countermeasure against the missile, it has been determined that better protection can be afforded by periodically illuminating the missile with bursts of pulses rather than single pulses. Prior to the present invention, the only method of obtaining pulse bursts was to provide concentric modulators driven at different speeds wherein a source is modulated by a first modulator and the output of the first modulator is further modulated by a second modulator. While this system performs more than adequately, it is limited in the amount of achievable gain, since the output from the first modulator is not reimaged prior to being applied to the second modulator. Furthermore, this system requires multiple drives since the modulators must be run at different speeds to achieve multipulse operation. This later system is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 543, 299, filed by the inventors of this application on Jan. 20, 1975, and is assigned to the assignee of the present application.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved infrared countermeasures system.
It is another object of this invention to provide a high gain counter-measures system which illuminates a missile with bursts of pulses.
Briefly, in one embodiment a plurality of modulators is provided in which each collects and collimates the energy from a radiant source to form a beam. The modulators are ganged in such a fashion that the beams therefrom are angularly phased such that when the ganged modulators are rotated, the beams are swept past points in space to generate at such points a signal comprising a burst of pulses followed by a substantial dead time.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1101683 (1914-06-01), Cote
patent: 1864696 (1932-06-01), Steele et al.
patent: 3644730 (1972-02-01), Ogle, Jr. et al.
patent: 3797395 (1974-03-01), Tyroler
patent: 3978342 (1976-08-01), Hagen et al.
Durocher Hector R.
Kreick John R.
BAE Systems Information
Buczinski Stephen C.
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