Magneto-inductive on-command fuze and firing device

• US 6,253,679 B1
• Filed: 01/05/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Garcia, Felipe, Woodall, Robert, Sojdehei, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Semunegus, Lulit
• Application Number:
  US09/228,074
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 102/221, 102/212, 102/215, 102/206, 102/427
• US Class Current: 102/221
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/11 Clearing or neutralising barbed wire obstacles devices mounted on vehicles for cutting wire-type obstructions B60R19/545; smallarm attachments for wire cutting F41C27/20
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/14 Explosive line charges, e.g. snakes
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 13/047 Remotely actuated projectile fuzes operated by radio transmission links
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 13/08 operated by variations in magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/05 Electric circuits for blasting

Abstract

A fuze is enabled, armed, and fired while indicating its status to remote command/receiver stations so that interconnected line charges and other ordnance items can be detonated with increased safety and reliability from a safe man-weapon separation distance. The fuze is responsive to remotely transmitted magneto-inductive command signals in the extremely low frequency (ELF) to very low frequency (VLF) range to change its status and to transmit magneto-inductive status signals in the ELF to VLF range confirming its status to at least one of the remote stations. Transmission and reception of magneto-inductive signals in the ELF to VLF range allow for a unique communication method that provides safe and reliable communication suitable to effect fuzing of explosive devices on the beach through seawater, air, earth, buildings, vegetation and sediment or any combination of these conditions.

Claims

1. A fuze for ordnance responsive to magneto-inductive command signals in the ELF to VLF range from a remote station to change its status and to transmit magneto-inductive status signals in the ELF to VLF range to said remote station confirming said status, said command and status signals being transmitted in said ELF to VLF range to assure transmission reliably through ground, water, and air, said fuze having a receiver portion coupled to an antenna to receive said magneto-inductive command signals and a transmitter portion coupled to said antenna to transmit said magneto-inductive status signals and said receiver portion having high gain narrow band filter amplifiers receiving said magneto-inductive command signals, a demodulator-tone detector module coupled to said high gain narrow band filter amplifiers, output drivers coupled to said demodulator-tone detector module, and a safety, arming, and confirmation section.

2. A fuze according to claim 1 in which said high gain narrow band filter amplifiers are connected as a single superheterodyne to minimize internal noise and maintain very high gain, said demodulator-tone detector module detects the amplitude modulation of a carrier frequency of said magneto-inductive command signals and determines encoded tones, and said safety, arming and confirmation section changes the status of said fuze and provides status signals confirming receipt of said magneto-inductive command signals and status of said fuze.

3. A fuze according to claim 2 in which said transmitter portion includes said safety, arming and confirmation section, an interface and control logic module connected to said safety, arming and confirmation section, and a power output stage.

4. A fuze according to claim 3 in which said safety, arming and confirmation section provides said status signals, said interface and control logic module encodes said status signals with predetermined tones and modulates said predetermined tones by audio frequency shift keying a carrier frequency in the ELF to VLF range, and said power output stage transmits said magneto-inductive status signals from said antenna.

5. A fuze system for ordnance comprising:

a transmitter-receiver at a remote station to transmit magneto-inductive command signals in the ELF to VLF range and

a fuze coupled to ordnance, said fuze being responsive to said magneto-inductive command signals in the ELF to VLF range to change its status and to transmit magneto-inductive status signals in the ELF to VLF range to said transmitter-receiver at said remote station to confirm said status, said command and status signals being transmitted in said ELF to VLF range to assure transmission reliably through ground, water, and air said transmitter-receiver having a transmitter section coupled to a first antenna to transmit said magneto-inductive command signals and a receiver section coupled to said first antenna to receive said magneto-inductive status signals, and said fuze having a receiver portion coupled to a second antenna to receive said magneto-inductive command signals and a transmitter portion coupled to said second antenna to transmit said magneto-inductive status signals.

6. A fuze system according to claim 5 in which said transmitter section has a detonation command section, an interface and control logic module coupled to said detonation command section, and a transmitter power output stage connected to said interface and control logic module.

7. A fuze system according to claim 6 in which said detonation command section designates a command, said interface and control logic module encodes the designated command as predetermined tones and modulates these tones by audio frequency shift keying at a carrier frequency in the ELF to VLF range, and said transmitter power output stage transmits said magneto-inductive command signals via said first antenna.

8. A fuze system according to claim 7 in which said receiver section includes high gain narrow band filter amplifiers, a demodulator-tone detector module coupled to said high gain narrow band filter amplifiers, and output drivers coupled to said demodulator-tone detector module and said detonation command section.

9. A fuze system according to claim 8 in which said high gain narrow band filter amplifiers are connected as a single superheterodyne to minimize internal noise and maintain very high gain, said demodulator-tone detector module detects the amplitude modulation of said carrier frequency and determines said predetermined tones, and said output drivers are coupled to said demodulator-tone detector module and said detonation command section to display status of said fuze in said detonation command section.

10. A fuze system according to claim 9 in which said receiver portion includes high gain narrow band filter amplifiers, a demodulator-tone detector module coupled to said high gain narrow band filter amplifiers, receiver output drivers coupled to said demodulator-tone detector module and a safety, arming and confirmation section connected to said receiver output drivers.

11. A fuze system according to claim 10 in which said high gain narrow band filter amplifiers of said receiver portion receive said magneto-inductive command signals and are connected as a single superheterodyne to minimize internal noise and maintain very high gain, said demodulator-tone detector module detects amplitude modulation of a carrier frequency of said magneto-inductive command signals and determines encoded tones, and said safety, arming and confirmation section changes the status of said fuze and provides status signals confirming the receipt of said magneto-inductive command signals and status of said fuze.

12. A fuze system according to claim 11 in which said transmitter portion includes said safety, arming and confirmation section, an interface and control logic module connected to said safety, arming, and confirmation section, and a status power output stage coupled to said interface and control logic module.

13. A fuze system according to claim 12 in which said safety, arming and confirmation section provides said status signals, said interface and control logic module encodes said status signals with predetermined tones and modulates said predetermined tones by audio frequency shift keying at a carrier frequency in the ELF to VLF range, and said status power output stage transmits said magneto-inductive status signals via said second antenna.

14. A fuze system for ordnance comprising:

means for transmitting magneto-inductive command signals in the ELF to VLF range from a remote station;

means coupled to ordnance for changing its status in response to said magneto-inductive command signals in the ELF to VLF range and for transmitting magneto-inductive status signals in the ELF to VLF range to said transmitting means at said remote location to confirm said status, said command and status signals being transmitted in said ELF to VLF range to assure transmission reliably through ground, water, and air;

a first antenna coupled to said transmitting means; and

a second antenna coupled to said changing and transmitting means.

15. A fuze system according to claim 14 in which said transmitting means has a transmitter section coupled to said first antenna to transmit said magneto-inductive command signals and a receiver section coupled to said first antenna to receive said magneto-inductive status signals, and said changing and transmitting means has a receiver portion coupled to said second antenna to receive said magneto-inductive command signals and a transmitter portion coupled to said second antenna to transmit said magneto-inductive status signals.