Patent ID: 7631600

Claim:
Apparatus for intercepting a target, the apparatus including: a) a projectile deployment system having: i) a body; and, ii) a number of projectile systems mounted to the body in an array, each projectile system being adapted to deploy a number of projectiles in a predetermined direction with respect to the body and, including: (1) a barrel, (2) a number of projectiles, and (3) a number of charges, each charge being adapted to urge a respective projectile along the barrel to thereby deploy the projectile; and b) a controller, the controller being adapted to selectively activate one or more of the projectile systems to thereby deploy projectiles in accordance with a projectile deployment pattern, wherein the controller includes one or more sensors for sensing the target, and a processor adapted to monitor the sensors to thereby determine the position of the target with respect to the projectile deployment system, determine a projectile deployment pattern, select one or more of the projectile systems in accordance with the projectile deployment pattern, and activate the selected projectile systems.