REMOTE DIGITAL FIRING SYSTEM

• US 20080121097A1
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Detection, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Rudakevych, Pavlo E., Ciholas, Mike E., Pack, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,375,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 89/28.05
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/58 Electric firing mechanisms F41A17/10, F41A17/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/16 Self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles; Mine-clearing devices attachable to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/28 using brushing or sweeping means or dozers to push mines lying on a surface aside; using means for removing mines intact from a surface
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/005 Unmanned ground vehicles, i.e. robotic, remote controlled or autonomous, mobile platforms carrying equipment for performing a military or police role, e.g. weapon systems or reconnaissance sensors F41H11/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/06 Dismantling fuzes, cartridges, projectiles, missiles, rockets or bombs F42B33/004 and F42B33/04 take precedence; elimination of undesirable components of explosives C06B21/0091
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 5/04 Rendering explosive charges harmless, e.g. destroying ammunition F42B39/14 and F42B39/20 take precedence ; extracting primers, dismantling ammunition F42B33/04, F42B33/06 ; chemical deactivating of explosives C06B21/0091; Rendering detonation of explosive charges harmless
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00

Abstract

An apparatus for weaponizing a mobile robotic platform with a mechanically triggered weapon and a firing circuit provides a weaponized mobile robotic platform, in which the mechanically triggered weapon can be fired in a safe, secure, and controlled manner in response to a single electrical pulse from the firing circuit.

Claims

1. A method for firing a weapon mounted on a robotic platform, comprising:

receiving a control code sent by an operator control unit to the robotic platform;

validating the control code;

arming a firing circuit when the control code is valid;

transmitting a signal to a sequencing circuit configured to control a mechanical control assembly connected to the weapon; and

operating the mechanical control assemblies, including;

arming a disarmed weapon,

waiting until a delay period has elapsed,

triggering the weapon, and

disarming the weapon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein validating the control codes includes determining whether the control codes were encoded with a key programmed by the robotic platform.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein disarming the weapon includes:

removing a force from a spring included in the mechanical control assembly, and

permitting a trigger disposed on the weapon to return to a start position.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein disarming the weapon further includes:

removing a force from another spring included in the mechanical control assembly, and

permitting a safety latch disposed on the weapon to return to a safe position.

17. A robot weapon control system for firing a weapon mounted on a robotic platform, comprising:

a key configured to enable firing the weapon mounted on the robotic platform;

a firing circuit configured to receive the key;

a sequencing circuit communicatively connected to the firing circuit and configured to control a mechanical control assembly connected to the weapon; and

means for firing the weapon mounted on the robotic platform in accordance with the method of claim 1.

18. A weaponized robot system, comprising:

an operator control unit configured to receive robot control input from an operator;

a robotic platform configured to receive communication from the operator control unit;

a weapon disposed on the robotic platform and including a trigger having a start position and a fire position and a safety latch configured to inhibit operation of the trigger when the safety latch is engaged in a safe position; and

means for firing the weapon mounted on the robotic platform in accordance with the method of claim 1.

5. A weaponized robot system, comprising:

an operator control unit configured to receive robot control input from an operator and including a transmitter configured to transmit a control code corresponding to the robot control input received from the operator;

a robotic platform configured to receive the transmitted control code and including;

a weapon including a trigger having a start position and a fire position and a safety latch configured to inhibit operation of the trigger when the safety latch is engaged;

a firing circuit configured to respond to a signal received by the robotic platform and including a control code, to validate the control code, to arm the firing circuit in response to a validated control code, and to transmit a start signal in response to a fire control code when the firing circuit is armed, and

a sequencing circuit configured to activate a mechanical control assembly operably connected to the weapon when the start signal is received; and

the mechanical control assembly, configured to interface with the sequencing circuit and including;

a safety control assembly operably connected to the safety latch of the weapon and configured to disengage the safety latch in response to the start signal, and

a trigger control assembly operably connected to the trigger of the weapon and configured to actuate the trigger from the start position to the fire position to fire the weapon in response to the start signal.

6. The weaponized robot system of claim 5, wherein the trigger control assembly is further configured to return the trigger to the start position when the start signal is not received.

7. The weaponized robot system of claim 5, wherein the safety control assembly is further configured to engage the safety latch when the start signal is not received.

8. The weaponized robot system of claim 5, wherein the mechanical control assembly is further configured to detachably connect to the weapon.

9. The weaponized robot system of claim 5, wherein the relative positions of the safety control assembly and trigger control assembly on the mechanical control assembly are adjustable such that the mechanical control assembly can be interchangeably fitted to any one of a plurality of weapons.

10. A robot weapon control system for firing a weapon mounted on a robotic platform, comprising:

a key configured to enable firing the weapon mounted on the robotic platform;

a firing circuit configured to verify the key and to transmit a start signal when the key is verified; and

a sequencing circuit communicatively connected to the firing circuit and to a safety control assembly and a trigger control assembly disposed on the weapon, the sequencing circuit configured to activate the safety control assembly and the trigger control assembly when the start signal is received from the firing circuit,

wherein the weapon includes a trigger having a start position and a fire position and a safety latch configured to inhibit operation of the trigger when the safety latch is engaged in a safe position,

wherein the safety control assembly is mechanically connected to the safety latch and is configured to disengage the safety latch from the safe position to an unsafe position when the safety control assembly is activated, and

wherein the trigger control assembly is mechanically connected to the trigger and is configured to actuate the trigger from the start position to the fire position to fire the weapon when the trigger control assembly is activated.

11. The robot weapon control system of claim 10, wherein the sequencing circuit is further configured to wait until a delay period has elapsed after activating the safety control assembly before activating the trigger control assembly.

12. The robot weapon control system of claim 11, wherein the sequencing circuit is further configured to deactivate the safety control assembly and the trigger control assembly when the start signal is no longer detected.

13. The robot weapon control system of claim 12, wherein the trigger control assembly is further configured to return the trigger to the start position to stop firing the weapon when the trigger control assembly is deactivated.

14. The robot weapon control system of claim 12, wherein the safety control assembly is further configured to engage the safety latch to the safe position when the safety control assembly is deactivated.

15. The robot weapon control system of claim 10, wherein the mechanical control assembly is further configured to detachably connect to the weapon.

16. The robot weapon control system of claim 10, wherein the relative positions of the safety control assembly and trigger control assembly on the mechanical control assembly are adjustable such that the mechanical control assembly can be interchangeably fitted to any one of a plurality of weapons.