Event detection control system for operating a remote sensor or projectile system

• US 9,081,409 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2011
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Soles, Alexander M., Walsh, Matthew R., Scott, Eric B.
• Primary Examiner(s): HWANG, TIMOTHY
• Application Number:
  US13/161,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 23/56 Arrangements for adjusting the gun platform in the vertical or horizontal position F41A17/10, F41A17/12 take precedence ; ground engaging vehicle fittings for lifting or supporting it B60S9/04; supports for mobile cranes B66C23/78
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/007 Reactive armour; Dynamic armour
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/24 for stationary use, e.g. fortifications ; Shelters; Guard Booths air-raid shelters E04H9/04
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/02 Land vehicles with enclosing armour, e.g. tanks endless-track vehicles, steering thereof B62D ; vehicles for placing portable or sectional bridges E01D15/127; vehicles carrying floating bridges E01D15/22
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/04 Electric hit-indicating systems; Detecting hits by actuation of electric contacts or switches
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/041 Targets comprising two sets of electric contacts forming a coordinate system grid
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0033 by determining damage, crack or wear
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0066 by exciting or detecting vibration or acceleration vibration testing of structures G01M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0091 by using electromagnetic excitation or detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/20 Investigating the presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/04 Analysing solids using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/126 for a housing, e.g. a box, a safe, or a room
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A damage detection and remediation system includes a sensing device for detecting damage events related to a structure of interest. Such damage events may include impact from a ballistic object, a tamper event, a physical impact, or other events that may affect structural integrity or cause failure. Illustratively, the sensing device is in communication with a measurement system to determine damage criteria, and a processing system which is configured to use the damage criteria to determine, for example, a direction of the initiation point of a ballistic causing the damage event.

Claims

1. A damage detection and remediation system comprising:

a sensing device configured to be operably coupled to a structure of interest and to sense damage events, the sensing device including a layer, each of the measuring portions including an input coupling point and an output coupling point and adapted to conduct an electrical signal from the input coupling point to the output coupling point through said layer, wherein each of said input and output coupling points are formed on opposing sides of said layer;

a measurement system in electrical communication with the measuring portions of the sensing device, the measurement system configured to provide electrical signal inputs to the input coupling points of the sensing device, and configured to measure electrical signal outputs at the output coupling points of the sensing device;

a damage detection processing system operably coupled to the measurement system, the processing system configured to determine data on a damage event from the sensed damage event based on changes between the electrical signal inputs at the input coupling points and the electrical signal outputs at the output coupling points, the data including a location of the damage event on the sensing device, size of damage event, time data of damage event, corresponding damage assessment comprising a category of the damage event, and a damage event origination axis approximately oriented upon a point of origin of an object associated with said damage event; and

a targeting device operably coupled to the measurement system and damage detection processing system operable to control movement and operation of an equipment item having a first operation axis associated with operation of said equipment item comprising an operation to orient an aiming axis of said equipment item along said damage event orientation axis up to said point of origin of said object;

wherein said damage event is further determined based on a comparison of changes of said electrical signal outputs between a first measuring portion and a second measuring portion;

wherein said electrical signal output changes of said first measuring portion includes a baseline measurement data determination based on a resistance data value associated with a first state of said layer by taking a measurement of electrical signal outputs of said layer before at least one said damage event, said damage detection processing system and said measuring system are configured to perform a plurality of continuous said comparisons of changes of said electrical signals to continually monitor said sensing device for said damage event or damage events at a specified time interval, wherein said baseline measurement is provided in an initial said measurement of said electrical signal outputs at the output coupling points of the sensing device;

wherein one or more of said baseline measurement data is reset and stored with one or more new baseline measurement data after a determination is made by said damage detection processing system that one or more of said measured electrical signals are different than one or more said baseline measurement data so as to reset damage event detection capability on an ongoing basis for remaining sections of said sensing device;

further comprising an acoustic sensor supported by a vehicle and in communication with the damage detection processing system, the acoustic sensor configured to detect soundwaves generated by the firing of a projectile and provide sound wave data to said damage detection processing system, wherein said damage detection processing system is configured to determine a sound wave origination axis approximately oriented upon a sound wave point of origin, wherein said damage detection processing system is further configured to correlate said sound wave point of origin with said damage event origination axis and said point of origin of said object associated with said damage event and determine a range of spatial orientation correlations, wherein if said damage detection processing system determines said range of spatial orientation correlations then said damage detection processing system outputs a damage event correlation data output to a user interface indicating an increased probability of accurate target identification to a user.

2. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 1, wherein the targeting device comprises an electronic marker emitting an electromagnetic signal.

3. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 2, wherein the targeting device comprises a light source emitting a light for identifying a target.

4. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 1, wherein the targeting device comprises a slewing mechanism.

5. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 4, wherein the slewing mechanism comprises an actuator operably coupled to a weapon supported by a vehicle, the actuator in communication with the damage detection processing system and configured to move the weapon in the direction of the damage event origination axis in response to the data from the damage detection processing system.

6. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 5, wherein the actuator includes a first actuator to rotate a turret about a vertical axis, and a second actuator to pivot a weapon mount about a horizontal axis.

7. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface operably coupled to the damage detection processing system and configured to provide a visual display of the damage data including a representation of a damage alert, the damage event location, a prompt for a potential need for a manual response output of a device comprising an equipment item, and the damage event origination axis.

8. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 7, wherein the visual display includes a plurality of light sources selectively illuminated in alignment with the damage event origination axis.

9. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 1, wherein said data on a damage event further comprises one or more additional locations of the damage event in said sensing device based on said measurement system.

10. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 9, wherein said damage event orientation axis is determined by said damage event processing system at least in part based on spatial relationships of said locations of said damage events.

11. A damage detection and remediation system comprising:

a sensing device configured to be operably coupled to a structure of interest and to sense damage events, the sensing device including a layer, each of the measuring portions including an input coupling point and an output coupling point and adapted to conduct an electrical signal from the input coupling point to the output coupling point through said layer, wherein each of said input and output coupling points are formed on opposing sides of said layer;

a measurement system in electrical communication with the measuring portions of the sensing device, the measurement system configured to provide electrical signal inputs to the input coupling points of the sensing device, and configured to measure electrical signal outputs at the output coupling points of the sensing device;

a damage detection processing system operably coupled to the measurement system, the processing system configured to determine data on a damage event from the sensed damage event based on changes between the electrical signal inputs at the input coupling points and the electrical signal outputs at the output coupling points, the data including a location of the damage event on the sensing device, size of damage event, time data of damage event, corresponding damage assessment comprising a category of the damage event, and a damage event origination axis approximately oriented upon a point of origin of an object associated with said damage event;

a targeting device operably coupled to the measurement system and damage detection processing system operable to control movement and operation of an equipment item having a first operation axis associated with operation of said equipment item comprising an operation to orient an aiming axis of said equipment item along said damage event orientation axis up to said point of origin of said object; and

at least one camera supported by a vehicle and in communication with the damage detection processing system, the at least one camera configured to detect weapon fire flash events which are cross-checked by the processing system with the data from the sensing device, wherein said damage detection processing system correlates weapon fire flash event data comprising flash event origination axis data from said at least one camera with said damage event origination axis and said a point of origin of an object associated with said damage event and determine a range of spatial orientation correlations, wherein if said damage detection processing system determines said range of spatial orientation correlations then said damage detection system outputs a damage event correlation data output to a user interface indicating an increased probability of accurate target identification;

wherein said damage event is further determined based on a comparison of changes of said electrical signal outputs between a first measuring portion and a second measuring portion;

wherein said electrical signal output changes of said first measuring portion includes a baseline measurement data determination based on a resistance data value associated with a first state of said layer by taking a measurement of electrical signal outputs of said layer before at least one said damage event, said damage detection processing system and said measuring system are configured to perform a plurality of continuous said comparisons of changes of said electrical signals to continually monitor said sensing device for said damage event or damage events at a specified time interval, wherein said baseline measurement is provided in an initial said measurement of said electrical signal outputs at the output coupling points of the sensing device;

wherein one or more of said baseline measurement data is reset and stored with one or more new baseline measurement data after a determination is made by said damage detection processing system that one or more of said measured electrical signals are different than one or more said baseline measurement data so as to reset damage event detection capability on an ongoing basis for remaining sections of said sensing device.

12. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 11, wherein the targeting device comprises an electronic marker emitting an electromagnetic signal.

13. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 12, wherein the targeting device comprises a light source emitting a light for identifying a target.

14. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 11, wherein the targeting device comprises a slewing mechanism.

15. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 14, wherein the slewing mechanism comprises an actuator operably coupled to a weapon supported by a vehicle, the actuator in communication with the damage detection processing system and configured to move the weapon in the direction of the damage event origination axis in response to the data from the damage detection processing system.

16. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 15, wherein the actuator includes a first actuator to rotate a turret about a vertical axis, and a second actuator to pivot a weapon mount about a horizontal axis.

17. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 11, further comprising a user interface operably coupled to the damage detection processing system and configured to provide a visual display of the damage data including a representation of a damage alert, the damage event location, a prompt for a potential need for a manual response output of a device comprising an equipment item, and the damage event origination axis.

18. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 17, wherein the visual display includes a plurality of light sources selectively illuminated in alignment with the damage event origination axis.

19. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 11, further comprising an acoustic sensor supported by the vehicle and in communication with the damage detection processing system, the acoustic sensor configured to detect soundwaves generated by the firing of a projectile and provide sound wave data to said damage detection processing system, wherein said damage detection processing system is configured to determine a sound wave origination axis approximately oriented upon a sound wave point of origin, wherein said damage detection processing system is further configured to correlate said sound wave point of origin with said damage event origination axis and said point of origin of said object associated with said damage event and determine a range of spatial orientation correlations, wherein if said damage detection processing system determines said range of spatial orientation correlations then said damage detection processing system outputs a damage event correlation data output to a user interface indicating an increased probability of accurate target identification to a user.

20. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 11, wherein said data on a damage event further comprises one or more additional locations of the damage event in said sensing device based on said measurement system.

21. The damage detection and remediation system of claim 20, wherein said damage event orientation axis is determined by said damage event processing system at least in part based on spatial relationships of said locations of said damage events.