Hidden HPEM Antenna in Dummy Vehicle Attachments

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing HPEM protection systems for vehicles, particularly military and armored vehicles, are conspicuous due to visibly attached antennas, compromising tactical advantages and requiring complex integration that increases costs and reduces available space for additional components.

Innovation Solution

Integration of HPEM antennas into dummy attachments modeled after conventional fog pots, allowing for undetectable placement on the vehicle's outer shell, utilizing permeable materials and existing holders to maintain a standard appearance and functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If HPEM antennas are clearly visible on the vehicle's exterior, then the HPEM system can be easily integrated and identified, but the tactical advantage is compromised and the vehicle becomes detectable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetectability of HPEM antennaVSAvoidintegration complexity of HPEM system
Core Design Contradiction:
Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the copying principle by creating dummy attachments that are exact replicas of conventional attachments (such as smoke canisters). These dummies have identical external appearances, mounting interfaces, and dimensions, allowing them to be indistinguishable from real attachments while housing hidden HPEM antennas. This resolves the contradiction by making the antenna system undetectable (improving parameter 37) while using simple replica structures (managing parameter 36).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by making only the attachment housing visible and conventional-looking, while the internal antenna components remain hidden. The dummy attachment exhibits conventional external characteristics (shape, size, mounting features) but contains concealed HPEM antennas inside. This allows the vehicle to maintain standard appearance (improving parameter 37) while integrating the HPEM system (managing parameter 36).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If HPEM antennas are hidden within dummy attachments, then tactical advantage is maintained and detectability is reduced, but the antenna must be concealed within limited space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of HPEM antennaVSAvoidspace available for antenna
Core Design Contradiction:
Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the nesting principle by placing the HPEM antenna inside the dummy attachment housing, similar to how a doll is placed inside another doll. The antenna is concealed within the limited internal volume of the dummy attachment (such as a smoke canister replica), allowing the system to maintain a compact form factor (managing parameter 7) while keeping the antenna hidden (improving parameter 37).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies flexible shells by using the dummy attachment housing as a concealment shell that encloses the antenna. The shell maintains the external appearance of a conventional attachment while providing internal space to house the antenna components. This allows the antenna to be hidden (improving parameter 37) within the constrained volume of the attachment (managing parameter 7).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If conventional attachments are replaced with dummy attachments containing HPEM antennas, then the system becomes undetectable, but the number of functional attachments is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetectability of attachmentVSAvoidfunctional capability of attachment
Core Design Contradiction:
Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing dummy attachments that can serve multiple purposes: they maintain the vehicle's standard appearance for tactical concealment, house hidden HPEM antennas for protection, and can potentially retain some original attachment functions. This allows the system to be undetectable (improving parameter 37) while maintaining operational versatility (managing parameter 35).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies the intermediary principle by using the dummy attachment as a mediator between the vehicle's tactical requirements (concealment) and HPEM system requirements (antenna housing). The dummy attachment serves as an intermediate structure that conceals the antenna while maintaining vehicle appearance and potentially preserving original attachment functionality. This resolves the contradiction by being undetectable (improving parameter 37) while maintaining adaptability (managing parameter 35).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Provides effective and tactically advantageous close and immediate area protection against small drones without visible antennas, simplifying integration and reducing costs by leveraging existing infrastructure, while ensuring the system is undetectable from the outside.

Implementation Method 1

The HPEM system has an HPEM antenna (14) which serves to emit HPEM pulses (18)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

The shell (28) is made of a material permeable to the HPEM pulses (18)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic wave transmission through permeable material: Permeation

Data Source

PatentEP4372306B1Hpem protected vehicle with hidden antenna
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 DIEHL DEFENCE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4372306B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4372306B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP4372306B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a vehicle (2), wherein the vehicle (2) typically has at least one attachment (8) mounted on its outer shell (10), with an HPEM system (16) comprising at least one HPEM antenna (14) for emitting HPEM pulses (18), with at least one dummy attachment (12) that is modeled after the attachment (8) while maintaining the same external appearance and that contains or is at least one of the antennas (14), the dummy (12) is mounted on the outer shell (10) of the vehicle (2) instead of or in addition to the attachment (8) that is typically present.In a method for equipping a vehicle (2) with an HPEM system (16), wherein the vehicle (2) typically has at least one attachment (8) mounted on its outer shell (10), and wherein the HPEM system (16) has at least one HPEM antenna (14) for emitting HPEM pulses (18), at least one dummy attachment (12) is created which is modeled on the attachment (8) while maintaining the same external appearance, and which contains or is at least one of the antennas (14), and the dummy (12) is attached to the outer shell (10) of the vehicle (2) instead of or in addition to the attachment (8) that is typically present.