Hit detection sensor module for battlefield simulations

• US 7,652,580 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US10/968,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20060088801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,924 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/447, 340/825.57, 340/825.69, 340/552, 340/568.1, 340/825.72, 340/515, 340/3.1, 340/538.15, 340/310.16, 340/539.1, 340/539.21
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• 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 battlefield simulation apparatus, comprising:

a participant unit carried by a participant, the participant unit including an evaluation unit; and

a hit detection sensor module carried by the participant for detecting hits by a light beam on the participant during battlefield simulations, said hit detection module comprising;

a housing having a front and a back;

an infrared sensor mounted in an opening in the front of the housing for sensing infrared light and generating signals based on the sensed infrared light;

a short-range radio transmitter disposed inside the housing and associated with the infrared sensor, said short-range radio transmitter transmitting signals outside the housing from the infrared sensor to the evaluation unit of the participant unit, wherein the infrared sensor is connected wireless via a radio network to the evaluation unit of the participant unit;

an electrical voltage source for supplying electrical capacity to the hit detection sensor module, wherein the electrical voltage source is disposed in the housing and includes a solar cell and a storage battery, wherein the storage battery is chargeable by the solar cell; and

means for attaching the hit detection sensor module to the participant.

2. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hit detection sensor module further comprises a signal amplifier for amplifying signals received from the infrared sensor before the signals are transmitted by the short-range transmitter to the participant unit.

3. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the hit detection sensor module further comprises a filter for filtering out interfering external light, said filter being installed in the signal amplifier.

4. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the short-range radio transmitter is a transmitter based on the blue tooth technology.

5. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 2, 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°

.

6. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said cap is partially spherical.

7. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 2, 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°

.

8. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said cap is partially spherical.

9. The use of a battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 2 for detecting hits on the participant in a battlefield simulation.

10. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hit detection sensor module further comprises an optical filter for filtering out interfering external light from the infrared light to improve the generated signal.

11. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hit detection sensor module further comprises an optical filter for filtering out interfering external light from the infrared light to improve the generated signal.

12. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the short-range radio transmitter is a transmitter based on the blue tooth technology.

13. The battlefield simulation apparatus 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°

.

14. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said cap is partially spherical.

15. The battlefield simulation apparatus 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°

.

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

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

18. The battlefield simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said infrared sensor includes a receiving surface having a partially spherical cap, and the solar cell is ring-shaped and located around the cap.