Muzzle velocity sensor

• US 8,935,958 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DRS Technologies Canada, Ltd. (Leonardo S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: DRS Technologies Canada, Ltd. (Leonardo S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Downing, Warren James
• Primary Examiner(s): KWOK, HELEN C
• Application Number:
  US13/300,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20120125092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 731/67, 734/88, 734/89, 734/92, 734/95, 42/10.1, 42/10.2, 42/10.3
• US Class Current: 73/167
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/14 for measuring the force of explosions; for measuring the energy of projectiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/665 for projectile velocity measurements

Abstract

Embodiments of the present technology are directed to systems and methods for measuring projectile muzzle velocity. A muzzle velocity sensor measures an acceleration as well as a set of events occurring within the barrel of the firearm upon a shot being fired. Using the measured data, a muzzle velocity is calculated. The muzzle velocity sensor is used externally to the firearm, requiring no changes to the firearm or the projectile.

Claims

1. A method of measuring a velocity of a projectile, comprising:

sensing an acceleration of a firearm in response to a shot being initiated, the sensing being performed with a first sensor being mounted on an exterior of the firearm;

sensing a set of events occurring within the firearm in response to the shot being initiated, the sensing being performed with a second sensor being mounted on the exterior of the firearm, wherein the set of events include at least an activation of a primer of a cartridge within the firearm and a projectile exit from a barrel of the firearm;

integrating data from the first sensor with data from the second sensor to determine whether the firearm has been fired; and

calculating a value corresponding to a muzzle velocity of the projectile using the set of events occurring within the firearm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are piezoelectric sensors.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is mounted longitudinally along the firearm and is configured to sense a rearward acceleration of the firearm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is mounted laterally along the firearm, wherein the second sensor senses mechanical energy along an axis that is perpendicular to a rearward acceleration of the firearm.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are mounted on an accessory rail of the firearm.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating includes calculating the value corresponding to the muzzle velocity using parameters associated with the firearm.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the parameters associated with the firearm include a length of the barrel of the firearm.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing the set of events includes sensing when a firing pin of the firearm contacts the primer of the cartridge within the firearm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing the set of events includes sensing ammunition powder burning in the cartridge within the firearm.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing the set of events includes sensing a separation of the projectile from a casing of a cartridge within the firearm.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing the set of events includes sensing the projectile traveling through a barrel of the firearm.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the value corresponding to the muzzle velocity to a ballistics device, the ballistics device predicting a target of a subsequent projectile using the value.

13. A system for measuring a velocity of a projectile, comprising:

a first sensor capable of being mounted on an exterior of a firearm wherein the first sensor is adapted to sense an acceleration of the firearm in response to a shot being initiated;

a second sensor capable of being mounted on the exterior of the firearm wherein the second sensor is adapted to sense a set of events occurring within the firearm in response to the shot being initiated, wherein the set of events include at least an activation of a primer of a cartridge within the firearm and a projectile exit from a barrel of the firearm;

an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor, wherein the analog-to-digital converter is adapted to convert analog outputs of the first sensor and the second sensor into digital outputs; and

a processor in communication with the analog-to-digital converter, wherein the processor is configured to;

integrate data from the first sensor with data from the second sensor to determine whether the firearm has been fired; and

calculate a value corresponding to a muzzle velocity of the projectile using the data from the second sensor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are piezoelectric sensors.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first sensor is capable of being mounted longitudinally along the firearm and is capable of sensing rearward acceleration along a longitudinal axis of the firearm.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the second sensor is capable of being mounted laterally along the firearm, wherein the second sensor is capable of sensing mechanical energy along an axis that is perpendicular to a rearward acceleration of the firearm.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are capable of being mounted on an accessory rail of the firearm.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is adapted to calculate the value corresponding to the muzzle velocity using parameters associated with the firearm.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a ballistics device in communication with the processor, wherein the ballistics device is configured to predict a target of a subsequent projectile using the value corresponding to the muzzle velocity.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the second sensor is capable of sensing when a firing pin of the firearm contacts the primer of the cartridge within the firearm.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the second sensor is capable of sensing ammunition powder burning in the cartridge within the firearm.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the second sensor is capable of sensing a separation of the projectile from a casing of the cartridge within the firearm.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the second sensor is capable of sensing the projectile traveling through the barrel of the firearm.

24. A method for measuring a velocity of a projectile, comprising:

receiving from a first sensor an acceleration value corresponding to an acceleration of a firearm in response to a shot being initiated, the first sensor being mounted on an exterior of the firearm;

receiving from a second sensor a set of values corresponding to a set of events occurring within the firearm in response to the shot being initiated, wherein the set of events include at least an activation of a primer of a cartridge within the firearm and a projectile exit from the barrel, the second sensor being mounted on the exterior of the firearm;

integrating data from the first sensor with data from the second sensor to determine whether the firearm has been fired; and

calculating a muzzle velocity value corresponding to a muzzle velocity of the projectile using the set of values.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are piezoelectric sensors.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the first sensor is mounted longitudinally along the firearm and is configured to sense a rearward acceleration of the firearm.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the second sensor is mounted laterally along the firearm, wherein the second sensor senses mechanical energy along an axis that is perpendicular to a rearward acceleration of the firearm.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are mounted on an accessory rail of the firearm.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of calculating includes calculating the muzzle velocity value using parameters associated with the firearm.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

sending the muzzle velocity value to a ballistics device, the ballistics device predicting a target of a subsequent projectile using the muzzle velocity value.

31. A system for measuring a velocity of a projectile from a firearm, comprising:

a piezoelectric sensor capable of being mounted on an exterior of the firearm wherein the piezoelectric sensor is adapted to sense a set of events occurring within the firearm in response to a shot being initiated, wherein the set of events include at least an activation of a primer of a cartridge within the firearm and a projectile exit from a barrel of the firearm;

an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the piezoelectric sensor, wherein the analog-to-digital converter is adapted to convert analog outputs associated with the set of events of the piezoelectric sensor into digital outputs; and

a processor in communication with the analog-to-digital converter, wherein the processor is configured to calculate a value corresponding to a muzzle velocity of the projectile using the digital outputs.

32. A method for measuring a velocity of a projectile from a firearm, comprising:

receiving from a piezoelectric sensor a set of values corresponding to a set of events occurring within the firearm in response to a shot being initiated, the piezoelectric sensor being mounted on an exterior of the firearm, wherein the set of events include at least an activation of a primer of a cartridge within the firearm and a projectile exit from a barrel of the firearm; and

calculating a muzzle velocity value corresponding to a muzzle velocity of the projectile using the set of values.

33. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied thereon, the computer-readable code capable of being read by a processor and including code for a method comprising:

sensing an acceleration of a firearm in response to a shot being initiated, the sensing being performed with a first sensor being mounted on an exterior of the firearm;

sensing a set of events occurring within the firearm in response to the shot being initiated, the sensing being performed with a second sensor being mounted on the exterior of the firearm, wherein the set of events include at least an activation of a primer of a cartridge within the firearm and a projectile exit from a barrel of the firearm;

integrating data from the first sensor with data from the second sensor to determine whether the firearm has been fired; and

calculating a value corresponding to a muzzle velocity of the projectile using the set of events occurring within the firearm.