Communication and control of accessories mounted on the powered rail of a weapon
First Claim
1. A weapon accessory control system comprising:
- at least one Powered Rail extending along at least a portion of a length of a barrel of a weapon and electrically connected to a source of electrical power, for providing a source of electrical power to at least one power-consuming accessory that is mechanically and electrically attached to the Powered Rail, comprising;
a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact for providing a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection to said power source, respectively, via a first power conductor and a second power conductor, andwherein mechanical mounting of a power-consuming accessory on the Powered Rail electrically connects said power-consuming accessory via said first and second electrical contacts to said first and second power conductors;
an accessory control apparatus for enabling a user to select command and control functions for each power-consuming accessory connected to the Powered Rail;
a powered control module located in said power consuming accessory, responsive to electrically connecting said power-consuming accessory via said first and second electrical contacts to said first and second power conductors, for transmitting device-specific data to said accessory control apparatus to define the power consuming accessory; and
wherein the accessory control apparatus includes a powered control module, electrically connected to the Powered Rail and responsive to the user selecting a command and control function for a particular power-consuming accessory, for transmitting control signals indicative of the user selecting a command and control function for a particular power-consuming accessory to the powered control module located in the particular power-consuming accessory via the first and second power conductors of the Powered Rail, which are shared by all of the power-consuming accessories that are mounted on the Powered Rail, to control the operation of the particular power-consuming accessory.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A firearm used in military applications may have a plurality of accessories that can be attached to the weapon, with each accessory having a need for electric power. In order to reduce the weight of these power-consuming accessories, as well as the proliferation of batteries used to power these power-consuming accessories, a Powered Rail provides a point of mechanical and electrical interconnection for the power-consuming accessories with a common power source. The Weapon Accessory Control System is provided to enable the user to control the activation of a power-consuming accessory as well as enable communications between the user and the power-consuming accessory and among power-consuming accessories.
72 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A weapon accessory control system comprising:
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at least one Powered Rail extending along at least a portion of a length of a barrel of a weapon and electrically connected to a source of electrical power, for providing a source of electrical power to at least one power-consuming accessory that is mechanically and electrically attached to the Powered Rail, comprising; a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact for providing a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection to said power source, respectively, via a first power conductor and a second power conductor, and wherein mechanical mounting of a power-consuming accessory on the Powered Rail electrically connects said power-consuming accessory via said first and second electrical contacts to said first and second power conductors; an accessory control apparatus for enabling a user to select command and control functions for each power-consuming accessory connected to the Powered Rail; a powered control module located in said power consuming accessory, responsive to electrically connecting said power-consuming accessory via said first and second electrical contacts to said first and second power conductors, for transmitting device-specific data to said accessory control apparatus to define the power consuming accessory; and wherein the accessory control apparatus includes a powered control module, electrically connected to the Powered Rail and responsive to the user selecting a command and control function for a particular power-consuming accessory, for transmitting control signals indicative of the user selecting a command and control function for a particular power-consuming accessory to the powered control module located in the particular power-consuming accessory via the first and second power conductors of the Powered Rail, which are shared by all of the power-consuming accessories that are mounted on the Powered Rail, to control the operation of the particular power-consuming accessory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of operating a weapon accessory control system for use with at least one Powered Rail that extends along at least a portion of a length of a barrel of a weapon and electrically connected to a source of electrical power, to provide a source of electrical power to at least one power-consuming accessory that is mechanically and electrically attached to the Powered Rail, comprising:
- a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact for providing a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection to said power source, respectively, via a first power conductor and a second power conductor, and wherein mechanical mounting of a power-consuming accessory on the Powered Rail electrically connects said power-consuming accessory via said first and second electrical contacts to said first and second power conductors;
enabling a user to select command and control functions for each power-consuming accessory connected to the Powered Rail on an accessory control apparatus connected to the Powered Rail; transmitting from a powered control module located in said power-consuming accessory, that is responsive to electrically connecting said power-consuming accessory via said first and second electrical contacts to said first and second power conductors, device-specific data to said accessory control apparatus to define the power-consuming accessory; and transmitting control signals from a powered control module located in the accessory control apparatus, electrically connected to the Powered Rail and responsive to the user selecting a command and control function for a particular power-consuming accessory, indicative of the user selecting a command and control function for a particular power-consuming accessory to the particular power-consuming accessory via the first and second power conductors of the Powered Rail, which are shared by all of the power-consuming accessories that are mounted on the Powered Rail, to control the operation of the particular power-consuming accessory. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact for providing a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection to said power source, respectively, via a first power conductor and a second power conductor, and wherein mechanical mounting of a power-consuming accessory on the Powered Rail electrically connects said power-consuming accessory via said first and second electrical contacts to said first and second power conductors;
Specification