Hostile weapon locator system

Abstract

A system is disclosed for determining the location from which a sound blast having an identifiable audio signature originates. The system is particularly suited for determining the location of the muzzle blast from which a projectile, such as a bomb, is being launched by an enemy. The system comprises a plurality of elevated or airborne sensors whose position is accurately determined and which supply information to a land base station that performs the trigometric operations to ascertain the location of the enemy weapon.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A system for determining the location from which the sound of a muzzle blast has been transmitted, said system comprising: (a) an array of elevated sensor platforms having means for detecting signals with characteristic acoustic signatures of known enemy weapons;   (b) a means for determining the instant of occurrence of said sound detection;   (c) means for determining precise location coordinates of said sensor platforms at the instant of receipt of said sound detection;   (d) means for measuring local atmospheric parameters at time of occurrence of said sound detection, and;   (e) means for radio transmission of information collected from on board sensor platforms directly to a base station containing a central command processor that processes said data and performs necessary trigonometric operations to solve for the location coordinates of the source of said signal of interest.   
     
     
       2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said array is one of stationary and mobile elevated sensor platforms. 
     
     
       3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sensors are elevated by means selected from the group comprising tethered balloons, free-floating balloons, manned aircraft, remotely piloted aircraft, extensible masts on ground vehicles, and ground placed towers. 
     
     
       4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for determining precise location is selected from the group comprising precision laser metrology and a global positioning system. 
     
     
       5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for determining the instant of occurrence of said sound detection comprises an omnidirectional acoustic sensor. 
     
     
       6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said detected signal is processed to determine if it has signature characteristics that confirm it is from an identifiable enemy weapon, and not from friendly or spurious sources. 
     
     
       7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said central command processor processes time difference of arrival information, sensor locations, time of receipt of signals of interest, local atmospheric conditions, wind speed and direction, and local topography to solve equations to accurately estimate the location of a target of interest.