Ordnance – Fuse setters – Combined with projecting – launching or releasing devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-30
2001-03-20
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3641)
Ordnance
Fuse setters
Combined with projecting, launching or releasing devices
C089S006000, C102S265000, C102S270000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202532
ABSTRACT:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system and method for exchanging data between a round of ammunition and a fire control system and, more particularly, to a system and method for doing so after the round has been loaded into a gun and is ready for firing.
Some modern “smart” ordinance including warheads and projectiles incorporate processor-based fuzes, sensors and similar devices which allow the behavior or the warheads and projectiles subsequent to launch to be programmed to behave according to instructions and data loaded into the processors before launch. For example, an explosive projectile can be programmed to explode at various times after launch, at various distances from the gun, or, if the fuze is provided with an appropriate proximity sensor, at various distances from the target. In the case of a round that is fired from a gun, this programming usually is done before the round is loaded into the gun for firing, by entering the appropriate data into the memory of the fuze. This data entry step is inconvenient in the heat of battle. In addition, if a reset is required, the round must be unloaded, reset, and reloaded.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, a system and method for exchanging data between a fire control system of a gun and a “smart” round after the round has been loaded in the gun and is ready to fire, without unloading the round.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided, in a weapons system of the type in which a round having a case is fired from a gun, the round including a fuze processor, the round further including a firing circuit having a resistor and also having two contacts in the case of the round, the gun having two contacts which contact the two contacts of the round when the round is in the gun and ready to fire, the gun being fired by applying a voltage in excess of a certain threshold to the contacts of the round via the contacts of the gun, the weapons system including a fire control system outside the gun: a data exchange system for exchanging data between the fuze processor and the fire control system, including: (a) an electrical connection, within the round, between the contacts of the round and the fuze processor, the resistor being thereby connected in parallel with the fuze processor; and (b) a data exchange link, between the fire control system and the contacts of the gun, for applying, to the contacts of the gun, electrical signals representative of data transferred from the fire control system to the fuze processor.
According to the present invention there is provided, in a weapons system of the type in which a round having a case is fired from a gun, the round including a fuze processor, the round further including a firing circuit having a resistor and also having two contacts in the case of the round, the gun having two contacts which contact the two contacts of the round when the round is in the gun and ready to fire, the gun being fired by applying a voltage in excess of a certain threshold to the contacts of the round via the contacts of the gun, the weapons system including a fire control system outside the gun: a method for exchanging data between the fuze processor and the fire control system while the round is inside the gun and before firing the gun, including the steps of: (a) providing a data exchange system including: (i) an electrical connection, within the round, between the contacts of the round and the fuze processor, the resistor being thereby connected in parallel with the fuze processor; and (ii) a data exchange link, between the fire control system and the contacts of the gun, for applying, to the contacts of the gun, electrical signals representative of data to be transferred from the fire control system to the fuze processor, and (b) transferring the data via the data exchange system.
Many modern artillery pieces are fired electrically. Contacts on the surface of the case of the round are connected in series with a resistor, termed herein the “firing resistor”, inside the round. The case of the round is defined herein as that part of the round that contains the propellant and an electrical igniter of the propellant. The term “case” as used herein thus includes partial or “perishing” cases. When the round is loaded into the gun, these contacts are in contact with matching contacts in the breech of the gun. The gun is fired by applying a voltage to the contacts of the gun that is sufficiently high to heat the firing resistor to a temperature high enough to set off the charge that propels the shell out of the barrel of the gun. According to the present invention, an electrical circuit, called herein a “data exchange link”, parallel to, and using the same contact points as, the firing circuit, is provided to exchange data between the fire control system and the round via the contacts of the gun. This electrical circuit includes a mechanism for ensuring that electrical signals, sent from the fire control system to the round and representative of data being transferred from the fire control system to the round, have a voltage less than a “no-fire” threshold voltage that is low enough to ensure that the gun does not fire. The microprocessor of the fuze or similar device inside the round, that controls the behavior of the round subsequent to firing, and which is referred to herein as the “fuze processor”, is connected electrically in parallel with the firing resistor. It is to be understood that the term “fuse processor” includes within its scope any processor coupled to a sensor or similar device that is used to sense the environment of the round subsequent to launch.
The fuze processor interfaces with this parallel electrical connection via a communications control unit which requires an independent power supply. In one embodiment of the present invention, this power supply is based on batteries. In another embodiment of the present invention, this power supply includes a capacitor, a diode rectifier, and a transformer. The transformer is connected in parallel with the firing resistor, just as the communications control unit is connected in parallel with the firing resistor. The capacitor is charged, before data exchange, by applying an AC voltage less than the “no fire” threshold voltage to the contacts of the gun. A series of switches is used to sequentially charge the power supply, exchange data between the fire control system and the fuze processor, and then fire the gun.
The scope of the present invention includes all rounds, shells and projectiles, of whatever size, that are capable of being fired electrically from a gun.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3500746 (1970-03-01), Ambrosini
patent: 3814017 (1974-06-01), Backstein et al.
patent: 4015531 (1977-04-01), Ziemba
patent: 4033266 (1977-07-01), Ziemba
patent: 4993322 (1991-02-01), Boucard
patent: 5078051 (1992-01-01), Amundson
patent: 5097765 (1992-03-01), Ziemba
Friedman Mark M.
Jordan Charles T.
State of Israel - Ministry of Defense, Rafael - Armament Develop
Thomson Michelle
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