Laser perimeter awareness system

Abstract

A method of laser scanning a perimeter zone of a target site for the detection of potential threats comprises: scanning a pulsed laser beam across the perimeter zone; receiving echoes from the pulsed laser beam during the perimeter zone scan; deriving range data corresponding to the received echoes; determining position data of the received echoes in the perimeter zone; forming a scene image of a scan of the perimeter zone based on the range and position data of the received echoes thereof; repeating the steps of scanning, receiving, deriving, determining and forming for a plurality of perimeter zone scans to form scene images of each scan of the plurality; and comparing scene images of the plurality to detect a potential threat in the perimeter zone. In addition, a method of authenticating a potential threat detected in a perimeter zone of a target site comprises: detecting the potential threat and upon detection, interrogating the potential threat for a response by a wireless transmission; declaring the potential threat unauthorized if no response is transmitted wirelessly within a predetermined time interval from the interrogation; receiving the response, if transmitted, and determining if the response comprises a proper access code; and declaring the potential threat unauthorized if the received response is determined not to comprise the proper access code.

1 - 23 . (canceled)  
   
   
       24 . Method of authenticating a potential threat detected in a perimeter zone of a target site, said method comprising the steps of: 
 detecting the potential threat in the perimeter zone of the target site;    upon detection, interrogating said potential threat for a response by a wireless transmission;    declaring the potential threat unauthorized if no response is transmitted wirelessly within a predetermined time interval from said interrogation;    receiving said response, if transmitted, and determining if the response comprises a proper access code; and    declaring the potential threat unauthorized if the received response is determined not to comprise the proper access code.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the step of detecting includes detecting the potential threat in the perimeter zone of the target site by a scanning laser object awareness system.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the step of interrogating includes encrypting a coded interrogation signal; and transmitting the encrypted interrogation signal to the potential threat.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the step of receiving includes decrypting a transmitted coded response signal; and determining if the decrypted coded signal comprises the proper access code.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the interrogation is transmitted wirelessly using an RF carrier.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 24  the interrogation is transmitted wirelessly using a coded light at a predetermined wavelength range.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the step of determining if the response comprises a proper access code includes the steps of; 
 extracting the access code from the received response;    comparing the extracted access code with known proper access codes; and    determining if the response comprises a proper access code based on the result of said comparing step.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 24  including the steps of: 
 determining that the response comprises a proper access code;    determining a time of detection of the potential threat; and    authenticating access to the potential threat based on said time of detection.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the step of authenticating includes: 
 comparing the time of detection of the potential threat with a proper access time for the potential threat; and authenticating access to the potential threat based on the result of said detection time comparing step.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32  including the step of identifying the proper access time based on the proper access code of the detected potential threat and a predetermined time schedule of whereabouts thereof.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 24  including the steps of: 
 determining that the response comprises a proper access code;    determining a position of the detected potential threat in the perimeter zone; and    authenticating access of the potential threat based on said position.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the step of authenticating includes: 
 comparing the detected position of the potential threat with a proper access position for the potential threat; and authenticating access to the potential threat based on the result of said detected position comparing step.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35  including the step of identifying the proper access position based on the proper access code of the detected potential threat and a predetermined position schedule of whereabouts thereof.  
   
   
       37 . A system for authenticating a potential threat detected in a perimeter zone of a target site, said system comprising: 
 a personal communicator for each person that has access to the perimeter zone, each said communicator operative to transmit wirelessly an authorized access code in response to a reception of a wirelessly transmitted interrogation signal;    a scanning laser object awareness system (LOAS) for detecting the potential threat in the perimeter zone of the target site and for generating a threat detection signal indicative of said detection;    a wireless transmitter/receiver unit;    an authenticator unit coupled to said scanning LOAS and said wireless transmitter/receiver unit, and responsive to said threat detection signal to control said wireless transmitter/receiver unit to transmit the interrogation signal to said potential threat;    said wireless transmitter/receiver unit operative to receive the response, if transmitted from a personal communicator within a predetermined area of the detected potential threat;    said authenticator unit operative to declare the potential threat unauthorized if no response is received within a predetermined time interval from said interrogation;    said authenticator unit further operative to declare the potential threat unauthorized if the received response is determined not to comprise an authorized access code.    
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 37  including an encrypter unit disposed between the transmitter/receiver unit and the authenticator for encrypting a coded interrogation signal prior to transmission and for decrypting a received coded response signal.  
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the transmitter/receiver unit is operative to transmit the interrogation signal wirelessly using an RF carrier.  
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the transmitter/receiver unit is operative to transmit the interrogation signal wirelessly using a coded light at a predetermined wavelength range.  
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 37  including a memory coupled to the authenticator unit for storing the authorized access codes of the personal communicators; and wherein the authenticator unit is operative to extract the access code from the received response, to compare the extracted access code with the stored authorized access codes; and to determine if the response comprises an authorized access code based on the result of said comparison.  
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the authenticator unit is operative in response to the determination that the response comprises an authorized access code, to determine a time of detection of the potential threat; and to authenticate access to the potential threat based on said time of detection.  
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 42  wherein the authenticator unit is operative to compare the time of detection of the potential threat with a proper access time for the person assigned the received authorized access code, and to authenticate access to the potential threat based on the result of said detection time comparison.  
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 43  wherein the authenticator unit is operative to identify the proper access time based on the authorized access code received from the detected potential threat and a predetermined time schedule of whereabouts of the person assigned said authorized access code.  
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 43  wherein the authenticator is operative to query a central security site for the predetermined time schedule of whereabouts of the person assigned the authorized access code of the received response signal.  
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the authenticator unit is operative in response to the determination that the response comprises an authorized access code, to determine a position of the detected potential threat; and to authenticate access to the potential threat based on said position.  
   
   
       47 . The system of  claim 46  wherein the authenticator unit is operative to compare the position of the detected potential threat with an authorized access area for the person assigned the received authorized access code, and to authenticate access to the potential threat based on the result of said detection time comparison.  
   
   
       48 . The system of  claim 47  wherein the authenticator unit is operative to identify the authorized access area based on the authorized access code received from the detected potential threat and a predetermined schedule of whereabouts of the person assigned said authorized access code.  
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 48  wherein the authenticator is operative to query a central security site for the predetermined schedule of whereabouts of the person assigned the authorized access code of the received response signal.  
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the personal communicator comprises a two-way pager.  
   
   
       51 - 65 . (canceled)