Networked electronic ordnance system
First Claim
1. A networked electronic ordnance system, comprising:
- a bus controller connected to a network for (1) transmitting onto the network a digital arming command using at least one unique identifier, (2) altering an analog condition of the network to correspond to a firing command, and (3) transmitting onto the network a digital firing command using at least one unique identifier, the digital arming command causes activation energy to change one or more of a plurality of pyrotechnic devices connected be the network to the bus controller; and
at least one of the plurality of the pyrotechnic devices including;
a bus interface for sensing the analog condition of the network,a capacitor for storing the activation energy,an initiator, anda logic device having a unique identifier that stores activation energy in the capacitor upon receiving the digital arming command that includes the unique identifier of its logic device, and, once armed, releases the stored activation energy from the capacitor into the initiator upon (1) detecting that the digital firing command is received that includes its unique identifier, and (2) determining that the bus interface senses that the analog condition of the network corresponds to the received firing command.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The networked electronic ordnance system connects a number of pyrotechnic devices to a bus controller using lighter and less voluminous cabling, in a more efficient network architecture, than previously possible. Each pyrotechnic device contains an initiator, which includes a pyrotechnic assembly and an electronics assembly. One or more pyrotechnic devices each contain a logic device having a unique identifier. The pyrotechnic devices are individually controlled by the bus controller by addressing the unique identifier of each logic device. Each pyrotechnic device preferably includes an energy reserve capacitor which stores firing energy upon arming. Both digital and analog fire control conditions are provided before an armed pyrotechnic device can be fired. A plurality of initiators and/or other components of the system may be packaged together on a single substrate and networked together via that substrate.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A networked electronic ordnance system, comprising:
a bus controller connected to a network for (1) transmitting onto the network a digital arming command using at least one unique identifier, (2) altering an analog condition of the network to correspond to a firing command, and (3) transmitting onto the network a digital firing command using at least one unique identifier, the digital arming command causes activation energy to change one or more of a plurality of pyrotechnic devices connected be the network to the bus controller; and
at least one of the plurality of the pyrotechnic devices including;a bus interface for sensing the analog condition of the network, a capacitor for storing the activation energy, an initiator, and a logic device having a unique identifier that stores activation energy in the capacitor upon receiving the digital arming command that includes the unique identifier of its logic device, and, once armed, releases the stored activation energy from the capacitor into the initiator upon (1) detecting that the digital firing command is received that includes its unique identifier, and (2) determining that the bus interface senses that the analog condition of the network corresponds to the received firing command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
Specification