Vehicle Disablement System

Abstract

This disclosure describes a vehicle disablement system which includes one or more sensors capable of detecting a vehicle, and one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms. According to embodiments, the one or more sensors are capable of sending a communication to and activating the one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms upon detecting a suspect or target vehicle to disable the suspect or target vehicle. Also described is a method of disabling a suspect or target vehicle, which includes detecting a suspect or target vehicle by way of one or more sensors and sending a communication to and activating one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms to disable the suspect or target vehicle. Further, a vehicle disablement mechanism is also described. The system and method can be used in applications such as counterterrorism, security, and law enforcement.

1 . A vehicle disablement system, comprising:
 one or more sensors capable of detecting a targeted vehicle to be disabled, wherein the one or more sensors are located on top of an exposed surface on which the targeted vehicle could drive; and   one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms capable of disabling the targeted vehicle;   wherein the one or more sensors are capable of sending a communication to activate the one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms upon detecting the targeted vehicle; and   wherein the one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms is removal of a cover of a trench.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more sensor for determining weight of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more sensor for determining speed of the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the weight and the speed of the vehicle are used to determine whether the vehicle is a target vehicle to be disabled. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a pressure sensor, a photo sensor, an image sensor, an IR sensor, a light sensor, a vibration sensor, an acoustic sensor, a vibration pulse radar sensor, a LiDAR sensor, a CO sensor, CO2 sensor, or a thermal sensor, or any combination of these. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a computer processor, wherein the one or more sensors are in communication with the computer processor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising one or more algorithms stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium for detecting whether the vehicle is a target vehicle to be disabled. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the one or more algorithms comprise one or more pattern recognition algorithms;   the one or more sensors comprise one or more image sensors; and   the computer processor is capable of processing data from the one or more image sensors by way of the one or more pattern recognition algorithms to determine whether the vehicle is a target vehicle to be disabled.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the one or more algorithms comprise one or more speed calculating algorithms;   the one or more sensors comprise one or more pressure sensors or image sensors;   the computer processor is capable of processing data from the one or more pressure sensors and/or one or more image sensors by way of the one or more speed calculating algorithms to determine whether the vehicle is a target vehicle to be disabled.   
     
     
         11 . A method of disabling a target vehicle, comprising:
 detecting a target vehicle by way of one or more sensors; and   sending a communication to and activating one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms to disable the target vehicle.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more sensor for determining weight of the target vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more sensor for determining speed of the target vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the weight and the speed of the target vehicle are used to determine whether the target vehicle is to be disabled. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms comprise tire piercing spikes, a trench with a removable cover, disabling explosives, metal posts that rise out of the ground, or a vehicle electronic system shutdown, or any combination of these. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a pressure sensor, a photo sensor, an image sensor, an IR sensor, a light sensor, a vibration sensor, an acoustic sensor, a vibration pulse radar sensor, a LiDAR sensor, a CO sensor, CO2 sensor, or a thermal sensor, or any combination of these. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more image sensors, and the method further comprises recognition of the target vehicle by:
 sending data from the one or more image sensors to a computer processor; and   processing the data by the computer processor by way of one or more image recognition algorithms to result in recognition of the target vehicle as a vehicle that is to be disabled.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more pressure sensors or image sensors, and the method further comprises calculating the rate of speed of the target vehicle by:
 sending data from the one or more pressure sensors or image sensors to a processor; and   processing the data by the computer processor by way of one or more speed calculating algorithms to result in calculation of the rate of speed of the target vehicle.   
     
     
         19 . A vehicle disablement mechanism, comprising:
 a trench;   a trench cover secured by one or more removable pins; and   one or more actuators operably connected to the one or more removable pins;   wherein the one or more actuators are capable of activation by one or more sensors and are capable of removing the removable pins from the trench cover upon activation.   
     
     
         20 . The vehicle disablement mechanism of  claim 19 , wherein the trench cover comprises a hinge. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms is the removal of the cover of the trench and the removal of the cover is timed. 
     
     
         22 . A vehicle disablement system comprising:
 a sensor for determining weight of a vehicle,   a sensor for determining speed of a vehicle,   an algorithm for determining if the vehicle is a target vehicle, and   a vehicle disablement mechanism, wherein the vehicle disablement mechanism is a covered trench that is uncovered or posts that rise from the ground.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more sensor strips, wherein the one or more sensor strips are located before the one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms, wherein the one or more sensor strips are capable of being located above a surface that can be driven on, and wherein the system is capable of determining when to activate the one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms so that the targeted vehicle cannot stop before reaching the one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms. 
     
     
         24 . A vehicle disablement system, comprising:
 one or more sensors capable of detecting a targeted vehicle to be disabled, wherein the one or more sensors are located on top of an exposed driving surface; and   one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms capable of disabling the targeted vehicle;   wherein the one or more sensors are capable of sending a communication to activate the one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms upon detecting the targeted vehicle; and   wherein the one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms are tire piercing spikes, disabling explosives, metal posts that rise out of the ground, or a vehicle electronic system shutdown, or any combination of these.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are located in or on one or more strips. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are located in or on two distance separated strips. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the activation of the one or more vehicle disablement mechanisms is determined by two or more of the one or more sensors. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the trench is capable of disabling one or more wheels of the targeted vehicle. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication includes wireless communication. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein energy powering the system is harvested by solar cells.