Smart laser device

Abstract

A smart laser pointer is disclosed in this application that includes a laser coupled to a processor that can disable the laser from operating for a period of time (T) based on a disabling trigger. The smart laser pointer may also include an optical receiver coupled to the processor that detects received laser signals that are emitted from the laser after they are reflected off of a target and a memory storing position information threshold limits. The processor calculates measured position information based on the received laser signals detected by the optical receiver and compares them to the position information threshold limits. A disabling trigger occurs when the position information exceeds the position information threshold limits. The position information and threshold limits may include a distance or a velocity. These threshold limits are provided to ensure that the smart laser pointer cannot be used to target distant fast moving aerial targets such as commercial aircraft or helicopters, but still operate in legitimate contexts such as a conference room with a target such as a display screen that is stationary and close to the smart laser pointer. The smart laser pointer can include a unique identifier that is encoded on a signal emitted by the laser to enable a third party law enforcement agency to determine the exact laser pointer that is emitting the signal. The smart laser pointer may include a GPS chip to determine its exact geographic location. This geographic location information is encoded on a signal emitted by the laser to enable a third party law enforcement agency to determine the exact location of the laser pointer that is emitting the signal. The smart laser pen may include a blue tooth antenna to enable it to communicate with a mobile application on a mobile device. The mobile application is configured to receive text messages from law enforcement that instruct the mobile application to transmit a disabling signal to the smart laser pen to shut down the laser and prevent it from operating. The smart laser pen may also include an RF antenna that can receive a disabling command to shut down the laser and prevent it from operating. These features allow law enforcement to identify, locate, and shut down the operation of the smart laser pen, thereby enhancing aircraft safety.

I claim: 
     
       1. A laser device, comprising:
 a laser; and   a processor coupled to said laser, wherein said processor disables said laser from operating for a period of time (T) based on a disabling trigger that occurs when said laser is pointed at an aircraft.   
     
     
       2. The laser device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an optical receiver coupled to said processor, said optical receiver detects received laser signals that are emitted from said laser after they are reflected off of a target; and   a memory storing position information threshold limits, wherein said processor calculates measured position information based on the received laser signals detected by said optical receiver, wherein said processor compares said measured position information to said position information threshold limits, wherein said disabling trigger occurs when said position information exceeds said position information threshold limits.   
     
     
       3. The laser device of  claim 2 , wherein said position information threshold limits are a distance limitation, wherein said measured position information is a measured distance, wherein said disabling trigger occurs when said measured distance exceeds said distance limitation. 
     
     
       4. The laser device of  claim 3 , further comprising a 3-axis accelerometer and gyroscope from which said processor can determine an angular position of said laser device with respect to Earth, wherein said distance limitation is a height limitation, wherein said measured distance is a measured height calculated from said measured position information and said angular position, wherein said disabling trigger occurs when said measured height exceeds said height limitation. 
     
     
       5. The laser device of  claim 3 , further comprising a 3-axis accelerometer and gyroscope from which said processor can determine an angular position of said laser device with respect to Earth, wherein said distance limitation is a length limitation, wherein said measured distance is a measured length calculated from said measured position information and said angular position, wherein said disabling trigger occurs when said measured length exceeds said length limitation. 
     
     
       6. The laser device of  claim 2 , wherein said position information threshold limits are a velocity limitation, wherein said measured position information is a measured velocity, wherein said disabling trigger occurs when said measured velocity exceeds said velocity limitation. 
     
     
       7. The laser device of  claim 1 , further comprising an antenna coupled to said processor, wherein said antenna receives a disabling signal from a third party containing said disabling trigger. 
     
     
       8. The laser device of  claim 7 , further comprising an identifier embedded in said processor uniquely identifying said processor, wherein said processor modulates said laser to emit a signal containing said identifier, wherein said disabling signal includes said identifier, thereby allowing the third party to uniquely identify and shut down said laser device through said disabling signal. 
     
     
       9. The laser device of  claim 8 , wherein said disabling signal further includes an encrypted instruction code directing said processor to disable said laser. 
     
     
       10. The laser device of  claim 9 , wherein said antenna is an RF antenna. 
     
     
       11. The laser device of  claim 7 , further comprising a mobile application on a mobile device configured to communicate with said processor through said antenna, wherein said antenna is a blue tooth antenna, wherein said processor enables said laser to function based upon an enabling trigger received by said processor through said blue tooth antenna transmitted from said mobile device under the direction of said mobile application. 
     
     
       12. The laser device of  claim 11 , wherein said enabling trigger includes a mobile telephone number associated with said mobile device, wherein said processor modulates said laser to transmit said mobile telephone number, wherein said disabling trigger is a disabling signal transmitted by said mobile device to said processor through said blue tooth antenna, wherein said mobile app automatically directs said mobile device to transmit said disabling signal after said mobile device receives a text message from a third party containing an encrypted security code directing the mobile device to disable the laser. 
     
     
       13. The laser device of  claim 1 , further comprising a GPS chip coupled to said processor, said GPS chip detects a precise geographic location of said laser device, wherein said processor encodes said precise geographic location on a laser signal emitted by said laser to enable a third party to determine the location of said laser device based upon said laser signal. 
     
     
       14. The laser device of  claim 3 , wherein said distance limitation is set to a size configuration of a large conference room. 
     
     
       15. The laser device of  claim 6 , wherein said velocity limitation is set of a velocity less than the speed of commercial aircraft during take-off or an approach and landing from an airport. 
     
     
       16. The laser device of  claim 1 , wherein said period of time (T) is greater than 30 seconds to enable a commercial aircraft to travel a safe distance away from said laser device before said processor reactivates said laser to function. 
     
     
       17. The laser device of  claim 1 , wherein said period of time (T) is greater than one minute to enable a commercial aircraft to travel a safe distance away from said laser device before said processor reactivates said laser to function. 
     
     
       18. The laser point of claim of  claim 1 , wherein said period of time (T) is indefinite. 
     
     
       19. The laser device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an optical receiver coupled to said processor, said optical receiver detects received laser signals that are emitted from said laser after they are reflected off of a target;   a 3-axis accelerometer and gyroscope from which said processor can determine an angular position of said laser device with respect to Earth; and   a memory storing a limitation profile, wherein said processor calculates measured position information based on the received laser signals detected by said optical receiver, wherein said processor compares said measured position information to said limitation profile, wherein said disabling trigger occurs when said measured position information exceeds said limitation profile.   
     
     
       20. The laser device of  claim 19 , wherein said limitation profile includes a distance limitation, a velocity limitation, and an angular limitation. 
     
     
       21. A laser device, comprising:
 a laser emitting a laser signal;   a processor coupled to the laser; and   an optical receiver coupled to the processor, the optical receiver detects the laser signal after it is reflected off of a target, the processor determines a measured velocity of the target relative to the laser device based on the reflected laser signal, wherein the processor disables the laser from operating for a period of time (T) based on a disabling trigger that occurs when the measured velocity exceeds a velocity threshold limit.    
     
     
       22. The laser device of claim 21, further comprising a 3-axis accelerometer and gyroscope from which the processor can determine an angular position of the laser device with respect to Earth, wherein the processor calculates a measured height based on the reflected laser signal and the angular position, wherein the disabling trigger further comprises the measured height exceeding a height threshold limit.  
     
     
       23. The laser device of claim 22, wherein the period of time (T) is at least 30 seconds, or at least 1 minute.  
     
     
       24. The laser device of claim 23, wherein the laser is a green laser.  
     
     
       25. The laser device of claim 21, wherein the velocity limitation is at least 50 mph.  
     
     
       26. The laser device of claim 21, further comprising:
 an antenna coupled to the processor; and   an identifier uniquely identifying the laser device, wherein the processor modulates the laser to emit a signal containing the identifier, wherein the processor disables the laser for a period of time (t) when the antenna receives a disabling signal from a third party containing the identifier extracted from the laser signal.    
     
     
       27. The laser device of claim 26, further comprising a GPS chip coupled to the processor, the GPS chip detects a geographic location of the laser device, wherein the processor encodes the geographic location on the laser signal emitted by the laser to enable a third party to determine the location of the laser device based upon the laser signal.  
     
     
       28. A laser device, comprising:
 a laser emitting a laser signal;   a processor coupled to the laser; and   an optical receiver coupled to the processor, the optical receiver detects the laser signal after it is reflected off of a target, the processor determines a measured altitude of the target using the reflected laser signal, wherein the processor disables the laser from operating for a period of time (T) based on a disabling trigger that occurs when the measured altitude exceeds an altitude threshold limit.    
     
     
       29. The laser device of claim 28, further comprising a 3-axis accelerometer and gyroscope from which the processor can determine an angular position of the laser device with respect to Earth, wherein the processor calculates the measured altitude using the reflected laser signal and the angular position.  
     
     
       30. The laser device of claim 29, further comprising a GPS chip coupled to the processor, the GPS chip detects a geographic location of the laser device, wherein the processor calculates the measured altitude using the reflected laser signal, the angular position, and the geographic location of the laser device.  
     
     
       31. A laser device, comprising:
 a laser emitting a laser signal;   a processor coupled to the laser;   an antenna coupled to the processor; and   an identifier uniquely identifying the laser device, wherein the processor modulates the laser to emit a signal containing the identifier, wherein the processor disables the laser for a period of time (t) when the antenna receives a disabling signal from a third party containing the identifier extracted from the laser signal.    
     
     
       32. The laser device of claim 31, wherein the disabling signal further includes an encrypted instruction code directing the processor to disable the laser.  
     
     
       33. The laser device of claim 32 wherein the antenna is an RF antenna.  
     
     
       34. The laser device of claim 33, further comprising a mobile application on a mobile device configured to communicate with the processor through the antenna, wherein the antenna is a blue tooth antenna, wherein the processor enables the laser to function based upon an enabling trigger received by the processor through the blue tooth antenna transmitted from the mobile device under the direction of the mobile application.  
     
     
       35. The laser device of claim 34, wherein the enabling trigger includes a mobile telephone number associated with the mobile device, wherein the processor modulates the laser to transmit the mobile telephone number on the laser signal, wherein the disabling trigger is a disabling signal transmitted by the mobile device to the processor through the blue tooth antenna, wherein the mobile application automatically directs the mobile device to transmit the disabling signal after the mobile device receives a text message from a third party containing an encrypted security code directing the mobile device to disable the laser.  
     
     
       36. The laser device of claim 35, further comprising a GPS chip coupled to the processor, the GPS chip detects a geographic location of the laser device, wherein the processor encodes the geographic location on the laser signal emitted by the laser to enable a third party to determine the location of the laser device based upon the laser signal.  
     
     
       37. The laser device of claim 36, wherein the period of time (t) is at least 30 seconds, or at least 1 minute.  
     
     
       38. The laser device of claim 37, wherein the laser is a green laser.  
     
     
       39. The laser device of claim 38, further comprising:
 an optical receiver coupled to the processor, the optical receiver detects the laser signal after it is reflected off of a target, the processor determines measured position information of the target relative to the laser device based on the reflected laser signal, wherein the processor disables the laser from operating for a period of time (T) based on a disabling trigger that occurs when the measured position information exceeds a position threshold limit.    
     
     
       40. The laser device of claim 39, further comprising a 3-axis accelerometer and gyroscope from which the processor can determine an angular position of the laser device with respect to Earth, wherein the position threshold limit is a multi-parameter limitation profile comprising a velocity limitation, a distance limitation, and an angular limitation, wherein the multi-parameter limitation profile is stored in a memory, wherein the disabling trigger occurs when one, two or three of the limitations in the multi-parameter limitation profile are exceeded by the measured position information.  
     
     
       41. A laser device, comprising:
 a laser emitting a laser signal;   a processor coupled to the laser; and   an optical receiver coupled to the processor, the optical receiver detects the laser signal after it is reflected off of a target, the processor determines a measured distance of the target relative to the laser device based on the reflected laser signal, wherein the processor disables the laser from operating for a period of time (T) based on a disabling trigger that occurs when the measured distance exceeds a distance threshold limit.    
     
     
       42. The laser device of claim 41, further comprising a 3-axis accelerometer and gyroscope from which the processor can determine an angular position of the laser device with respect to Earth, wherein the processor calculates a measured height based on the reflected laser signal and the angular position, wherein the disabling trigger further comprises the measured height exceeding a height threshold limit.  
     
     
       43. The laser device of claim 42, wherein the processor determines a measured velocity of the target relative to the laser device based on the reflected laser signal, wherein the disabling trigger further comprises the measured velocity exceeding a velocity threshold limit.  
     
     
       44. The laser device of claim 43, wherein the period of time (T) is at least 30 seconds, or at least 1 minute.