Inflatable Sensor Attraction System for Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems fail to effectively attract attention or alter the operation of sensing entities, such as radar and infrared systems, to prevent collisions or navigation hazards, especially in complex environments like busy shipping lanes or emergency situations.
Innovation Solution
An inflatable sensor attraction system (ISAS) with radar reflective structures and heat emitters, tethered to a ship or UAV, mimics the infrared signature of a ship, causing incoming mobile objects with guidance and sensor systems to target the ISAS instead, thereby avoiding collisions or attracting attention as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional navigation or collision avoidance systems are used, then the system fails to effectively attract attention or alter the operation of sensing entities, but deploying an active attraction system increases complexity and energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of a ship's electromagnetic and infrared signature using inflatable structures with radar reflective materials and heat emitters. This virtual replica attracts guided mobile objects away from the actual ship, solving the collision avoidance problem without requiring complex active defense systems on the ship itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable structure acts as an intermediary between the ship and incoming guided objects. By deploying this intermediate attraction target that mimics ship signatures, the system redirects attention and potential threats away from the actual vessel, effectively mediating the interaction between the ship and external sensing/guided entities.
2Reliability
If the ISAS deploys radar reflective structures and heat emitters to mimic a ship's signature, then it successfully attracts guided mobile objects, but this increases energy consumption and device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses inflatable structures to create the attraction target, leveraging pneumatic principles for rapid deployment and reconfiguration. The inflatable elements provide the physical structure that holds radar reflective materials and heat emitters, enabling energy-efficient deployment compared to rigid mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters (inflating/deflating structures, activating/deactivating heat emitters) to control the electromagnetic and thermal signature output. This allows dynamic adjustment of attraction effectiveness while managing energy consumption, enabling the system to mimic ship signatures only when and where needed.
3Measurement precision
If the ISAS uses multiple reflection structure sections and shapes, then it improves pattern recognition attraction, but this increases manufacturing complexity and device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The attraction structure is divided into multiple modular reflection sections that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each section contains radar reflective materials and can be configured in different shapes to create specific electromagnetic patterns, making manufacturing more manageable while achieving complex signature replication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses composite structures combining inflatable materials with radar reflective coatings and heat emitter components. This composite approach allows the structure to serve multiple functions (structural support, electromagnetic reflection, thermal emission) simultaneously, reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the sophisticated signature replication capability.
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 ISAS increases the likelihood of avoiding collisions by altering the targeting of mobile objects with guidance and sensor systems, providing a means to attract attention in distress situations or navigate through hazardous areas by mimicking a ship's signature, thus enhancing safety and navigation protocols.
Implementation Method 1
radar reflective structures and shapes adapted for attracting attention of search systems configured for sensing pattern recognition based electromagnetic or visual reflections
Implementation Method 2
mimics the infrared signature of a ship, causing incoming mobile objects with guidance and sensor systems to target the ISAS instead
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and structures associated with a towed, autonomous, or remotely controlled airborne mobile system including a plurality of reflection structure sections and shapes adapted for attracting attention of search systems configured for sensing pattern recognition based electromagnetic or visual reflections from the structures and shapes and related methods.