Collimated Thermal Beacon for Long-Range Asset Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical IFF systems, including thermal beacons, face challenges such as visibility under night vision systems, delayed signaling due to heating and cooling cycles, omnidirectional radiation, and limited detection distance and visibility within thermal imaging fields, making it difficult to accurately identify friendly or enemy assets in military applications.
Innovation Solution
A highly collimated source of radiation, emitted by a thermal beacon unit, is directed towards a thermal imaging unit, ensuring high power density and visibility over long distances, with adjustable power output to enhance detection and reduce blooming effects, allowing for efficient identification of assets through a wider image projection on the display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a blackbody is heated to generate infrared emissions, then the beacon becomes visible to thermal imaging equipment, but a significant delay occurs between successive beacon flashes due to heating and cooling cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental operating parameter from thermal heating/cooling cycles to electrical excitation and relaxation cycles. The phosphorescent material is excited by an electrical source to emit infrared radiation, allowing rapid on/off cycling without thermal inertia delays. This enables flash rates suitable for signaling applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal system (heating and cooling a blackbody) with an electrical-optical system (electrical excitation of phosphorescent material). This substitution eliminates the thermal mass constraint that caused time delays, allowing instantaneous response to electrical control signals.
2Device complexity
If a blackbody is used as the radiation source, then the beacon emits omnidirectional radiation, but the detection distance is limited and the image appears small relative to the field of view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces optical asymmetry through collimating optics that transform the omnidirectional emission from the phosphorescent material into a highly directional collimated beam. This asymmetric transformation concentrates the radiation in a narrow angular spread, enabling long-distance detection while maintaining a simple point-source radiation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces collimating optics as an intermediary between the phosphorescent material and the external environment. This intermediary component takes the isotropic emission and transforms it into a directional beam without requiring the radiation source itself to be complex or directional.
3Measurement precision
If near-IR emitters are used for identification, then the system can visually identify targets, but the emitters are highly visible via night vision systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selecting a specific wavelength range (far-infrared) that has different detection properties. The phosphorescent material is chosen to emit in the far-IR band, which is invisible to conventional night vision systems that operate in the near-IR band, providing covert identification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the 'color' or wavelength of the emitted radiation from near-IR (visible to night vision) to far-IR (invisible to night vision). The phosphorescent material is specifically selected or engineered to emit at wavelengths that are undetectable by conventional night vision equipment while still detectable by thermal imaging systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables efficient and covert identification of friendly assets by ensuring high visibility and detection range within thermal imaging systems while being undetectable by night vision equipment, reducing the risk of fratricide and improving situational awareness on the battlefield.
Implementation Method 1
The beacon unit comprises a source of radiation, preferably a phosphorescent source, which emits a beam of radiation in response to electrical excitation
Implementation Method 2
The beacon unit further comprises collimating optics which transform the radiation from the source into a beam having a predetermined angular spread
Implementation Method 3
a thermal imaging unit comprising an array of thermal imaging detectors and a display
Data Source
AI summary
An identification system and method comprising a beacon unit using a highly collimated source of electromagnetic radiation, which emits towards a thermal imaging unit highly directional radiation. In this manner, improved visual identification of the beacon unit and the carrier associated therewith through the imaging unit can be achieved over both short and long distances. In particular, detection of the beacon unit is aided by emitting highly collimated radiation with high power density at great distances. When detected by the sensor array, an image of the emitted radiation is indeed displayed as a bright spot of light on the display, thus eliciting the attention of a viewer observing a scene through the imaging unit. Blooming of an array of sensing elements provided in the imaging unit may further be fostered by delivering a great amount of power to the imaging unit, thus improving detection of the beacon unit.