Patent Application
20080047451
Referring to the Drawings, wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several views:
While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein specific preferred embodiments of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated. The concepts described above are considered to be read into the further description below.
Referring now to
Both the weapon guidance system 12 and the weapon fuze system 14 receive an input upon the platform weapon release, shown at 16, which functions as a first environment signal.
The weapon guidance system 12 is comprised of guidance transducers (inertial/GPS) block 18, which is well known in the prior art. There is two way communication between the guidance transducers block 18 and the guidance processing hardware/software block 20, which controls the weapon control surfaces at output 22, as is well known in the prior art.
Prior to arming, the guidance processing block 20 will command a verification maneuver, which will then be used as a second environment. The commanded arm maneuver is shown at 24, which represents a signal representative of the type of verification maneuver which guidance processing block 20 has commanded the smart bomb to perform via 22, to verify it is safe to arm the weapon. Verification maneuvers could consist of a partial roll, a full roll or rolls at various rates, a defined sequence of rolls, rapid rolls, sustained spinning or some combination thereof
The weapon fuzing system 14 is comprised of a timing/control block 26, which starts timing upon platform weapon release; a second environment maneuver verification block 28; AND gate 30, which outputs to the safety and arming block 32.
The commanded ARM maneuver 24 is input to the second environment maneuver verification block 28, which includes a maneuver sensor, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,704 or other commercially available roll sensor, which is used to verify that the commanded maneuver actually takes place. If the commanded maneuver is verified, the output of block 28 goes high to AND gate 30. If both inputs to AND gate 30 are high (maneuver verified and weapon release or other first environment verified) than the output to the safety and arming block goes high to arm the weapon, as is well known in the prior art.
Optionally, the second environment maneuver verification block 28 can be configured to only output a high signal to AND gate 30 if the commanded maneuver occurs within a predetermined time window, using the timing block 26, which is input to block 28.
While not specifically detailed, it will be understood that the various electronic functional blocks are properly connected to appropriate bias and reference supplies so as to operate in their intended manner. It should also be understood that the processing described herein utilizes well known technology. Further, any circuitry configurations and applications thereof other than as described herein can be configured within the spirit and intent of this invention.
In addition to being directed to the specific combinations of features claimed below, the invention is also directed to embodiments having other combinations of the dependent features claimed below and other combinations of the features described above.
The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims.
Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent form from all prior claims which possess all antecedents referenced in such dependent claim if such multiple dependent format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g. each claim depending directly from claim 1 should be alternatively taken as depending from all previous claims). In jurisdictions where multiple dependent claim formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be also taken as alternatively written in each singly dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependent claim below.
