REMOTE INITIATOR FOR THE REMOTE INITIATION OF EXPLOSIVE CHARGES

• US 20100170411A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MAS Zengrange (NZ) Limited (MAS (Holdings) Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: MAS Zengrange (NZ) Limited (MAS (Holdings) Ltd.)
• Inventors: Humphries, Tony, Moore, Ian, Hornbrook, Anthony Paul, Ballantine, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 8,134,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/206
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/045 Arrangements for electric ignition dynamo-electric generators H02K
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 5/00 Safety arrangements

Abstract

A remote initiator for the remote initiation of explosive charges. The remote initiator having: (i) a transmitter with means for generating and transmitting a coded signal and input means for inputting operational commands into the transmitter for generating the coded signal, (ii) at least one receiver adapted to be connected with the explosive charges, the receiver having means for receiving the coded signal from the transmitter and input means for inputting operational commands into the receiver for generating an output signal for the remote initiation of explosive charges upon receipt of a valid transmitted coded signal, (iii) a power source for each of the transmitter and receiver, and dual processing means that are independent of each other are adapted to provide independent control of a firing circuit and adapted to synchronize with each processing means before initiation can occur so as to enhance safety and reliability of the transmitter and receiver and the initiation of the remote initiator.

Claims

1. A remote initiator for the remote initiation of explosive charges, wherein the remote initiator includes:

(i) a transmitter having means for generating and transmitting a coded signal and input means for inputting operational commands into the transmitter for generating the coded signal,

(ii) at least one receiver adapted to be connected with the explosive charges, the receiver having means for receiving the coded signal from the transmitter and input means for inputting operational commands into the receiver for generating an output signal for the remote initiation of explosive charges upon receipt of a valid transmitted coded signal,

(iii) a power source for each of the transmitter and receiver, and

(iv) dual processing means that are independent of each other are adapted to provide independent control of a firing circuit and adapted to synchronize with each processing means before initiation can occur so as to enhance safety and reliability of the transmitter and receiver and the initiation of the remote initiator.

2. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein each processing means are of a different type relative to other.

3. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 2, wherein each processing means is a computerized processing means.

4. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing means is a microprocessor.

5. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 2, wherein each processing means in has a clock wherein each clock is independent of the other and the times of each clock must be synchronized with each other before initiation of the remote initiator can occur.

6. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitter includes the dual processing means.

7. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver includes the dual processing means.

8. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein both the transmitter and receiver include separate dual processing means.

9. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 4, wherein each microprocessor is a differing type relative to other to ensure no common failings in each processor.

10. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 9 wherein the software for each microprocessor is independently written.

11. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitter and receivers share a common signal code, wherein the signal code includes:

(i) a USER code adapted to allow remote initiator to be initiated by the designated users,

(ii) a GROUP code adapted to allow users of a group to use the initiator, and

(iii) a CIRCUIT code adapted to allow for multiple and separate charges to fielded and initiated separately by the remote initiator.

12. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of receivers.

13. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the transmitter and receivers share a common signal code, wherein the signal code includes:

(i) a USER code adapted to allow remote initiator to be initiated by the designated users,

(ii) a GROUP code adapted to allow users of a group to use the initiator, and

(iii) a CIRCUIT code adapted to allow for multiple and separate charges to be fielded and initiated separately by the remote initiator.

14. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the transmitter and receiver have built in self tests adapted to be activated at switch on.

15. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 14, wherein both the transmitter and receiver are adapted to operate and withstand environmental extremes.

16. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 15, wherein the transmitter and receiver are adapted to operate in saltwater to depth of 20 meters, operate in temperature range of −

40°

C. and +60°

C. and carriage in an unpressurized aircraft to 30000 feet.

17. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a timer initiation function adapted to allow detonation after a settable elapsed time delay.

18. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 17, wherein the timer initiation function is adapted to be overridden so as to still allow for remote firing and detonation.

19. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver is adapted to be reusable.

20. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver is adapted to be expendable.

21. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitter is adapted to activate a receiver with a line of sight transmission within 25 kms,

22. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitter is adapted to activate a receiver in an urban environment within 3 kms.

23. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitter is adapted to activate a receiver in open terrain within 3-5 kms.

24. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery or batteries.

25. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 10, wherein the transmitter includes control buttons that are adapted to permit simultaneous two button operation is required for firing of the remoter initiator.

26. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 10, wherein the software for each microprocessor has strict coding practices including:

(i) use of pseudo ‘

high level’

code (PDL) to define code structure before converting to assembler language,

(ii) only one entry and exit point in sub-programs,

(iii) strict control on use of registers to minimize accidental over-writes,

(iv) use of a separate register bank for interrupt handling,

(v) use of interrupts restricted to timing and data reception,

(vi) avoidance of the use of dynamic memory management,

(vii) avoidance of the use of floating point arithmetic. and

(viii) protection of sensitive data by CRC checksums.

27. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote initiator is adapted to be command detonation of explosives by either radio signals or time or both.

28. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 13, wherein the receiver is adapted to only respond to the common signal code received from the transmitter only if the transmitted common signal code matches all parts of the receivers internal code.

29. A remote initiator for the remote initiation of explosive charges, the remote initiator includes:

(i) a transmitter having means for generating and transmitting a coded signal and input means for inputting operational commands into the transmitter for generating the coded signal,

(ii) at least one receiver adapted to be connected with the explosive charges, the receiver having means for receiving the coded signal from the transmitter and input means for inputting operational commands into the receiver for generating an output signal for the remote initiation of explosive charges upon receipt of a valid transmitted coded signal in communication with the receiver,

(iii) a power source for each of the transmitter and receiver, and

(iv) dual processing means that are independent of each other are adapted to provide independent control of a firing circuit and adapted to synchronize with each processing means before initiation can occur so as to enhance safety and reliability of the transmitter and receiver and the initiation of the remote initiator,

wherein the transmitter and receiver share and store a common signalling code that binds both the transmitter and receiver to a group and the receiver will only respond to a transmitted coded signal that matches all parts of the common signalling code stored in the receiver.

30. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 29, wherein there is a plurality of receivers, each adapted to receive and process a coded signal from the transmitter and initiate an output signal for the remote initiation of explosive charges in communication with the receivers.

31. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 30, wherein the common signalling includes:

(i) a USER code adapted to allow remote initiator to be initiated by designated users,

(ii) a GROUP code adapted to allow users of a group to use the initiator, and

(iii) a CIRCUIT code adapted to allow for multiple and separate charges to be fielded and initiated separately by the remote initiator.

32. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 31, wherein each processing means are of a different type relative to other.

33. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 32, wherein each processing means is a computerized processing means.

34. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 32, wherein the processing means is a microprocessor.

35. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 32, wherein each processing means in has a clock wherein the times of each clock must be synchronized with each other before initiation of the remote initiator can occur.

36. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 31, wherein the transmitter includes the dual processing means.

37. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 31, wherein the receiver includes the dual processing means.

38. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 31, wherein both the transmitter and receiver include separate dual processing means.

39. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 34, wherein each microprocessor is a differing type relative to other to ensure no common failings in each processor.

40. The remote initiator as claimed in claim 39 wherein the software for each microprocessor is independently written.

41. A remote initiating system for the remote initiation of explosive charges, the remote initiating system includes a remote initiator including:

(i) a transmitter having means for generating and transmitting a coded signal and input means for inputting operational commands into the transmitter for generating the coded signal,

(ii) at least one receiver adapted to be connected with the explosive charges, the receiver having means for receiving the coded signal from the transmitter and input means for inputting operational commands into the receiver for generating an output signal for the remote initiation of explosive charges upon receipt of a valid transmitted coded signal in communication with the receiver,

(iii) a power source for each of the transmitter and receiver, and

(iv) dual processing means that are independent of each other are adapted to provide independent control of a firing circuit and adapted to synchronize with each processing means before initiation can occur so as to enhance safety and reliability of the transmitter and receiver and the initiation of the remote initiator,

wherein the transmitter and receiver share and store a common signalling code that binds both the transmitter and receiver to a group and the receiver will only respond to a transmitted coded signal that matches all parts of the common signalling code stored in the receiver.

42-44. -44. (canceled)