US12332031 - Decoy target, system and method for protecting an object

The patent describes a system for protecting moving objects using decoy targets equipped with corner reflectors arranged in a staggered matrix to simulate a target. These decoy targets are carried by unmanned aircraft or similar devices, allowing them to operate independently while creating a spatial arrangement that enhances the simulation effect.

Claim 1

1. A system comprising: at least two decoy targets, each of the at least two decoy targets having at least two corner reflectors that are arranged in a reflector matrix in a spatial, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth for simulating a target; and a carrier system, the carrier system comprising at least two unmanned aircraft, at least two parachutes or at least two braking devices, wherein the at least two corner reflectors of a first decoy target of the at least two decoy targets being connected to a first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices via at least one first connecting element that extends vertically from a bottom of the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, with a first upper end of the at least one first connecting element being connected to the bottom of the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices and a second lower end of the at least one first connecting element being connected to the reflector matrix of the first decoy target, such that the reflector matrix of the first decoy target hangs below the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices in a floating manner, wherein the at least two corner reflectors of a second decoy target of the at least two decoy targets being connected to a second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices via at least one second connecting element that extends vertically from a bottom of the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, with a first upper end of the at least one second connecting element being connected to the bottom of the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices and a second lower end of the at least one second connecting element being connected to the reflector matrix of the second decoy target, such that the reflector matrix of the second decoy target hangs below the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices in a floating manner, wherein the at least one first connecting element is discrete from the at least one second connecting element, such that the at least two corner reflectors of the first decoy target are connected solely to the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, and such that the at least two corner reflectors of the second decoy target are connected solely to the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, and wherein the first one and the second one of the at least two unmanned aircrafts, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices are arranged adjacent to one another when airborne and operate independently from one another, such that the reflector matrix of the first decoy target and the reflector matrix of the second decoy target together form a spatial arrangement for simulating the target without any interconnection between the first decoy target and the second decoy target. at least two decoy targets, each of the at least two decoy targets having at least two corner reflectors that are arranged in a reflector matrix in a spatial, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth for simulating a target; and a carrier system, the carrier system comprising at least two unmanned aircraft, at least two parachutes or at least two braking devices, wherein the at least two corner reflectors of a first decoy target of the at least two decoy targets being connected to a first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices via at least one first connecting element that extends vertically from a bottom of the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, with a first upper end of the at least one first connecting element being connected to the bottom of the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices and a second lower end of the at least one first connecting element being connected to the reflector matrix of the first decoy target, such that the reflector matrix of the first decoy target hangs below the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices in a floating manner, wherein the at least two corner reflectors of a second decoy target of the at least two decoy targets being connected to a second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices via at least one second connecting element that extends vertically from a bottom of the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, with a first upper end of the at least one second connecting element being connected to the bottom of the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices and a second lower end of the at least one second connecting element being connected to the reflector matrix of the second decoy target, such that the reflector matrix of the second decoy target hangs below the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices in a floating manner, wherein the at least one first connecting element is discrete from the at least one second connecting element, such that the at least two corner reflectors of the first decoy target are connected solely to the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, and such that the at least two corner reflectors of the second decoy target are connected solely to the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, and wherein the first one and the second one of the at least two unmanned aircrafts, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices are arranged adjacent to one another when airborne and operate independently from one another, such that the reflector matrix of the first decoy target and the reflector matrix of the second decoy target together form a spatial arrangement for simulating the target without any interconnection between the first decoy target and the second decoy target.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12332031

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12332031