DE102011014222A1 - Apparatus and method for recording gun parameters and operations - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic data collection device (5) for a gun system (100) is proposed, which can record important processes that can be analyzed in continuation of the idea of experts and / or used for statistics or the like. If such a data acquisition device (5) is used, general operating states or unwanted operating situations or problem cases can be reconstructed. Associated with a statistical analysis or the like, these unwanted operating situations for the subsequent use of the gun system (100) can be excluded. For this purpose, the electronic data acquisition device (5) with a schützeigenen computer (4) of the gun system (100) is electrically connected and functionally integrated into the data stream (6) of the gun system (100).

Description

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the automatic and autonomous recording of gun parameters and gun operations on a weapon, such as a revolver gun.

For complex devices, and especially for those with a high degree of automation, their occurrence can often not be reproduced at all or only inadequately in problematic situations. This impedes or prevents analysis and associated troubleshooting.

For complex weapon systems, the prior art contains a number of solutions. So is out of the EP 1 992 904 A a monitoring and maintenance system for cruise missiles known in which a state image of the weapon is already stored in the production. This allows a comparison with later state images, so that ultimately a life cycle management (LCM) can be derived from this information. Software and hardware upgrades can also be integrated into this LCM. The recorded data in operation are temperature, humidity, vibration load and impact load.

To avoid excessive amounts of paper documents relating to weapons and aircraft maintenance, the DE 697 33 512 T2 to create a central data warehouse for storing all maintenance instructions of a general nature together with the maintenance history of a single aircraft or weapon. The data transfer takes place via land, radio or satellite connection to a mobile small computer, which a maintenance technician uses on site.

The DE 196 38 576 uses piezo-electric structure-borne sound sensors with amplifiers and frequency filters as well as an evaluation unit to record the shot load and to produce a wear analysis. This system can replace the pipe book.

After DE 10 2007 062 647 For example, a handgun for police use can be equipped with multiple sensors, such as timers, shot counters, GPS, compass, etc., to associate each shot event with frame parameters. The connection to a central database takes place via a transponder.

The GB 2 397 914 discloses a logbook for firearms, especially for small weapons such as pistols, rifles and stun guns. A number of peripheral devices (compass, accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS receiver, clock, microphone, ambient light sensor, magnetic sensor, or temperature sensor) allow post-event documentation of the weapon.

The invention has as its object to provide a device with which an analysis of each of the gun status and a treatment of possible problems of a gun is made possible.

The object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are shown in the subclaims.

The invention is based on the idea to design a device for a gun, which can record important processes that can be analyzed later in the continuation of the idea of professionals and / or used for statistics or the like. If such a device is used, now also problem cases can be reconstructed. Associated with a statistical analysis or the like, these problems can be at least partially avoided or even completely ruled out for later points in time. This is associated with a method according to claim 7 for storing and evaluating these processes.

This recording device is characterized by the fact that in a preferred embodiment it does not require its own sensors, but instead can resort to a computer present in the weapon system or the computer it protects, by recording the data of the computer. The advantage lies among other things in the fact that only one data interface to the computer or to the data bus of the gun / the weapon system is needed. But this does not exclude the possibility of own sensors as well as several interfaces.

The device continuously records data from the data stream and stores it, for example, in a ring buffer, which is at least partially overwritten after a given time and depending on the memory size and amount of data. Overwriting, however, is only possible after a complete shot sequence, etc. without error or defect. In particular, an unplanned or unwanted event prevents further overwriting, so that at least the last seconds / minutes remain stored before and after the event.

In a preferred embodiment, the device retrieves or retrieves only the data to be recorded. Thus, the device selectively extracts data from the data stream, where it itself determines when it records which data, for example, in a shooting event, the axis position of the weapon, etc.

The data acquisition as well as processing and storage may preferably be subject to known methods of compression as well as data reduction. Preference is given to lossless compression. For example, token-based compression is suitable, in which frequently recurring terms or character strings are replaced by shorter placeholders (tokens). Statistical dependencies of the data are preferably processed by precoding; z. B. by a run-length coding or phrase coding.

In a preferred embodiment, the device records data that may have an effect on the functionality of the gun even in the off state of the gun. These data include acceleration values due to, for example, shock or shock events that may be detected via one or more acceleration sensors during transport. Other important data is also recordable, such as: As the temperature data, humidity data or other environmental factors. In a further preferred embodiment, this data can be correlated with a time signal generated in the device.

The data is preferably encrypted and can only be read by authorized persons. (Already the DE 10 2007 035 351 A1 proposes encryption to prevent the misuse of data). It is ensured in a preferred variant that the downloading of this data is also possible by the user of the gun, a reading but not. This allows the data to be transmitted by the user to the manufacturer and makes easy remote maintenance possible. The transmission of data in a data file can also be done with unmanned guns and thus allows breakdown assistance / remote maintenance even with unmanned guns.

The device can thus also be seen as a redundant storage location for the gun parameters (eg number of missed shots) and can register every single shot. The device is therefore preferably integrated into the gun or the gun computer or data bus.

With the help of the stored data, statistics can be created with the help of the device information, such as average switch-on time, reliability analyzes, number of single shots, average burst lengths / bursts, etc. as well as personal information, how long, how long (even when) the gun was operated, etc From this data and statistics can be inferred on the (individual) operating behavior, which leads to an improvement in training / education.

An adaptive recording of the device depends on the operating state (escalation ladder) and allows long operating times.

Reference to an embodiment with drawing, the invention will be explained in more detail. Show it:

1 a schematic representation of a gun with a data acquisition device,

2 the gun out 1 with an additional sensor,

3 the gun out 1 with an external computing and / or communication unit.

In the 1 to 3 are schematically a gun or weapon system 100 with assemblies tower 1 , Cradle or pipe holder 2 as well as a (sub) gun carriage 3 shown. With 4 is one of a number of sub-components existing, basically known arithmetic unit for gun control, for example in the gun carriage 3 functionally integrated. The gun system 100 is additionally equipped with an electronic data acquisition device (DAG) 5 equipped, which in the data stream of the gun system 100 is functionally integrated and data from this data stream 6 remove and record. To the data from the data stream 6 Among other data are the gun statuses (eg weapon secured, unlocked, ready for operation, etc.), commands to the gun, the gun configuration, interface data (for example charging voltage of a battery) within the computing unit 4 or the gun computer and events of the gun (eg one or more shots fired).

The DAG 5 comprises at least one data memory and a data interface with which the DAG 5 is included in the data stream. The installation location is variable and can be within or external to the modules 1 - 3 be placed. The data store in the DAG 5 can be a ring buffer that can be overwritten after some time, with the rules for overwriting in the DAG 5 should be deposited in advance.

A variant to this shows the 2 on. Here is at least one additional sensor 7 provided for detecting, for example, the temperature. The DAG 5 is with this at least one sensor 7 via a data line or interface 8th functionally connected. The sensor 7 can be used for the detection of temperature, pressure, humidity, acceleration, angular position, direction, etc. of the corresponding module 1 - 3 in which this is involved serve. It can also be provided that the sensor 7 Provides image data or information or is a video camera.

Another variant presents 3 This is an external computing and / or communication unit 10 , which can also be placed at a greater distance from the gun, via a data link 9 with the DAG 5 functionally connectable. The data connection 9 can be connected statically or temporarily (if required). Cable, radio or general electromagnetic waves, lasers and combinations thereof can be selected as the connection. About this external unit 10 is it possible, for example, data from the DAG 5 read out or even a remote maintenance of the DAG 5 make. It is also possible to import software updates, for example. The data storage in the DAG 5 can optionally be encrypted. This alone or in combination, if the interface or multiple interfaces - especially the interface 9 - Access restricted, so that only authorized personnel have access to the data of the DAG 5 Has.

As gun systems 100 are all known weapon systems to understand that one or more computers, eg. B. Fire control computer, gun computer, servo computer, etc. have. These computers have a significant influence on the operation of such a system, but a gun system in the sense of this invention is not limited to a remotely controllable system. In particular, the present invention may also be in a gun system 100 be used, which does not have a fire control computer.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 1992904A [0003]
• DE 69733512 T2 [0004]
• DE 19638576 [0005]
• DE 102007062647 [0006]
• GB 2397914 [0007]
• DE 102007035351 A1 [0016]

Claims (11)

Gun or weapon system ( 100 ) with various assemblies ( 1 - 3 ), a protected computer ( 4 ) and further components, characterized in that an electronic data acquisition device ( 5 ) into the data stream ( 6 ) of the gun system ( 100 ) is functionally integrated, that data of the protected computer ( 4 ) from the data stream ( 6 ) can be taken and recorded. Gun system according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic data collection device ( 5 ) at least one data memory and a data interface for integration into the data stream ( 6 ) having. Gun system according to claim 2, characterized in that the data memory is a rewritable memory or a ring memory. Gun system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the data of the data stream ( 6 ) one or more of the following states or events represented: gun state weapon secured, gun state weapon unlocked, gun state weapon ready, commands to the gun, interface data, such as the charging voltage of a battery, states within the computing unit ( 4 ) and events of the gun, such as a shot. Gun system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in addition one or more sensors ( 7 ) and / or one or more computing and / or communication units ( 10 ) with the data acquisition device ( 5 ) via one or more interfaces ( 8th ) or one or more data connections ( 9 ) are functionally connectable. Gun system according to claim 5, characterized in that the data connections ( 9 ) Cable connections, radio links, optical links or the like for the transmission of data are suitable connections. Method for recording gun parameters and operations on a gun system ( 100 ) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that data from the data stream ( 6 ) of the gun system ( 100 ) are removable and storable, which can then be evaluated as, for example: • to create statistics, such as average on-time, reliability analyzes, number of individual shots, etc., • to analyze personal information, for example, when and for how long served the gun etc. and / or • the evaluation of shock-impact events during transport that affect the functioning of the gun system ( 100 ) can have. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that all in one data stream ( 6 ) existing or even preselected data can be stored as a subset of the data stream. Method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the electronic data collection device ( 5 ) from the data stream ( 6 ) selectively extracts data, where it determines itself based on default parameters, it warms which data records. Method according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that a readout of the data of the electronic data collection device ( 5 ) by one or more external computing and / or communication units ( 10 ). Method according to claim 10, characterized in that data connections ( 9 ) can be switched statically or temporarily.

Images