Patent Application
20220018630
The inventions described below relate to the field of man portable weapons with integrated electronics.
Man portable weapons provide a vital tool to military forces, police organizations and security forces. These tools have been traditionally focused on providing ever more efficient delivery of bullets to a selected target. Communications, coordination and targeting have always been handled by separate systems carried by users. Traditionally, rifles have not had the ability to have sophisticated electronics embedded inside them. Systems traditionally have exposed cables attached in some way to the exterior surfaces of the receiver, grip areas and the stock.
The devices and methods described below provide for man portable weapons with power and data to be routed throughout the weapons, from the stock in the rear, to the receiver in the front using space within the envelope of the weapon system surfaces to accommodate the sensors, electronics and necessary wiring. This allows for a variety of electronics to be housed within the envelope of the weapon system surfaces for a multitude of uses, from sport shooting and hunting to law enforcement and military.
A electronic firearm system for a man portable firearm includes a buttstock with outer surfaces, an upper receiver with outer surfaces, a lower receiver with outer surfaces and an envelope formed of the outer surfaces of the buttstock, the upper receiver and the lower receiver. The electronic firearm system further includes a removable lid enclosing an volume within the buttstock, the removable lid operating as a cheek pad. The electronic firearm system further includes an electronics channel between the enclosed volume in the buttstock and the upper receiver, an electronics system within the enclosed volume within the buttstock operable to calculate the location and orientation of the man portable firearm with respect to a battlespace as well as calculating position and orientation with respect to a virtual coordinate system and to transmit and receive data, a cable within the electronics channel between the electronics system and a plurality of sensors within the envelope of the man portable firearm operably connected to the electronics system and a power source operatively connected to the electronics system and the plurality of sensors to provide power to the electronics system and the plurality of sensors.
Man portable weapons with integrated electronics such as firearms or guns 1 and alternate man portable weapon with integrated electronics 54 of
Man portable weapons, firearms or guns such as guns 1 and 54 include an integrated electronics system such as electronic firearm system 20 illustrated in
I/O module 24 also includes processor 32 which is operatively connected to global positioning system (GPS) sensor 33, temperature sensor 34, pressure sensor 35, barrel harmonic sensor 36, magnetometer 37 and any suitable redundant transceivers such as first transceiver 38 and second transceiver 39. Temperature sensor 34, pressure sensor 35, barrel harmonic sensor 36 are optional sensors. Processor 32 is operatively connected to system memory 24M and the IMU/Controllers 21 and 22 via high speed bus 20B.
Each IMU, such as first IMU 21, includes multiple accelerometer assemblies, accelerometer assemblies 28 and 29, in a fixed configuration to enable precise motion and orientation tracking as well capturing performance and vibration data. Configuring integrated electronics system 20 to include redundant IMUs such as IMU 21 and IMU 22, each with redundant accelerometer assemblies and at least one processor 30, and at least one gyroscope 31 adds redundancy and improves accuracy. Should one IMU fail the other will be available to perform its tasks. Furthermore, each module is comprised of the PCB with a set of mounted electronics (CPU/MCU, accelerometer(s), GPS, Gyro, wireless module(s) and circuit protection) and its plastic enclosure to further protect the circuitry from temperature fluctuation, water and the firearm itself. Each module will be independently routed to the power system and operably connected to each other via communications bus 20B between processors.
Each IMU/controller is an independent and redundant control system for electronic firearm system 20. Each of redundant control systems represented by IMU/controllers 21 and 22 is programmed to receive data from all the accelerometer assemblies, the gyros, the magnetometer and the GPS as well as any of the other optional sensors that are present such as temperature sensor 34, pressure sensor 35 and barrel harmonic sensor 36. The control systems also receive and process data received from other users such as weapons 2, 3, 4 and/or 5 via network 8. The control systems represented by IMU/controllers 21 and 22 are programmed to calculate the location and orientation of guns 1 and 54 with respect to the battlespace as well as calculating parameters such as position and orientation with respect to some theoretical and virtual coordinate system allowing for geographically independent calculations. The control systems also calculate the flight path, point of impact and other ballistic data as well as data representing the condition and performance of the weapon for any rounds fired. This data is also displayed by the HUD. The HUD also displays the relative position of other members of the team represented by weapons 2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 54, last known enemy area of operation and other useful parameters from the man portable weapons of the other team members or other assets such as vehicles 9A and/or 9B through the network 8.
For each user, the data received and calculated by each control system, IMU/controllers 21 and 22 is passed to the user's portable electronic device 7B or HUD 7A and will display a simulated crosshair which may be used with or in lieu of a laser sight. The azimuth and elevation data may also be displayed to assist the user in long-range shots. Auxiliary data may also be displayed such as a simulated compass, ambient temperature, barrel temperature, barometric pressure, shot count, etc.
With multiple users interconnected through a network such as network 8, each user's integrated electronics system displays the locations of other users in the group, along with their status (OK, Engaged, Need Assistance, etc.) in a virtual environment. This simplifies coordination between group members when silence is critical. This also allows for the display of target locations. The electronics integrated into any suitable man portable weapon enables the user's data as well as data from the other members of the group to be relayed via the integrated electronics/network data communication link. This data transfer enables faster reaction times, for example when groups arrive at a new area of operation. The ability to request available close range and infantry deploy-able air support such as small drone 9A and/or from a suitable land vehicle such as Humvee 9B which may adjust surveillance and reconnaissance coverage by taking group movements into consideration.
Each individual accelerometer (one axis in an accelerometer assembly) is related to its orientation and this information is stored in position and orientation matrices. A number of these matrices may be populated in anticipation of several possible configurations of accelerometer assemblies. Pre-calculating the inverse of a regressor matrix, T, which is defined as Γ, where Γ=T{circumflex over ( )}{−1}, for each configuration reduces executable code and saves several operations during runtime. With the origins defined in software, the availability of the matrices and vector in memory enables virtual reconfiguration at any time while processing continues.
As illustrated in
Electronic firearm systems 20 and 40 may be mounted inside any suitable electronic housing beforehand to allow for the quick connection, either through a thin connection that is attached before the housing is placed in the electronic chambers or a connector that attaches when the housing is slid in the chamber. The firearm will have the capability of powering auxiliary devices through connection points that can be located, near the front of the lower receiver, though the top of the buttstock, or integrated into the top mounting rail. Possible antenna mounting locations would have the hand guard become the antenna itself or have a series of antenna integrated into it. Additionally, antennas could be placed in the proximity of the top mounting rail of the upper receiver, or within larger channels that are used for the routing of the cables. A polymer frame design will allow for the creation of compartments throughout the firearm.
As illustrated in
Batteries may be mounted in the location that is not used from the above list for the antennas. The available space allows for a wider range of electrical connectors, and the enclosed body helps protect the connection from the environment. An electrical connection may be integrated any of the exterior accessory mounting rails for the easy charging of a scope or other attachments that are secured on the rail. A configuration with permanent hand guard and handgrip allow for the easy placement of antennas, additionally the area below the accessory mounting rail and next to the buffer system can be used for mounting antennas as well.
In any man portable weapon equipped with a buffer tube such as an M-4 or AR small arm, inductive recharger system 11 may be integrated into the buffer tube. Alternatively, the inductive recharge system may be integrated into the stock surrounding the buffer tube.
Power source 25 or any other suitable accessory is recharged by induction of a current using any suitable reciprocating components of the small arm. The traditional buffer tube seen on AR's will be replaced with a buffer tube that has had a coil integrated within it. This buffer tube will use the same mounting methods as conventional buffer tubes. Suitable magnets are integrated into one or more of the following components; the buffer, the buffer spring, the carrier, the carrier bolt or any of the other reciprocating components of the firing system. The back and forth movement of the magnets through the wire coil of the charging system will induce a current. The wire coil will be connected through power conditioner 27, illustrated in
During the rectification process in power conditioner 27, the peak-to-peak voltage from inductive recharger 11 may be used as an indicator for firearm condition during operation. The voltage signal generated by the inductive recharger is an indicator of bolt carrier velocity, travel and quality. For example, different amplitudes (peak to peak voltages) are directly proportional to velocity of the bolt carrier. Signal Period, frequency, and condition will indicate bolt carrier location (In case of jam) and translation quality (In case of mechanical friction caused by a change in the system). For example, only one peak may indicate that the bolt carrier group has been locked back or has jammed. Other power signal characteristics from thermoelectric recharger 12 and kinematic recharger 13 may support additional performance diagnosis.
The independent and redundant control systems represented by IMU/controllers 45A and 45B are programmed to process the output signals from at least the accelerometer arrays of IMU 43 and IMU 44 as well as GPS 33, and magnetometer 37 and any other optional sensors present in I/O Module 24. The control systems are programmed to perform the signal processing illustrated
Each of processors 30, 32, 41 and 42 include built-in analog to digital converters (ADC) such as ADC 56 which sample outputs of each accelerometer from each of the x, y and z, axes simultaneously for all accelerometer assemblies 43A, 43B, 43C, 43D, 44A, 44B, 44C and 44D. So, for a number of accelerometer assemblies, say 4, there are n=(4*3)=12 samples that are retrieved simultaneously. When the ADC is finished converting the sample at time, tk, 16-bit analog values are converted to digital signals corresponding to the accelerations experienced by the accelerometers. These signals create a pre-filtered Accelerometer Sample Vector, As, which is an n-element column vector. Accelerometer Sample Vector, As illustrated in equation 1 is applied to filter 57 which may be a finite impulse response (FIR) filter, a notch filter, an Nth order Butterworth Filter or Chebyshev filter. The filtered acceleration sample vector 58 is applied to differential equation processor 59 for processing.
A
s
=T{dot over (B)}+TC[ω(k)] Equation 1
{dot over (B)}=ΓA−ΓC[ω(k)] Equation 2
The centripetal acceleration vector, C[ω(k)], is a function of angular velocity, ω. The solution, illustrated in equation 2 is the acceleration vector, {dot over (B)}, where the upper and lower halves are angular and linear acceleration, respectively. Then integrating the angular acceleration to get angular velocity.
Equations 3 and 4 below are implemented in the gyro simulator 60 which is used to calculate a prediction to the angular velocity, ω(k+1) which is fed back to the differential equation processor 59 to improve performance.
G[ω(k)]=−Γ(∂C[ω]/∂ω) Equation 3
Ψ(k)=Δt[In−G[ω(k)]]{circumflex over ( )}{−1} Equation 4
Equation 3 is again a function of angular velocity by way of the second term on the right hand side, which is a Jacobian matrix. The result of equation 3 is then subtracted from an Identity matrix and inverted, then multiplied by the time difference from the last iteration.
Controllers 59C and 60C are used to smooth the response of the angular velocity output from the system using prediction value ω(k+1). Several controllers may be suitable to ensure a bounded output and a desired response of the angular velocity. A number of variations of the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller may be used (PI, PD, PI-D) to ensure desired system response for ω(k). Another way to ensure desired response is to implement an H∞ (H-infinity) controller, where the prediction value ω(k+1) is constantly fed back into the system. Whenever recommended minimum data, data 61 is available from the GPS, the heading angle, and Euler rates, dq/dt are applied as input to another controller/filter, filter 62.
The GPS coordinates as partial state vector 63, body frame velocity 64 and corrected angular velocity 65 are applied to the Filter module 66, here a Kalman filter to determine state vector 67 and state vector derivative 68. This data is transformed to Earth Centered Earth Fixed (ECEF) and applied to the redundant transceivers such as transceiver 38 for transmission to other users in the network and to targeting system 70 illustrated in
Data from IMU signal processing system 53 of any of guns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 54 or any other user accessing network 8 is received by targeting system 70 as data packet 71. After verifying it is a good packet, data 71D is extracted and parsed. The type of data is determined and evaluated. Data packets such as packet 71 include a multi-bit status word for the system that generated the packet, so that the receiving system may determine the status of other users in the network. On regular intervals, each system transmits a packet that consists of:
Type of data being transmitted;
The receiving system transforms the coordinate system accordingly, does any distance and calculations, etc. and updates the last known locations of the other systems/teammates.
Targeting system 70 includes a model for squad/platoon formations, which might help in training or for Command and Control (C2). For example, “Squad Formation” verification 72 “Check Squad Status” 73 are implemented in software. These functions are fed back to the tracking model. Based on the squads formation and status there may be a need to periodically evaluate the status of all members, in which case, a “situation request” or “SITREQ” packet is broadcast. This merits a “situation report” or “SITREP” packet be returned.
Hooks for other packet types for example mission objectives (C2 Data), objectives sent from squad leader, etc. are also present in packets such as packet 71.
Using the filtered samples from all the accelerometer assemblies as illustrated in
The electronic firearm system 40 may be removably secured to any suitable man portable weapon to provide the location, orientation and movement of the weapon in addition to the flight path, point of impact and other ballistic data as well as data representing the condition and performance of the weapon for any rounds fired.
While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. The elements of the various embodiments may be incorporated into each of the other species to obtain the benefits of those elements in combination with such other species, and the various beneficial features may be employed in embodiments alone or in combination with each other. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the spirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62988653 | Mar 2020 | US |
