Abstract:
A method and apparatus for preventing fratricide including an emitter that emits a signaling code at a wavelength, the signaling code representing a coded message; a receiver that captures an image of a field of view including the emitter and generates image information corresponding to the captured image; a translation system that: receives the image information, and decodes the coded message from the image information; and a output device that outputs the decoded message.

Description:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention is related to identification systems and, more particularly, to thermal and short wavelength infrared identification systems. 
         [0003]    2. Background 
         [0004]    The inability of reconnaissance to distinguish between friend or foe in low light or total darkness is a major failing of battlefield and law enforcement operations. In these types of lighting conditions, not only does the probability of fratricide (the inadvertent killing of friendly forces by other friendly forces) increase, but time and resources are wasted during attempts to confirm identification. Furthermore, during the heat of battle, mistakes in identification are more likely to occur. Accordingly, there is a need to facilitate effortless and accurate nighttime identification and classification of a distant target or location by a remote sensor. 
         [0005]    To this end, night vision equipment including light-intensifying systems that operate by amplifying visible and near infrared light may be used in conjunction with a beacon which emits unique flashing infrared signatures. These flashing infrared signatures are invisible to the naked eye and are distinguished from operational surroundings by means of an intense concentrated energy pulse, coupled with a unique flashing sequence, referred to as the signaling code of the beacon. When viewed through night vision equipment, the beacon signature cuts through fog, smoke and darkness. However, when one views a battlefield scene through night vision equipment there may be a significant amount of clutter due to operational surrounding such as, for example, gun or tracer fire. Accordingly, it may be difficult for an individual to distinguish between flashes generated by operational surroundings and a signaling code generated by the beacon. 
         [0006]    Military and law enforcement personnel have relied on this conventional night vision equipment operating in wavelengths of below 900 nanometers to distinguish between friend or foe. Over a period of time, however, enemy forces have acquired compatible night vision devices and captured various types of identification beacons provided to friendly forces. As a consequence, the enemy is able to identify and target friendly forces. 
         [0007]    For these reasons, there is a need to provide an alternate solution to prevent fratricide by distinguishing friend from foe while maintaining the stealth and security of allied forces from detection by the enemy. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Consistent with the present invention, there is provided an antifratricide system comprising a receiver that captures an image of a field of view including an emitter and generates image information corresponding to the captured image; a translation system that: receives the image information, and decodes the coded message from the image information; and an output device that presents the decoded message. 
         [0009]    Consistent with the present invention, there is also provided an antifratricide system comprising an emitter that emits a signaling code at a wavelength, the signaling code representing a coded message; a receiver that captures an image of a field of view including the emitter and generates image information corresponding to the captured image; a translation system that: receives the image information, and decodes the coded message from the image information; and an output device that outputs the decoded message. 
         [0010]    Consistent with the present invention, there is also provided a method for preventing fratricide, the method comprising emitting a signaling code from a source of electromagnetic energy at a wavelength, the signaling code representing a coded message; capturing an image of a field of view including the source of electromagnetic energy; generating image information from the captured image; detecting the signaling code in the image information; analyzing the image information to decode the coded message; and presenting the decoded message to a user. 
         [0011]    Consistent with the present invention, there is also provided a computer-implemented translation system comprising a look-up database including signaling code translation values and corresponding alphanumeric characters; and a processor that operates a decoder module including instructions for performing a method. The method comprises detecting a signaling code in image information corresponding to an image of a field of view comparing the detected signaling code to the signaling code translation values in the look-up database, determining whether the detected signaling code matches one or more of the signaling code translation values to generate a code match, decoding the coded message by determining the alphanumeric character associated with the code match; and storing the decoded message. 
         [0012]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
         [0013]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary antifratricide system consistent with the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an identification system; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart demonstrating an exemplary process used in the antifratricide system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart demonstrating an exemplary process used in the antifratricide system of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is an exemplary antifratricide display. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments consistent with the present invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. It is apparent, however, that the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings are not limiting, and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
         [0020]    Systems and methods consistent with the invention provide an antifratricide system. To this end, the antifratricide system may include an emitter, a receiver, and an identification system. The emitter may emit a signaling code at a specific wavelength which is received by the receiver and transmitted to the identification system. In turn, the identification system may analyze the signaling code and translate the signaling code into alphanumeric characters. The antifratricide system may then generate an antifratricide display that graphically or pictorially displays the alphanumeric characters associated with the translated signaling code in relation to the emitter. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary antifratricide system  100  consistent with the present invention. One skilled in the art will appreciate that system  100  may be implemented in a number of different configurations without departing from the scope of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , system  100  may include an identification system  110 , a plurality of user terminals  120 - a  to  120 - n , and a network  130  for connecting identification system  110  with terminals  120 . While  FIG. 1  shows only one identification system  110  and two terminals  120 , system  100  may include any number of systems  110  and terminals  120 . 
         [0022]    Identification system  110  may include an emitter, a receiver, and a translation system that performs various functions. In one embodiment, system  110  may be configured to process character image patterns using a vision analysis recognition algorithm microcode and transmit the recognized patterns to one or more of terminals  120 - a  to  120 - n  to provide friend-or-foe information associated with the signaling code, such as an alphanumeric character. The functions performed by identification system  110  are described in greater detail below with respect to, for example,  FIGS. 2 to 5 . 
         [0023]    Each user terminal  120  may be a computing system operated by a user, and may be sized and dimensioned so as to be man-portable. Terminal  120  may be used to display information associated with the translation system. As shown in  FIG. 1  (for simplicity, in terminal  120 - a  only), user terminal  120  may include, for example, a processor  122 , a memory  124 , an output device  126 , and an interface device  128 . Processor  122  may be one or more processor devices, such as a microprocessor, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop computer, desktop computer, workstation, mainframe computer, and the like that execute program instructions to perform various functions. Memory  124  may be one or more storage devices that maintain data (e.g., instructions, software applications, etc.) used by processor  122 . Output device  126  may be any known type of output device that presents information to the user operating terminals  120 - a  to  120 - n , such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, a speaker, or an indicator display. Interface device  128  may be one or more known interface device modules that facilitate the exchange of data between the internal components of user terminals  120 - a  to  120 - n  and external components, such as identification system  110 . In addition, interface device  128  may include a network interface device that allows user terminals  120 - a  to  120 - n  to receive and send data to and from network  130 . 
         [0024]    Network  130  may be any type of network that facilitates communication between remote components, such as identification system  110  and user terminals  120   a - n . For example, network  130  may be a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a virtual private network, a dedicated intranet, the Internet, and/or a wireless network. 
         [0025]    The arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 1  is exemplary and system  100  may be implemented in a number of different configurations without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, components  110  and  120  may be directly connected, as opposed to being connected via network  130 . Further, additional components may be included in system  100 , such as a connection to other antifratricide systems that may provide information to identification system  110 . In addition, one or more terminals  120  may be included within system  110 , thus allowing system  110  to display information itself. 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of identification system  110 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , identification system  110  may further include a network interface  240 , an emitter  250 , a receiver  260 , and a translation system  270 . 
         [0027]    Network interface  240  may be one or more devices that facilitate the transfer of information between identification system  110  and external components, such as user terminals  120 . Network interface module  240  may also receive information from emitter  250  and/or receiver  260  and route those requests to translation system  270 . In some exemplary embodiments, network interface module  240  may be a server that receives information from emitter  250  and/or receiver  260 , forwards the information to translation system  270 , and transmits the outputted information to one or more of user terminals  120   a - n.    
         [0028]    Emitter  250  may be one or more devices that emit electromagnetic energy at a selected or range of frequencies and which can be made to flash in a specific sequence or pattern to generate a covert signaling code. For example, emitter  250  may be a programmable infrared beacon which may include one or more infrared LEDs and a storage device that stores coded messages such as “USA” in Morse Code, a single letter in Morse Code, or any other type of coded message. While the emitter can operate in a selected frequency or range of frequencies, the emitter preferably emits the signaling code in the wavelength of between 950 nanometers to 12 microns in an effort to avoid night vision devices that have been captured by enemy forces. An exemplary embodiment of such an emitter  250  is described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,456,754. 
         [0029]    Receiver  260  may be one or more devices configured to detect images and receive the signaling code from emitter  250 . For example, receiver  260  may include one or more cameras such as an Electron Multiplying Charge Coupled Device (low light gas camera) and/or thermal cameras that detect images of a field of view including the emitter and, in those images, further detect signal information representing the signaling code emitted by emitter  250 . Examples of acceptable commercially available thermal cameras include FLIR&#39;s 4700/4800 series thermal cameras, although other types of cameras made by other manufacturers may also be used in lieu of or in addition to FLIR&#39;s 4700/4800 series thermal cameras. Receiver  260  then transmits to translation system  270  image information representing one or more images containing the signaling code. 
         [0030]    Translation system  270  may include one or more interconnected modules and databases, such as, for example, a memory module  272 , a processing module  274 , a received image database  276 , a look-up database  277 , and a decoded database  278 . Memory module  272  may represent one or more storage devices that maintain information that is used by processing module  274  and/or other components internal and external to identification system  110 . Further, memory module  272  may include one or more programs that, when executed by an entity of processing module  274 , perform one or more processes consistent with embodiments of the present invention. Examples of such processes are described in greater detail below, with respect to  FIGS. 3-5 . Memory module  272  may also include configuration data that may be used by processing module  274  to present configured alphanumeric information derived from the received images to user terminals  120  and data regarding the selected frequency or range of frequencies emitted by friendly emitters. Examples of such configured alphanumeric information are described in greater detail with respect to  FIG. 5 . 
         [0031]    Processing module  274 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , may further include an interface module  271  and a decoder module  273 . Interface module  271  may include components for receiving the image information from receiver  260  and outputting information generated by processing module  274  via network interface  240 . Decoder module  273  may include components for extracting signal information from the image information received from the receiver and decoding the signal information into the signal code for output as, for example, alphanumeric information. As described in more detail below, decoder module  273  may retrieve and process data from one or more of modules  271  and  272  and/or databases  276 ,  277 , and  278  (described below) to decode received image information and to generate alphanumeric information for transmission to terminals  120  via network interface  240 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , identification system  110  may also include a plurality of interconnected databases  276 ,  277 , and  278 . In this regard, identification system  110  may include a database module (not shown) having components for controlling access to databases  276 ,  277 , and  278 . Databases  276 ,  277 , and  278  may be configured using any appropriate type of known storage system configuration that facilitates the storage of data, as well as the locating, accessing, and retrieving of data stored in the databases (e.g., Sybase, Oracle, MySQL, SQL, C++, Access, etc. databases). 
         [0033]    The arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 2  is exemplary and identification system  110  may be implemented in a number of different configurations without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, while in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  the databases are interconnected, each database need not be interconnected. Moreover, rather than separate databases, identification system  110  may include only one database that would include the data of databases  276 ,  277 , and  278 . In addition, components  250  and/or  260  could be included within translation system  270  itself. Furthermore, the identification system may include other components such as, for example, a power pack (not shown). The power pack could be included in a variety of configurations, such as within the receiver  260  or as a stand alone unit. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart demonstrating an exemplary process used in the antifratricide system  100  consistent with the present invention. For example, system  100  may use the process of  FIG. 3  to detect whether an individual is a friend or a foe. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the process may begin by selecting a frequency or range of frequencies to be emitted by the emitter  250  (S 310 ). The frequency or frequencies selected can be any appropriate frequency, but is preferably between 950 nanometers and 12 microns so as to avoid detection by enemy forces that have acquired conventional night vision equipment. Although not shown in  FIG. 3 , a time interval may also be selected in which the emitter emits the frequency or frequencies at discrete short time intervals. Selecting this time interval may reduce the power required to drive the emitter and may also allow the conditions of the emitter to be better controlled, thus making the signaling code more consistent, regardless of the selected emitter technology. 
         [0035]    Subsequently, the emitter  250  may emit a signaling code in the selected frequency or range of frequencies (S 320 ) which may received by receiver  260  (S 330 ). Receiver  260  may be configured to amplify signatures that are emitted in the selected frequency or range of frequencies to generate a stronger image of an emitter in an image field of view. In particular, an image of a field of view including the emitter is captured (S 340 ) and transmitted by receiver  260  (S 350 ) to translation system  270 . The signaling code may relate to a coded message, and the image may be in the form of continuous video, slow-scan video, a burst of still images, or any other appropriate type of image. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart demonstrating an exemplary process used in the antifratricide system  100  consistent with the present invention. For example, system  100  may use the process of  FIG. 4  to receive signaling code from a beacon indicating whether a force is a friend or a foe and translate the signaling code into alphanumeric characters which a user can easily understand. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the interface module  271  of the translation system  270  may receive information of images captured by receiver  260  (S 410 ) and may store the images in the received images database  276  (S 420 ). 
         [0037]    After the images are stored, the processing module  274  of the translation system  270  may retrieve the stored images and analyze them using a vision analysis recognition algorithm programmed in, for example, microcode (S 430 ). Vision analysis microcode has been employed in a number of industries, such as in the area of video arcade software. 
         [0038]    In particular, the decoder module  273  of the processing module  274  may include vision analysis recognition algorithm microcode that detects signaling code, such as flashes, emitted by the emitter. The decoder module  273  may also adaptively differentiate between flashes generated by the emitter and those generated by operational conditions such as gunfire. For example, the decoder module  273  may detect each flash within the images and determine whether the flashes are random or are repeating at particular time intervals (such as, for example, every 10 seconds). The decoder module  273  may determine that the flashes that are random may be considered simply as operational conditions, such as gunfire, and thus can be ignored. Similarly, the decoder module  273  may determine that the repeating flashes are signaling code. Furthermore, the decoder module  273  may also distinguish between beacons emitting at the selected emitting frequency, that is, the IR “color,” and those emitting at other frequencies. For example, the memory module  272  may include stored frequency data that corresponds to the wavelength at which the signaling code is emitted. Decoder module  273  may access the stored frequency data and compare it to the wavelength of the signaling code. 
         [0039]    After the signaling code has been detected, decoder module  273  translates the signaling code into alphanumeric characters to be displayed by one or more of user terminals  120  (S 440 ). To translate the signaling code, the decoder module  273  searches look-up database  277  to determine whether the detected signaling code matches signaling code translation values stored in look-up database  277 . The signaling code translation values may include information that associates various signaling codes with one or more alphanumeric characters. If look-up database  277  includes the detected signaling code, the information associated therewith is translated and stored in decoded database  278 . For example, if the visional analysis recognition algorithm microcode detects the signaling code “SHORT SHORT LONG,” the decoder module  273  searches through look-up database  277  for “SHORT SHORT LONG” and determines the associated alphanumeric character to decode the signal. While in some embodiments the signaling code is translated into alphanumeric characters, the signaling code may be associated with and thus translated into a variety of types of information such as, for example, symbols, colors, sounds, pictures, or the like. 
         [0040]    After decoding the signal, interface module  271  of processing module  274  may transmit the decoded signaling code to client terminal(s)  120  for display (S 450 ) in an antifratricide display  500 .  FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary antifratricide display  500  for displaying signaling codes decoded by identification system  110 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , antifratricide display  500  may graphically depict the decoded signaling code in a way that aids an individual in quickly and accurately determining whether an individual or object is a friend or a foe. For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , antifratricide display  500  may include one or more images captured by receiver  260 , including real-time images. In the exemplary implementation shown in  FIG. 5 , three vehicles ( 510 ,  520 ,  530 ) traveling on a road  540  are captured by receiver  260  and displayed on antifratricide display  500 . In addition, the decoded signaling codes may be overlaid on the image to identify each of the vehicles for which there was decoded information. 
         [0041]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , vehicles  510  and  520  include beacons that emit signaling codes indicating that they are members of the red force, as well as indicating the name of the particular vehicle. Here, the decoded signaling code “Red Force Truck B”  512  corresponding to the signaling code emitted by vehicle  510  is overlaid on the image to be adjacent to vehicle  510 . Similarly, the decoded signaling code “Red Force Truck A”  522  corresponding to the signaling code emitted by vehicle  520  is overlaid on the image adjacent to vehicle  520 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , vehicle  530  does not include a decoded signaling code overlaid over the image. This may indicate to the user of the antifratricide display that the receiver  260  did not detect and/or the translation unit  271  did not translate a detected signaling code. Accordingly, the user may determine that vehicle  530  is likely a foe, rather than a friend. 
         [0042]    As described above, systems and methods consistent with the invention provide an antifratricide system that aids a user in distinguishing between friend and foe. For purposes of explanation only, certain aspects and embodiments are described herein with reference to the components illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 . The functionality of the illustrated components may overlap, however, and may be present in a fewer or greater number of elements and components. Further, all or part of the functionality of the illustrated elements may co-exist or be distributed among several geographically dispersed locations. Moreover, embodiments, features, aspects, and principles of the present invention may be implemented in various environments and are not limited to the illustrated environments. 
         [0043]    Further, the sequences of events described in  FIGS. 1-5  are exemplary and not intended to be limiting. Thus, other process stages may be used, and even with the processes depicted in  FIGS. 1-5 , the particular order of events may vary without departing from the scope of the present invention. Moreover, certain process stages may not be present and additional stages may be implemented in  FIGS. 1-5 . Also, the processes described herein are not inherently related to any particular system or apparatus and may be implemented by any suitable combination of components. 
         [0044]    Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.