Anti-fratricide apparatus and method

Abstract

A method of and an apparatus for positively identifying the vehicles, troops, and landmarks of friendly forces to reduce or eliminate the threat of fratricide includes a light display comprising a plurality of flexible electroluminescent panels which are conformable with and affixable to visible outer surface of friendly or noncombatant vehicles, troop helmets, or landmarks. Each of the panels is electrically energized and modulated under computer control to provide various combinations of pattern display, color, intensity, and activation times to transmit a desired identification code.

We claim: 
     
       1. Anti-fratricide apparatus comprising: a unit to be identified,   an electroluminescent panel affixed to said unit, and   means electrically connected to said panel for illuminating the panel.   
     
     
       2. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electroluminescent panels arrayed in a predetermined configuration, and controller means for illuminating selected ones of the panels. 
     
     
       3. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 1, wherein the unit to be identified is a vehicle. 
     
     
       4. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 1, wherein the unit to be identified is a land-based structure. 
     
     
       5. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 1, wherein the unit to be identified is personnel. 
     
     
       6. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 5, wherein said unit includes a helmet, said panel being affixed to the exterior of said helmet and said illuminating means being mounted to said helmet. 
     
     
       7. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 6, including a plurality of said panels affixed to said helmet in a predetermined pattern, and including control means operatively connected to said power supply/modulator for illuminating selected ones of said panels according to a predetermined code. 
     
     
       8. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electroluminescent panel illuminates in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. 
     
     
       9. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electroluminescent panel illuminates in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. 
     
     
       10. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 1, further comprising control means for remotely programming and operating the electroluminescent panel. 
     
     
       11. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 10, wherein said control means includes a coding signal source operatively connected to said illuminating means, said illuminating means comprising a power supply/modulator electrically connected to the electroluminescent panel. 
     
     
       12. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 11, wherein said coding signal source is a computer controller. 
     
     
       13. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 11, wherein the coding signal source is connected to the power supply/modulator through a radio transmitter and receiver. 
     
     
       14. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electroluminescent panel is frequency controlled. 
     
     
       15. The anti-fratricide apparatus of claim 1, wherein said illuminating means comprises a power supply/modulator electrically connected to said panel. 
     
     
       16. An anti-fratricide method, comprising the steps of: applying at least one electroluminscent panel to a unit to be identified; and   electrically energizing the electroluminescent panel to identify the unit.   
     
     
       17. The anti-fratricide method of claim 16, comprising the steps of: applying a plurality of electroluminescent panels to the unit to be identified, and   electrically energizing selected ones of the panels in a predetermined coded pattern to identify the unit.   
     
     
       18. The anti-fratricide method of claim 17, including the step of varying the coded pattern.