Hit detection sensor module for battlefield simulations

• US 20060088801A1
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rheinmetall Defence Electronics GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: Rheinmetall Defence Electronics GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Inventors: Eisenhauer, Joachim, Wendt, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 7,652,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/11
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2655 in which the light beam is sent from the weapon to the target

Abstract

A sensor module detects light beam hits on a participant during battlefield simulations. The sensor module includes an infrared sensor for sensing infrared light and generating signals based on the sensed infrared light; a short-range radio transmitter associated with the infrared sensor; an electrical voltage source for supplying electrical capacity to the sensor module; and a device for attaching the sensor module to a participant.

Claims

1. A sensor module for detecting hits by a light beam on a participant during battlefield simulations, said module comprising:

an infrared sensor for sensing infrared light and generating signals based on the sensed infrared light;

a short-range radio transmitter associated with the infrared sensor;

an electrical voltage source for supplying electrical capacity to the sensor module; and

means for attaching the sensor module to a participant.

2. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the electrical voltage source includes a solar cell and a storage battery that can be charged up by the solar cell.

3. The sensor module according to claim 2, further comprising a signal amplifier for amplifying signals received from the infrared sensor before the signals are transmitted by the short-range transmitter.

4. The sensor module according to claim 1, further comprising an optical filter for filtering out interfering external light from the infrared light to improve the generated signal.

5. The sensor module according to claim 2, further comprising an optical filter for filtering out interfering external light from the infrared light to improve the generated signal.

6. The sensor module according to claim 3, further comprising a filter for filtering out interfering external light, said filter being installed in the signal amplifier.

7. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the short-range radio transmitter is a transmitter based on the blue tooth technology.

8. The sensor module according to claim 3, wherein the short-range radio transmitter is a transmitter based on the blue tooth technology.

9. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein said infrared sensor includes a receiving surface having a cap so that the infrared sensor covers a spatial angle of more than approximately 90°

.

10. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein said infrared sensor includes a receiving surface having a cap so that the infrared sensor covers a spatial angle of more than approximately 120°

.

11. The sensor module according to claim 9, wherein said cap is partially spherical.

12. The sensor module according to claim 3, wherein said infrared sensor includes a receiving surface having a cap so that the infrared sensor covers a spatial angle of more than approximately 90°

.

13. The sensor module according to claim 3, wherein said infrared sensor includes a receiving surface having a cap so that the infrared sensor covers a spatial angle of more than approximately 120°

.

14. The sensor module according to claim 12, wherein said cap is partially spherical.

15. The sensor module according to claim 13, wherein said cap is partially spherical.

16. The use of a sensor module according to claim 1 for detecting hits on the participant in a battlefield simulation.

17. The use of a sensor module according to claim 3 for detecting hits on the participant in a battlefield simulation.

18. The use according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of individual sensor modules are attached to a participant and are associated with a participant unit, said individual sensor modules and participant unit being linked to each other via a radio network.