초록 ▼

A system and method for warning a helicopter of an approaching bullet using existing sensor systems is disclosed. The disclosed method including the steps of: detecting and providing bearing information for detected small arms weapon firing locations near the helicopter, determining a detection area

A system and method for warning a helicopter of an approaching bullet using existing sensor systems is disclosed. The disclosed method including the steps of: detecting and providing bearing information for detected small arms weapon firing locations near the helicopter, determining a detection area and detection time window for the fired bullet, determining the antennas of the RF transmitting and RF receiving systems covering the bearing of the detected weapon firing; determining a timing sequence and allocating time segments for transmitting and receiving RF signals during the detection time window, commanding the RF emitting system to emit and the RF receiving system to receive RF signals during their allocated time segments, processing RF signals received and determining whether reflected RF signal pulses from the emitted RF signal pulses are present, and outputting a warning where reflected RF signal pulses are detected.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A system for warning a helicopter of an approaching bullet using existing sensor systems, said system comprising: means for transmitting an RF signal; means for receiving RF signals; means for detecting a small arms weapon firing from at least one location in the vicinity of a helicopt

We claim: 1. A system for warning a helicopter of an approaching bullet using existing sensor systems, said system comprising: means for transmitting an RF signal; means for receiving RF signals; means for detecting a small arms weapon firing from at least one location in the vicinity of a helicopter; means for providing a bearing from said helicopter for said at least one location where said small arms weapon firing was detected; means for determining a detection area and detection time window for a bullet fired from said small arms weapon; means for determining at least one antenna of said means for transmitting an RF signal and said means for receiving RF signals that are covering a sector including said bearing of said detected small arms weapon firing; means for determining a timing sequence and allocating at least one time segment for transmitting said RF signal and at least one time segment for receiving RF signals during said detection time window, means for commanding said means for transmitting an RF signal to emit said RF signal at a predetermined frequency during said at least one time segment allocated for transmitting said RF signal; means for commanding said means for receiving RF signal to receive RF signals near said predetermined frequency during said at least one time segment allocated for receiving RF signals; means for processing RF signals received during said at least one time segment allocated for receiving RF signals; means for determining whether an RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said means for transmitting said RF signal is present in said RF signals received during said at least one time segment allocated for receiving RF signals, and means for outputting a warning where said RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said means for transmitting said RF signal is detected. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for detecting a small arms weapon firing and providing a bearing from said helicopter comprises a hostile fire indicator. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting an RF signal comprises an RF jamming system. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting an RF signal transmits at least one RF signal pulse train at a predetermined periodicity during said at least one time segment for transmitting said RF signal. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for receiving an RF signal comprises one of a radar warning receiver and an electronic support measures system. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting an RF signal and said means for receiving an RF signal comprise an integrated system and coherent signal integration techniques are used for detecting said RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said means for transmitting said RF signal. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein said means for determining whether an RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said means for transmitting said RF signal comprises at least one signal processor of said integrated system. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting an RF signal and said means for receiving an RF signal comprise separate systems and non-coherent signal integration techniques are used for detecting said RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said means for transmitting said RF signal. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for determining whether an RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said means for transmitting said RF signal comprises at least one signal processor of said means for receiving RF signals or a dedicated signal processor. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least said means for determining a detection area and detection time window, said means for determining a timing sequence and allocating at least one time segment for transmitting said RF signal and at least one time segment for receiving RF signals during said detection time window, said means for commanding said means for transmitting an RF signal to emit said RF signal at a predetermined frequency during said at least one time segment allocated for transmitting said RF signal and said means for commanding said means for receiving RF signals to receive RF signals near said predetermined frequency during said at least one time segment allocated for receiving RF signals comprise at least one software programs running on at least one processor of said means for transmitting said RF signal, said means for receiving RF signals, a helicopter mission systems processor, a helicopter flight systems processor and a dedicated processor. 11. A system for warning a helicopter of an approaching bullet using existing sensor systems, said system comprising: an RF transmitting system; an RF receiving system; a hostile fire indicator for detecting a small arms weapon firing from at least one location in the vicinity of a helicopter and providing a bearing from said helicopter for said at least one location where said small arms weapon firing was detected; a warning system, and a bullet approach warning functionality, said bullet approach warning functionality comprising: means for determining a detection area and detection time window for a bullet fired from said small arms weapon; means for determining at least one antenna of said means for transmitting an RF signal and said means for receiving RF signals that are covering a sector including said bearing of said detected small arms weapon firing; means for determining a timing sequence and allocating at least one time segment for transmitting said RF signal and at least one time segment for receiving RF signals during said detection time window, and means for commanding said means for transmitting an RF signal to emit said RF signal at a predetermined frequency during said at least one time segment allocated for transmitting said RF signal, and means for commanding said means for receiving RF signals to receive RF signals near said predetermined frequency during said at least one time segment allocated for receiving RF signals; wherein said RF receiving system processes RF signals received during said at least one time segment allocated for receiving RF signals and determines whether an RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said RF transmitting system is present in said RF signals received during said at least one time segment allocated for receiving RF signals, and said warning system outputs a warning where said RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said RF transmitting system is detected. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein said RF transmitting system and said RF receiving system comprise an integrated system and coherent signal integration techniques are used for detecting said RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said RF transmitting system. 13. The system of claim 11, wherein said RF transmitting system and said RF receiving system comprise separate systems and non-coherent signal integration techniques are used for detecting said RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said RF transmitting system. 14. A method for warning a helicopter of an approaching bullet using existing sensor systems, said bullet approach warning method comprising the steps of: detecting a small arms weapon firing at least one bullet from at least one location in the vicinity of a helicopter; providing a bearing from said helicopter for said at least one location where said small arms weapon firing was detected; determining a detection area and detection time window for said at least one bullet fired from said detected small arms weapon firing; determining at least one antenna of an on-board RF transmitting system and at least one antenna of an on-board RF receiving system that cover a sector including the bearing of said detected small arms weapon firing; determining a timing sequence and allocating at least one time segment for transmitting an RF signal and at least one time segment for receiving RF signals during said detection time window; commanding said RF emitting system to emit said RF signal at a predetermined frequency during said at least one time segment allocated for transmitting RF signals, and commanding said RF receiving system to receive RF signals near said predetermined frequency during said at least one time segment allocated for receiving RF signals; processing said RF signal received during said at least one time segment allocated for receiving RF signals; determining whether said RF signal received during said at least one time segment allocated for receiving RF signals includes at least one RF signal pulse reflected from said RF signal emitted from said RF emitting system, and outputting a warning where at least one RF signal pulse reflected from said RF signal emitted from said RF emitting system is detected. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said detecting step detects a muzzle flash from said small arms weapon. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein said RF transmitting system transmits at least one RF signal pulse train at a predetermined periodicity during said at least one time segment for transmitting said RF signal. 17. The method of claim 14, wherein said RF transmitting system and said RF receiving system comprise an integrated system and coherent signal integration techniques are used for detecting said RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said RF transmitting system. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein said RF transmitting system and said RF receiving system comprise separate systems and non-coherent signal integration techniques are used for detecting said RF signal reflected from said RF signal emitted from said RF transmitting system. 19. The method of claim 14, wherein said bullet approach warning method is initiated automatically upon detection of a small arms weapon firing in the vicinity of the helicopter. 20. The method of claim 14, wherein said bullet approach warning method is initiated manually by a crewmember.