Continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system

• US 5,788,500 A
• Filed: 12/04/1995
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Contextrina AG
• Original Assignee: Oerlikon Contraves AG
• Inventors: Gerber, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): CHENG, JOE H
• Application Number:
  US08/565,960
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 434/11, 434/16, 434/307 R, 364/578, 463/5, 463/50-52, 340/988, 455/39, 455/73, 250/203.2, 250/208.1, 102/355, 342/357, 372/24, 372/25, 372/38, 273/371, 89/1.11, 356/152.1-152.3, 359/333, 359/356
• US Class Current: 434/22
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2666 with means for selecting or varying PRF or time coding of the emitted beam

Abstract

An improved battlefield simulation system based upon continuous wave lasers. The system uses continuous wave lasers and high-power light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to simulate weapons. A continuous wave laser energy beam is coded using pulse-code modulation (PCM) and pulse-pause modulation (PPM) so that the agent is uniquely identified, as well as the type of weapon responsible for the light beam. The present system provides improved eye safety, improved sensitivity, improved realism, and improved data transfer.

Claims

1. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system to be used by a plurality of soldier-participants, with helmets and weapons, and umpires in a simulation exercise, comprising:

a laser target pointer attached to each soldier-participant'"'"'s weapon, comprising;

a housing with a mount for attachment to said soldier-participant'"'"'s weapon;

a semiconductor continuous wave laser within said housing adapted to generate and transmit a beam of energy;

means within said housing for code modulating said continuous wave laser generated beam of energy;

a triggering mechanism for activating and deactivating said continuous wave laser generated beam of energy;

a plurality of communications means for providing modulating codes for said means for code modulating said continuous wave laser generated beam of energy; and

a power supply mounted within said housing and electrically connected to said means for code modulating and transmission of a continuous wave laser generated beam of energy, continuous wave laser generated beam triggering mechanism, and plurality of communications means;

a torso assembly worn by each soldier-participant, said torso assembly being comprised of;

a soldier-participant torso harness;

a master box attached to said torso harness, said master box having communications means and processing means;

a plurality of torso detectors attached to said harness and electrically connected to said master box communications means and processing means, said torso detectors being adapted to sense the modulated, continuous wave laser generated beam of energy from a soldier-participant'"'"'s laser target pointer; and

a plurality of transmitter units attached to said harness and electrically connected to said master box communications means and processing means;

said master box communications means being adapted to receive from said torso detectors a code contained in a sensed modulated, continuous wave laser generated beam of energy, said master box processing means being adapted to process and store said code;

said master box communications means and processing means being adapted to communicate through said transmitter units to the communications means of the laser target pointer of the soldier-participant wearing said torso assembly a coded signal for modulating said laser target pointer continuous wave laser generated beam of energy;

a power supply mounted within said and electrically connected to said master box, master box communications means, master box processing means, plurality of torso detectors and plurality of transmitter units;

a helmet assembly attached to the helmet of each soldier-participant, said helmet assembly being comprised of;

a belt encircling and attached to said helmet;

a helmet master box attached to said belt, said helmet master box having communications means and processing means;

a plurality of helmet detectors attached to said belt and electrically connected to said helmet master box communications means and processing means, said helmet detectors being adapted to sense a modulated, continuous wave laser generated beam of energy from a soldier-participant'"'"'s laser target pointer;

transmission means attached to said helmet master box communications means and processing means;

said helmet master box being adapted to communicate through said transmission means with the torso assembly master box communications means of the soldier-participant wearing said helmet assembly, a code contained in a sensed modulated, continuous wave laser generated beam of energy; and

a power supply attached to said belt and electrically connected to said helmet master box communications means, processing means, helmet detectors and transmission means;

an umpire unit carried by each umpire, said umpire unit being comprised of;

a housing;

processing means within said housing;

a display mounted on said housing and electrically connected to said processing means;

a keyboard mounted on said housing and electrically attached to said processing means;

a communications subsystem mounted on said housing and electrically connected to said processing means;

said processing means being adapted to communicate through said communications subsystem with the communications means of the master box of a soldier-participant and transmit operating codes and receive processed and stored codes from a master box; and

a power supply mounted within said housing and electrically connected to said processing means, display and communications subsystem; and

a system computer with an interface unit and maneuver evaluation software, wherein said umpire unit communicates through said communications subsystem with the interface unit to the system computer and its maneuver evaluation software processed and stored codes from said master boxes.

2. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an aiming tool for alignment of a soldier-participant'"'"'s weapon with said laser target pointer mounted thereon, comprising;

a console;

a positioning sensing screen mounted on said console;

processing means within said console;

transmission means for communicating with said soldier-participant'"'"'s master box and said umpire communications subsystem electrically connected to said console processing means;

receiving means for communicating with said umpire communications subsystem electrically connected to said console processing means;

a power supply mounted within said console and electrically connected to said positioning sensing screen, processing means, transmission means, and receiving means;

a keyboard unit electrically connected to said console processing means.

3. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

a test box comprised of;

a hand held console;

processing means within said console;

a keyboard mounted on said console and electrically attached to said processing means;

a communications subsystem mounted on said housing and electrically connected to said processing means;

said processing means being adapted to transmit test codes and communicate through said communications subsystem with the communications means of the master box, laser target pointer, and torso and helmet detectors of a soldier-participant; and

a power supply mounted within said housing and electrically connected to said processing means and communications subsystem.

4. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

means for tracking the position of a soldier-participant employing global positioning system (GPS) satellites, wherein said means is comprised of;

a GPS antenna for receiving signals provided by a plurality of GPS satellites, said antenna being mounted on the torso harness of a soldier-participant;

a GPS receiver connected to said soldier-participant'"'"'s master box processing means and electrically connected to said GPS antenna, wherein said GPS receive is adapted for receiving signals comprising selected raw satellites measurements; and

wherein said master box processing means is adapted for periodically receiving and storing said raw satellites measurements and computing therefrom position information relative to said soldier-participant.

5. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 4, wherein each said master box is comprised of:

a housing attached to said torso harness;

said master box processing means within said housing;

a number matrix within said housing adapted to provide said processing means with a coded permanent serial number unique to said master box;

a clock within said housing connected to said processing means and synchronized with said umpire unit;

an external random access memory (RAM) within said housing and connected to said processing means, said RAM adapted to hold information concerning the identity of a soldier-participant wearing the torso assembly containing said master box, initial data concerning said simulation exercise, and a complete record of all events which occur to said soldier-participant during said simulation exercise;

a plurality of LEDs mounted on said master box housing and electrically connected to said processing means, said LEDs being adapted to indicate the status of various functions;

a speaker alarm mounted on said master box housing and electrically connected to said processing means, said speaker alarm adapted to sound upon the occurrence of certain designated events;

a motion and angle sensor electrically connected to said processing means, said sensor being activated upon the occurrence of certain events determined by said processing means; and

an RS-232 interface port mounted on said housing and electrically connected to said processing means.

6. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 5, wherein said master box communications means includes:

a high speed, high powered, pulsed light emitting diode (LED) transmitter and high speed receiver for high speed data transfers with said umpire unit, both of which are mounted on said master box housing and electrically connected to said processing means;

a receiver within said master box housing electrically interconnecting said torso detectors by means of an electrical cable in said torso harness to said processing means;

a receiver mounted on said master box housing and electrically connected to said processing means and adapted to receive transmissions from said helmet transmission means;

a receiver mounted on said master box housing and electrically connected to said processing means and adapted to receive transmissions from said umpire unit; and

a high speed, high powered, pulsed LED receiver mounted on said master box housing and electrically connected to said processing means, said

receiver adapted for communication with an umpire unit.

7. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 6, wherein:

said laser target pointer has a front end and a rear end defining a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the weapon to which the laser target pointer is mounted, said laser target pointer being divided into front, middle and back sections, said front section containing said semiconductor continuous wave laser adapted to generate a beam of energy, and horizontal and vertical adjustment means, said middle section containing said means for code modulating, means for activating and deactivating said beam of energy, and said back section containing said power supply.

8. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 7, wherein said means for code modulating, means for activating and deactivating said beam of energy includes:

a microprocessor;

a trigger detector interconnecting said microprocessor with said triggering mechanism;

a laser driver electrically interconnecting said microprocessor with said semiconductor continuous wave laser;

two laser target pointer communications means receivers mounted on said housing section middle said receivers being electrically connected to said microprocessor, one of said receivers being adapted to receive instructions and data from the torso assembly master box on the torso assembly worn by the soldier-participant to whose weapon said laser target pointer is attached, the other of said receivers being adapted to receive instructions and data from an umpire unit and test box;

wherein said microprocessor is adapted to process signals from said receivers, to generate a resulting pulse coded signal from said processed received signals, to generate a laser firing signal in response to said triggering mechanism, and to transmit said firing signal and said pulse coded signal through said laser driver to said semiconductor continuous wave laser.

9. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 8, wherein:

said laser target pointer semiconductor continuous wave laser generates a modulated beam of energy with a superimposed pulse coded signal when the weapon with said laser target pointer mounted thereon is aimed at another soldier-participant and said triggering mechanism activated.

10. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 9, wherein:

said beam of energy has a wavelength in the 780 nanometer to 2 micrometer range.

11. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 10, wherein:

said beam of energy has a divergence not exceeding 0.5 millirad and an effective range from 0 to 6 miles.

12. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 11, wherein:

said laser target pointer has a plurality of LEDs mounted on said laser target pointer housing and electrically connected to said microprocessor, said LEDs being adapted to indicate the status of various designated functions.

13. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 12, wherein said torso harness is comprised of:

two suspenders positioned over the shoulders of a soldier-participant, said suspenders engaging a waist belt worn by said soldier-participant, each said suspender beginning at the waist belt portion on the soldier-participant'"'"'s front and terminating at the waist belt portion on the soldier-participant'"'"'s lower back, said suspenders being further engaged by two horizontal support straps, one interconnecting the suspenders across the soldier-participant'"'"'s chest and the other interconnecting the suspenders across the soldier-participant'"'"'s upper back;

two upper arm bands, each one fitted over an upper arm of the soldier-participant, each said upper arm band being connected by means of a connecting strap to the nearest suspender at the soldier-participant'"'"'s shoulder.

14. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 13, wherein each said torso detector is comprised of:

a microprocessor;

a detection circuit comprised of a detector component, an amplifier connected to said detector component and an integrator filter interconnecting said amplifier with said microprocessor, whereby said detector component is adapted to detect a continuous wave laser generated beam of energy and generate an output which is passed to said amplifier, through said integrator filter into said microprocessor;

a frequency sensitive tank circuit comprised of a capacitor and coil, electrically connected to said microprocessor in parallel to said detection circuit; and

electrical means for connecting said microprocessor to said torso assembly master box.

15. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 14, wherein:

each said torso detector microprocessor is adapted to respond to designated pulse coded signals superimposed on said laser target pointer generated modulated beam of energy, thereby filtering out extraneous signals and noise.

16. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 15, wherein said plurality of torso detectors are comprised of:

seven detectors attached to said torso harness, a first detector being centrally attached to the front horizontal support strap, a second detector being attached to the right suspender near to a front junction of right suspender and the waist belt, a third detector being attached to the left suspender near to a front junction of left suspender and the waist belt, a fourth detector being attached to the right connecting strap near to the right upper arm band, a fifth detector being attached to the left connecting strap near to the left upper arm band, a sixth detector being attached to the right suspender near to a back junction of the right suspender and the waist belt, a seventh detector being attached to the left suspender near to a back junction of the left suspender and the waist belt; and

one detector mounted on said master box.

17. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 16, wherein:

one of said torso assembly transmitter units is attached to a junction of the front horizontal support strap and the left suspender, and the other of said torso assembly transmitter units is attached to a junction of the right connecting strap and the right suspender, each said transmitter units being electrically connected by means of a cable attached to said torso harness master box, wherein said transmitters are adapted to simultaneously transmit a coded signal from said master box.

18. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 17, wherein:

said helmet master box is comprised of a housing attached to said helmet assembly belt, a microprocessor contained within said housing, an EEPROM contained within said housing electrically connected to said microprocessor, said EEPROM being adapted to store data even when energy from said power supply is interrupted;

said plurality of helmet detectors are comprised of two master detectors having built in microprocessors controlled by said helmet master box microprocessor, each said master detector electrically connected to and controlling a slave detector located at various positions on the helmet belt, said master detectors being adapted to recognize a continuous wave laser generated beam of energy and generate an output which is passed to said helmet master box.

19. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 18, wherein:

each said helmet detector microprocessor is adapted to respond to designated pulse coded signals superimposed on said laser target pointer generated modulated beam of energy, thereby filtering out extraneous signals and noise.

20. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 19, wherein:

said processed codes received by said umpire unit from the master box of a soldier-participant includes a list of each event experienced by the soldier-participant during the said simulation exercise along with the time the event occurred, where the soldier-participant may have been shot, if and how he had been "killed", when he had been activated, the status of the soldier-participant'"'"'s equipment, and also a soldier-participant'"'"'s GPS position.

21. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 20, wherein:

said umpire unit housing is a small, hand-held, rectangular console adapted to being held and operated by personnel designated as umpires for the simulation exercise;

said umpire unit communications subsystem contains a high speed transceiver for high volume data transfer to and from a soldier-participant'"'"'s master box high speed transmitter and receiver, said aiming tool receiving means, and said system computer interface unit;

said umpire unit communications subsystem also contains a transmitter which transmits code to the master box receiver and laser target pointer receiver, said code being adapted as an "on/off" command, a query as to a soldier-participant'"'"'s name, injury, status, and who shot the soldier-participant, and to change the laser target pointer mode of operation from simulation to continuous laser transmission for aiming or demonstration purposes; and

said umpire unit communications subsystem contains a third transmitter which has the same function as a soldier-participant'"'"'s laser target pointer.

22. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 21, wherein:

said positioning sensing screen incorporates a plurality of positioning sensing detectors and LEDs about the screen, said LEDs being adapted to show in which quadrant the laser beam of energy has hit the detector screen.

23. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 22, wherein:

each said position sensing detector has four connectors and a ground, each said connector being electrically connected to a preamplifier and an analog computer, wherein upon the laser beam of energy striking the detector'"'"'s surface, an analog current is generated on each of said connectors, the amount of each current being in proportion to the strike position of said laser beam of energy, said analog computer adapted to calculate and convert the intensity of the current measured along each connector to an exact point where the laser beam hit the detector surface;

said analog computer is connected to an analog-to-digital converter, said analog-to-digital converter being connected to said an aiming tool microprocessor, wherein said microprocessor converts said exact point into "X" and "Y" coordinates, said microprocessor adapted to instruct said keyboard unit to present on said display the amount of horizontal and vertical adjustments needed to zero the laser beam.

24. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 23, wherein:

said two torso assembly transmitter units are high powered, pulsed, light emitting diodes (LEDs).

25. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 24, wherein:

said helmet assembly transmission means contains a high powered, pulsed, light emitting diode (LED) transmitter.

26. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 25, wherein:

said umpire unit communications subsystem contains of a plurality of high powered, pulsed, light emitting diode (LED) transmitters.

27. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 26, wherein:

said test box communications subsystem contains a plurality of high powered, pulsed, light emitting diode (LED) transmitters.

28. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 27, wherein:

said aiming tool transmission means contains a plurality of high powered, pulsed, light emitting diode (LED) transmitters.

29. A continuous wave laser battlefield simulation system, as recited in claim 28, wherein:

said master box communications means contains a plurality of high powered, pulsed, light emitting diode (LED) transmitters.