FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] These inventions relate to the detection of soldiers, transportation devices or combative devices and determination of friend or foe status of said people or objects, and, more particularly, the detection of said persons or objects and determination of friend or foe status in a combat area.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] It is a tragedy when lives are lost in combat. It is even more tragic when soldiers are killed by forces originating from their own army. The present invention attempts to prevent such tragedies from occurring. The invention creates a system of communication for combat troops that enables them to locate and identify friendly forces. The invention also warns troops that they are in a dangerous location because of an imminent military action. The invention makes use of advanced expert system, fuzzy logic, GPS satellite location technology, radar, lidar battle field communication systems.

[0003] Several prior art patents address different aspects of friend or foe identification systems. For example, it is known to provide a community of aircraft with a tactical navigation and communication system. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,313.

[0004] It is also known to selectively distribute generally broadcasted information based upon location. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,245.

[0005] It is also known to create a paging or messaging system using GPS satellites. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,363.

[0006] It is also known to create a sighting system for helicopter aircraft. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,865.

[0007] It is also known to analyze images using optical correlation and opto-electronic feedback. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,472.

[0008] It is also known to use a lidar system from an aircraft. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,401.

[0009] It is also known to image a scene having targets via a laser scanner. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,164.

[0010] It is also known to detect a target within a scene using visual radar sensors. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,386.

[0011] It is also known to perform optical signal processing including target recognition and filtering. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,595.

[0012] It is also known to detect and recognize objects by video image means. See e., U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,435.

[0013] It is also known to detect missiles using a medium wave infrared sensor or TV sensor. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,176.

[0014] It is also known to detect targets using vision systems. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,297.

[0015] It is also known to precisely deliver weapons using synthetic array radar. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,709.

[0016] It is also known to remotely guide cannon-launched projectiles. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,602.

[0017] It is also known precisely guide aircraft-launched bombs via GPS technology. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,947.

[0018] It is also known to create an all weather target detection and ranging system which does not actively transmit detectable radio pulses or waves. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,171,126.

[0019] It is also known to create a three dimensional millimeter wave tracking and guidance system. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,587.

[0020] It is also known to create an automatic target acquisition and tracking system for a focal plane array seeker. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,142.

[0021] It is also known to guide a vehicle to a target using the global positioning system. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,105.

[0022] It is also known to link global positioning satellites and missile communication systems. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,454.

[0023] It is also known to accurately determine the location of a target by an observer that is spaced apart from the object via the use of a satellite positioning system. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,568,152; 4,949,089.

[0024] It is also known to create a self-surveying relative GPS weapon guidance system. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,994.

[0025] It is also known to aim artillery with GPS navstar. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,245.

[0026] It is also known to create a passive ranging system through a global positioning system. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,485.

[0027] It is also known to precisely target and deliver guided weapons by determining the GPS locations of aircraft and targets. See, e.g., European Patent No. 0 583 972 A1.

[0028] It is also known to create an apparatus and method for providing pointing information. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,293.

[0029] All of the above mentioned patents are incorporated by reference herein. However, none of the above mentioned patents disclose a system and method for detecting the friend or foe status of a military force. On the other hand, some systems and methods for detecting friend or foe status of a military force do exist in the prior art.

[0030] For example, it is also known to identify military forces as a friend or a foe. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,287. U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,277 does not, however, use GPS technology to accurately locate and determine friend or foe status. Furthermore, it is also known to determine friend or foe status of military forces using lasers and coded words. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,814,769 and 4,837,575. However, neither of these patents use GPS technology to accurately locate and determine friend or foe status of military forces. Additionally, it is also known to determine friend or foe status of military forces by using identification codes that are transmitted between an interrogator and responder. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,176. U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,176 also does not, however, use GPS technology to accurately locate and determine friend or foe status of military forces. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,280,287, 4,814,769, 4,837,575, 4,862,176 are incorporated by reference herein.

[0031] None of the prior art approaches use GPS technology to accurately locate and determine friend or foe status of military forces. Furthermore, none of the prior art approaches use expert systems or fuzzy logic to provide recommendations for execution of military actions. Also, none of the prior art approaches disclose or teach a combination system and method for determining friend or foe status of military forces and recommending execution of military actions. Importantly, none of these prior art approaches to teach a system or method for identifying the presence of friendly forces that may be harmed by firing without disclosing the exact location of those friendly forces.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0032] Making firing decision in combat is a difficult process. Emotions such as considerable fear, anger, sense of urgency, panic, etc. may intervene and result in mistakes of judgement. Yet, decisions must be made, and often quickly. Many times the circumstances presented to the decision maker are complex without clear-cut answers to difficult scenarios. Frequently, it would be helpful to decision makers to have some automatic assessment of the situation prior to making final decisions to fire. In its most useful form, that assistance will not be advice to fire or not to fire. Indeed, such advice may tend to remove the all important rationale provided by the people actually involved who can assess many factors that a purely automatic system would not necessarily take into account.

[0033] It is therefore an object of this invention to create a system and method for locating and identifying friendly forces in a combat area.

[0034] It is a further object of this invention to warn friendly troops in specific geographic locations that they may be in danger due to imminent military action.

[0035] It is a further object of the invention to use GPS technology to determine the exact location of armed forces on the earth.

[0036] It is a further object of the invention to transmit GPS information between armed forces via short-wave radio.

[0037] It is a further object of the invention to transmit friendly force information between armed forces via short-wave radio.

[0038] It is a further object of the invention to detect surrounding armed forces via camera, radar, and lidar technology.

[0039] It is a further object of the invention to use expert systems to advise troops when making combat decisions.

[0040] It is another object of the invention to use fuzzy logic expert systems to advise troops when making combat decisions.

[0041] It is a further object of the invention for the short-wave radio, GPS receiver and display to be contained in a compact, hand-held device.

[0042] It is a further object of the invention to identify friendly forces in an area to be subjected to aggressive force without broadcasting the exact location of the friendly forces.

[0043] Further objects of the invention are apparent from reviewing the summary of the invention, detailed description, and claims set forth below.

[0044] The above objects and advantages of the invention are achieved by using expert systems or fuzzy logic to calculate a fire decision index at each warning unit. The fire decision index is then transmitted to the source of fire without disclosing the location of friendly forces. The source then decides whether or not to fire. The invention allows operation without disclosing the exact location of the friendly forces. All forces do not have to transmit their individual GPS coordinates.

[0045] The above objects and advantages of the invention are achieved by a system for locating military forces and detecting friend or foe status of the military forces that includes warning units each having a geographic locating system, a communication system for communicating with each of the warning units, and a military force detection system for detecting military forces in a combat area. The military force detection system determines status of the military forces. The geographic locating system calculates geographic location position, and the communication system transmits at least the geographic location position and the status to each of the other warning units. Each of the warning units receives the geographic location position and the status from each of the other warning units and displays locations of the military forces and indicates the military forces with the status. Each of the warning units further have signal routing and control circuitry for controlling operations of each of the warning units. A microprocessor and a memory device are coupled to the signal routing and control circuitry to provide computer control and operation for each of the warning units. Also, a radio transmitter and receiver, a speaker, and a microphone are coupled to the signal routing and control circuitry, and a communications antenna is coupled to the radio transmitter and receiver. The communication system transmits and receives warning unit information.

[0046] A display is further coupled to the signal routing and control circuitry to show location of the military forces, user information, text messages, status of the military forces. The display further has a grid with latitudinal and longitudinal lines. The grid is divided into various location sectors, and the location and the status of the military forces may be shown on the grid. The status of the military forces may be friendly, unfriendly, or unidentified. A camera or radar/lidar is/are coupled to the signal routing and control circuitry for providing visual information relating to the combat area. A power source or battery is coupled to the signal routing and control circuitry for providing power to each of the warning units. A switch is coupled to the signal routing and control circuitry for activating and deactivating each of the warning units.

[0047] The geographic locating system is a global positioning system locating device coupled to the signal routing and control circuitry. The global positioning system locating device further has a global positioning system processor, a global positioning system receiver coupled to the global positioning system processor, and a global positioning system antenna coupled to the global positioning system processor. The global positioning system locating device calculates the geographic location position and determines warning unit location. An advisory system for advising military troops or personnel of firing decisions is made part of each of the warning units. The advisory system defines membership variables affecting the firing decisions. The advisory system also determines a firing index based on the membership variables and uses the firing index to assist in making firing decisions. The advisory system may be an expert system or fuzzy logic system.

[0048] The above objects and advantages of the invention are further achieved by a method for implementing and operating warning units to locate military forces and to detect friend or foe status of the military forces. Geographic location of each of the warning units is determined by calculating geographic coordinates. The geographic location is broadcast to each of the other warning units. The status of the military forces is broadcast to each of the other warning units. Transmitted information is received from each of the other warning units, and the combat area is scanned to obtain military forces location and status information. The geographic location, the transmitted information, and the military forces location and status information are processed in order to display the location and status of the military forces. The location and status of the military forces are displayed on a display of each of the warning units.

[0049] The above objects and advantages of the invention are also achieved by a method for implementing and operating warning units to locate military forces and to detect friend or foe status of the military forces. The method determines whether a user of one of the warning units is about to execute an aggressive military action. Geographic location coordinates of at least one anticipated enemy target are calculated if the user is about to execute the aggressive military action. Warning information relating to the aggressive military action is transmitted from one of the warning units to each of the other warning units to warn the friendly military forces that are in the vicinity of the at least one anticipated target. The one warning unit waits a predetermined time for response information to be sent from each of the other warning units. Response information may indicate that friendly forces are in an area to be fired upon without disclosing the exact location of those friendly forces. The method determines whether the one warning unit has received response information from each of the other warning units.

[0050] The aggressive military action is executed if no response information was received by the one warning unit. Expert analysis is performed in determining whether the aggressive military action should be executed if the response information was received by the one warning unit. The aggressive military action is aborted if the expert analysis results in determining abortion of the aggressive military action. The aggressive military action, on the other hand, may be executed depending on the results of the expert analysis. The method determines if each of the other warning units is transmitting other warning information to the one warning unit when the user of the one warning unit is not about to execute an aggressive military action. The method determines whether the user of the one warning unit is in danger based on the determined geographic location coordinates if other warning information has been received by the one warning unit. The user is warned of any danger if other warning information has been received, and the user is advised of a route to safety.

[0051] The above objects and advantages of the invention are further achieved by an expert system or fuzzy logic calculation method for advising military troops or personnel of firing decisions. Membership variables affecting the firing decisions are defined. A firing index is determined based on the membership variables, and the firing index is used to help make the firing decisions. The membership variables and the firing index are defined for an expert system or fuzzy logic system, and the expert system or fuzzy logic system assists in determining the firing decisions. The membership variables may be a target priority membership variable (low, medium, high), a friend distance-to-target membership variable (close, medium, far), an ordinance radius membership variable (short, medium, far). The firing index may be defined as a low firing index, a medium firing index, or a high firing index.

[0052] The above objects and advantages of the invention are further achieved by a method of transmitting warning signals to all units in an area to be fired upon. The transmitted message includes the GPS coordinates of the target. All warning units in the area of the target receive the warning message, and each unit calculates a fire decision index corresponding to its location, the coordinates of the target, the priority of the target and the radius of destruction of the ordinance. These calculations are made on a distributed basis by individual warning units. The fire decision index is then transmitted to the originator of the warning message without disclosing the location of friendly forces. Having received the fire decision indices from friendly forces, the originating units decide whether or not to commence firing.

[0053] The preferred embodiments of the inventions are described below in the Figures and Detailed Description. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and claims be given the ordinary and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable art or arts. If any other meaning is intended, the specification will specifically state that a special meaning is being applied to a word or phrase. Likewise, the use of the words “function” or “means” in the Detailed Description is not intended to indicate a desire to invoke the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6 to define the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6, are sought to be invoked to define the inventions, the claims will specifically state the phrases “means for” or “step for” and a function, without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material, or act in support of the function. Even when the claims recite a “means for” or “step for” performing a function, if they also recite any structure, material or acts in support of that means of step, then the intention is not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6. Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6, are invoked to define the inventions, it is intended that the inventions not be limited only to the specific structure, material or acts that are described in the preferred embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, materials or acts that perform the claimed function, along with any and all known or later-developed equivalent structures, materials or acts for performing the claimed function.

[0054] For example, the disclosed system and method makes use of GPS communication satellites and GPS receivers to determine locations throughout the system. Other navigation or location tracking systems could likewise be used. Thus, GPS technology is shown and referenced generally throughout this disclosure, and unless specifically noted, is intended to represent any and all devices/technologies appropriate to determine locations.

[0055] Likewise, there are disclosed several computers or controllers that perform various control operations. The specific form of computer is not important to the invention. In its preferred form, applicant divides the computing and analysis operations into several cooperating computers or microprocessors. However, with appropriate programming well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, the inventions can be implemented using a single, high power computer. Thus, it is not applicant's intention to limit his invention to any particular form of computer.

[0056] Applicant recognizes that many of the disclosed communications described herein will be encrypted while in a military setting. However, it is not applicants intention to disclose military secret code. All communications described herein are designed to be used in conjunction with any type of encryption practice.

[0057] Also, the use of transmitter/receivers, antennas, microphone, speaker, camera, radar/lidar, display have also been disclosed in this specification. However, the present invention is not in any way limited to being used with these specific components, devices, or apparatuses, and any and all suitable components, devices, or apparatuses that provide or perform the respective or corresponding operation may be used in conjunction with the present invention.

[0058] Further examples exist throughout the disclosure, and it is not applicant's intention to exclude from the scope of his invention the use of structures, materials, or acts that are not expressly identified in the specification, but nonetheless are capable of performing a claimed function.