WO2011072672A1 - Apparatus and method for identifying projectiles and/or propellant charges in particular for a heavy weapon - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for identifying projectiles and/or propellant charges in particular for a heavy weapon are disclosed. The projectile (1) and/or the propellant charge (6') are equipped with an RFID chip (2) to generate an identification signal. A reading unit (3, 7) which reads the identification signal generated by the RFID chip (2) is arranged within or in front of the zone of the weapon (4) and/or of an ammunition magazine, said reading unit (3, 7) being connected to a processing unit (9) that processes the identification signal and can be connected to the fire control computer (10).

Description

 Device and method for identifying projectiles and / or propellant charges for a particularly heavy weapon

The invention relates to a device and a method for the identification of projectiles and / or propellant charges for a particular heavy weapon. The invention can be used in particular for heavy weapons such as artillery guns or battle tanks. In this case, the ammunition can consist of a projectile or a propellant charge, which can be introduced into the weapon barrel either individually or together (patrolled).

When loading a combat vehicle with the appropriate ammunition, there are usually different types of bullets. So far, this had the consequence that the operator when Aufmunitionieren each determine the Geschosortorte and had to enter into the distribution system, so that a suitable distribution of the ammunition in the projectile and propellant charge magazines could be made and was recorded exactly, at which point which projectile or which propellant charge was. With this manual entry input errors can occur, which can lead to serious consequences when loading and firing the weapon, for example, if missiles or propellants are confused or the ballistics is calculated incorrectly due to an incorrect input.

 In addition, manual input of data is time consuming.

The invention has for its object to provide a device and a method for the identification of projectiles and / or propellant charges for a particular heavy weapon with which an automatic identification of projectiles and propellant charges is made possible a bullet magazine, a propellant charge magazine or a weapon be supplied.

The solution according to the invention is achieved with a device according to patent claim 1 and a method according to patent claim 11. Advantageous developments of the invention are described in the dependent of the claims 1 and 1 1 dependent claims.

A basic idea of the invention is to provide bullets and / or propellant charges with an RFID chip which generates an identification signal, which is then read out when a bullet or propellant is fed to a magazine or a weapon by means of a readout unit and in one Processing unit is processed. At the processing unit, the determined identification can be displayed and also entered directly into the fire control computer automatically. The readout unit and the processing unit can also be designed as a structural unit. The readout unit is arranged in or in front of the area of the weapon and / or an ammunition magazine. The location of the area results from the respective function of the device according to the invention. If several functions are to be exercised, several readout units can also be used at different locations. The location and size of the area may depend on the range of the RFID system. The closer the readout unit is arranged to the RFID chip, the safer the identification can be. The location of the readout unit is selected such that the projectile and / or the propellant charge in the position in which the readout is to take place, are within the range of the RFID system consisting of RFID chip and readout unit.

The use of an RFID chip (RFID: Radio Frequency Identification) for sending an identification signal opens up the possibility, at any time and at any point of the way the ammunition to the magazine or the weapon query the identification and supply the Feuerleitrechner.

The RFID chip can be arranged in the projectile and the propellant charge or else on the outer side of the projectile and the propellant charge. A particular flexibility of the device according to the invention is achieved in that a readout unit for the identification signal can be arranged at very different points of the feed path of projectiles or propellant charges. For example, the readout unit can be arranged on the projectile / propellant charge supply opening of a combat vehicle, but it can also be arranged directly in front of a projectile magazine and / or a propellant charge magazine. It is also possible to arrange a readout unit on the piecing or the propellant charge supply device of a weapon or on the weapon itself. The device can be used for controlling and / or monitoring the flow of projectiles and / or propellant charges, in particular in a combat vehicle. This ammunition flow can be controlled and / or monitored during both ammunition and firing.

Preferably, the processing unit may assign a predetermined space in the ammunition magazine to the identified projectile or the identified propellant charge. Further preferably, an automatic projectile or propellant charge supply device can be controlled by the processing unit such that an identified projectile or an identified propellant charge is supplied to the predetermined location in the ammunition magazine. Thus, the weapon system is preferably able to know at any time and fully automatically, at which point in the magazine which bullet or which propellant charge is.

Before the actual launch, a security query can take place, whether it is actually the selected projectile or the selected propellant charge or the correct number of propellant charge modules. Thus, the prediction of the muzzle velocity can be secured. This accurate prediction of the muzzle velocity represents a safety aspect for the target area. An incorrect calculation of the ballistics can be excluded and thus the risk of misses and collateral damage can be minimized. When ammunition can be saved in the battle, the time of a manual input of ammunition data. Furthermore, the whereabouts of personnel outside the protected combat area can be shortened. Another security aspect is the detection of the charging sequence. It can be recognized by the system, for example, if propellant charges were introduced into the propellant space by the operator in front of the projectile. A read-out unit on the piecing would sense a wrong charge sequence and force a termination of the piecing process before the bullet is applied.

The use of an RFID chip in the device according to the invention and in the method according to the invention has the advantage that RFID chips are maintenance-free over their entire service life and thus independent of the storage times of the ammunition. The power supply of the RFID chip can be done by excitation by means of a magnetic field of the readout unit, which interrogates the identification signal.

An inventive combat vehicle with a particular heavy weapon and / or ammunition magazine has a device for the identification of projectiles and / or propellant charges of the type already described.

In the following, an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention and the method according to the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings show:

Figure 1 is a highly schematic diagram of the device for the identification of projectiles and / or propellant charges. 2 and 3 is a partial section through a weapon system before and after the Feeding the propellants;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the rear of a combat vehicle with a projectile propellant charge supply opening. Figure 1 shows a projectile 1, which is located at an unspecified position of the feed path to a bullet magazine or to the weapon. On the floor a passive RFID chip 2 is arranged, in which a transponder and a memory for storing an identification signal are integrated. As is well known, a transponder is a radio communication device which can in particular record, answer or forward incoming signals. Transponders for RFID applications are known in principle. An RFID system generally consists of a read-out unit as a reading device with an antenna and an active or passive transponder, which has an electronic and an antenna, which is usually designed as a coil. The electronics usually comprise a capacitance which forms with the antenna a resonant circuit of a predetermined frequency and a digital circuit and a memory. About a arranged near the transponder reader, the transponder can be read. In active transponders, the transponder has its own energy source, whereas in passive transponders the required energy is provided via the magnetic field generated by the transmitting antenna of the reader by means of inductive coupling in the transponder. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the identification signal generated by the RFID chip 2 is interrogated by a readout unit 3 and fed to a processing unit 9. The signal transmission from RFID chip 2 to the readout unit 3 is wireless. To the processing unit 9, a read-out unit 7 is further connected, which is arranged on the only indicated in Figure 1 propellant charge supply device 8 a likewise only indicated heavy weapon, which are explained below with reference to Figures 2 and 3. On the propulsion charge supply device 8 is a propellant charge 6 ', which has in a manner not shown in its interior an RFID chip whose identification signal is interrogated by the readout unit 7 and also the processing unit 9 is supplied. The interrogation of the identification signal by the readout unit 7 can either be done when the propellant charge 6 'is on the propellant charge supply device 8 or when the propellant charge 6' is inserted through the weapon closure 4.1 into the propellant charge chamber 4.2 of the weapon barrel 4. The processed in the processing unit 9 identification signals can be forwarded to the Feuerleitrechner 10 of the weapon.

In Figures 2 and 3, the charging process is shown on a heavy weapon. A shot 5 is already set in the weapon barrel 4 partially shown there. The propellant charges 6, which are brought up by means of a propellant charge feeding device 8 not described in further detail, are intended to be introduced into the propellant charge chamber 4.2 through the closure 4.1 of the weapon.

The propellant charge supply device may be constructed, for example, as described in EP 1 736 726 B1. FIG. 3 shows the state after supply of the propellant charges 6 into the propellant charge chamber 4.2. During or after this feed operation for the propellant charges, the identification signal of the propellant charges to be supplied can be conveyed from a read-out unit 7 which is arranged, for example, on the propellant charge supply device. ordered RFID chip are read out and supplied in the manner explained with reference to Figure 1 manner of the processing unit 9.

In principle, an identification signal of the attached projectile 5 can also be read out by means of the read-out unit 7, which can also be arranged on the weapon itself.

FIG. 4 shows the rear area of a combat vehicle KF with a projectile / propellant charge supply opening 11, through which a projectile 1 is introduced for Aufmunitio- renieren the combat vehicle and fed in a manner not specifically shown an ammunition magazine. On the outside of the projectile 1, an RFID chip 2 is attached, which generates an identification signal associated with the projectile. In the area of the projectile / propellant charge supply opening 11 there is a read-out unit 3 through which the identification signal is read out and fed to the processing unit in the manner already explained with reference to FIG.

The processing unit then assigns a predetermined space in the ammunition magazine to the identified projectile or to an identified propellant charge. In this case, an automatic projectile or propulsion charge supply device can be controlled by the processing unit 9 in such a way that an identified projectile or an identified propellant charge is automatically supplied to the predetermined location in the ammunition magazine.

Furthermore, in preparation for a launch, an automatic missile and / or propellant charge supply device for the weapon can be controlled by the processing unit such that an identified projectile and / or one or more identified propellant charges are removed from the ammunition magazine and fed to the weapon. During the feeding process can also be checked whether projectile and propellant charges be fed in the correct order. Finally, after the feeding operation to the weapon and before the launch, a security inquiry can read out and check the identification signals of the charged projectiles and / or propellant charges. For this purpose, the type of charged projectile or of the charged propellant charge can be compared with the type of the desired projectile or the desired propellant charge. Upon detection of a false projectile or a wrong propellant charge then the supply process can be aborted and / or the firing be prevented, for example by the fact that the shot is not released. Thus, it can be achieved that the determined in the Feuerleitrechner Feuerleitlösung also applies to the charged projectile, so that the determined ballistics is correct and the desired goal is taken.

Claims

claims: 1 . Device for identifying projectiles (1) and / or propellants (6, 6 ') for a particularly heavy weapon (4),  characterized in that  the projectile (1) and / or the propellant charges (6, 6 ') have an RFID chip (2) for generating an identification signal and in or in front of the area of the weapon (4) and / or an ammunition magazine a readout unit (7, 3 ) is arranged for reading the identification signal generated by the RFID chip to which a processing unit (9) for processing the identification signal is connected. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the RFID chip in the projectile and / or in the propellant charge (6, 6 ') is arranged. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the RFID chip (2) on the outside of the projectile (1) and / or the propellant charge is arranged. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a read-out unit (3) on the projectile / propellant charge supply opening (1 1) of a combat vehicle (KF) is arranged. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a read-out unit is arranged on or immediately before a bullet magazine. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a read-out unit is arranged on or immediately before a propellant charge magazine. 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a read-out unit is arranged on the piecing of the weapon. 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a read-out unit (7) on the propellant charge supply device (8) of the weapon (4) is arranged. 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a read-out unit is arranged on the weapon. 10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the processing unit (9) with the Feuerleitrechner (10) of the weapon is connected. 11. Method for identifying projectiles (1) and / or propellant charges (6 ') for a particularly heavy weapon, characterized by the following method steps a. an RFID chip (2) arranged on or in the projectile (1) and / or on or in the propellant charge (6 ') generates an identification signal; b. During or after the feeding process of a projectile (1) or a propellant charge (6 ') to the weapon or to an ammunition magazine, the identification signal is read by a readout unit (3, 7) and a processing unit (9) Identification of the projectile (1) or the propellant charge (6 ') supplied. 12. The method of claim 1 1, characterized in that from the processing unit (9) the identified projectile (1) or the identified propellant charge (6 ') is assigned a predetermined space in the ammunition magazine. 13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that an automatic projectile or propellant charge supply device of the Processing unit (9) are controlled such that an identified projectile (1) or an identified propellant charge (6 ') are supplied to the predetermined place in the ammunition magazine. 14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that an automatic projectile or Treibladungszuführungsvor- direction of the processing unit (9) are controlled by the fact that an identified projectile (1) and / or one or more identified propellant charges ( 6 ') are removed from the ammunition magazine and fed to the weapon. 15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that is checked by the processing unit (9) during or after the feeding operation, whether projectile (1) and propellant charge (6 ') or propellant charges are supplied in the correct order or supplied have been. 16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that of the processing unit (9) via a readout unit (7) after the Zu- Guidance process to the weapon and before the launch in a security query the identification signals of the charged projectiles (1) and / or propellant charges (6 ') are read out and checked. Method according to one of Claims 1 1 to 16, characterized in that the identification signals from the processing unit (9) are fed to a fire control computer (10) for calculating the ballistics. Method according to one of claims 11 to 17, characterized in that upon detection of a false bullet (1) and / or a wrong propellant charge (6 '), the firing and / or the feeding process are prevented or canceled.