Recon/optical, Inc.

Eos Defense Systems, Inc.

James P Quinn

Mark Prichard

Jason L Seelye

James T Dillon

Brian O James

Stephen R Beran

Andre G Lareau

John A Lund

John G Lecuyer

John F Milwee

Richard C Ruck

George S Chirempes

Ralph Hernicz

Lance D Gedde

Alan Lubow

A gimbaled weapon system (GWS) includes a sighting system, a control unit, a weapon cradle for receiving a weapon, and an operator interface for the GWS located remotely from the weapon cradle and the sighting system. The weapon cradle is co-located with the sighting system as a unit in the GWS. The GWS includes four independent axis drives: a first elevation drive for elevating the weapon cradle; a first azimuth drive for rotation the weapon cradle in azimuth; a second elevation drive elevating the sighting system independently of the elevation of the weapon cradle by the first elevation drive; and a second azimuth drive for rotating the sighting system independent of the weapon cradle in azimuth.

Dual elevation weapon station and method of use

A gimbaled weapon system (GWS) is disclosed having a sighting system, a control unit, a weapon cradle for receiving a weapon, and an operator interface for the GWS located remotely from the weapon cradle and the sighting system. The weapon cradle is co-located with the sighting system as a unit in the GWS. The GWS also includes a first elevation drive for elevating the weapon cradle, a first azimuth drive for rotation the weapon cradle in azimuth, and a second elevation drive elevating the sighting system independently of the elevation of the weapon cradle by the first elevation drive. The sighting system includes a sighting device incorporating a laser range finder, a visible spectrum video camera and a thermal spectrum video camera.

A gimbaled weapon system (GWS) is disclosed having a sighting system, a control unit, a weapon cradle and an operator interface for the GWS located remotely from the weapon cradle and the sighting system. The weapon cradle is elevated using a first elevation drive. The weapon cradle is co-located with the sighting system as a unit in the GWS. The GWS includes a second elevation drive elevating the sighting system independently of the elevation of the weapon cradle by the first elevation drive. A network of multiple, mobile target sensors located remotely from the GWS provide coordinates or location of a target to the control unit of the GWS.

Dual elecation weapon station and method of use

A gimbaled weapon system (GWS) is disclosed having a sighting system, a control unit, a weapon cradle for receiving a weapon, and an operator interface for the GWS located remotely from the weapon cradle and the sighting system. The weapon cradle is elevated using a first elevation drive. The weapon cradle is co-located with the sighting system as a unit in the GWS. The sighting system includes a thermal video camera and a visible spectrum video camera, the thermal video camera and the visible spectrum video camera each producing a video output. The thermal and visible spectrum video outputs are provided to the operator interface for the GWS for display on a display included in the operator interface.

A rounds counter for a weapon mount is disclosed. The rounds counter is mounted on the mount in a remote location from the weapon itself, such as to a pedestal supporting a gimbal rotating the weapon mount in azimuth, inside an elevation drive housing, or to other structure. The mounting location is selected to be one where shock loads are relatively high, as compared to other locations on the mount. The rounds counter includes a sensor which senses shock due to the firing of the weapon, such as an accelerometer or strain gauge. The sensor could also be an acoustic transducer. Analog and digital circuitry for processing the sensor signal and to count the firing of the gun is also disclosed. The rounds counter is particularly useful as a common, single rounds counter unit for a weapon mount is adapted to receive and fire a variety of weapons, such as remotely operated weapon mounts mounted to military vehicles and patrol watercraft adapted to receive and fire four different types of guns.

Rounds counter remotely located from gun

A method is described of preventing weapon fire during operation of a self-contained gimbaled weapon system (GWS). The GWS has a sighting system, a weapon and a weapon cradle. The weapon cradle is elevated by an operator using a first elevation drive and moved in azimuth using an azimuth drive. In the method, the sighting system is moved using a second elevation drive and the azimuth drive to acquire a target based on signals received from a first operator interface and display unit located remotely from the GWS. The method further involves observing target information received from the first operator interface and display unit using a second observation unit having a display unit, and overriding operator control of the weapon based on the observation of the second observation unit to prevent firing of the weapon.

A gimbaled weapon system (GWS) implements methods for identifying and tracking a target. In one aspect, the sighting system of the GWS moves independently in elevation from the weapon cradle and tracks a target while the weapon cradle and attached weapon are maintained in a non-hostile position, such as a stowed or vertical position. In another aspect, the method uses a system of networked sensors in communication with an observation unit for the GWS. The sighting system is elevated using a second elevation drive to acquire a target based on signals received the system of networked sensors. The network sensors provide coordinates of probable targets, which can trigger automatic tracking of the target or an alarm to notify the operator of a probable target.

A gimbaled weapon system (GWS) includes a method of recording target engagement during operation of the GWS. The GWS includes a sighting system, a weapon cradle and a weapon, wherein the weapon cradle is elevated using a first elevation drive. The sighting system is moved in elevation relative to the weapon cradle using a second elevation drive. A visual image of a target is acquired using the sighting system based on signals received from an observation unit located remotely from the GWS. The visual image of the target is recorded on a storage media for later playback for display by the gunner at the observation unit or optionally by a commander at a separate commander observation unit.

A gimbaled weapon system (GWS) includes methods for implementing no fire of the weapon, including a method based on azimuth coordinates of predetermined no fire zones which are stored in a control unit, and overriding operator control of the GWS from a second observation unit which his separate from a first or gunner observation unit.

A self-contained gimbaled weapon system (GWS) has a shared azimuth axis and two independent elevation axes for a sighting device and a weapon cradle. The GWS allows the weapon cradle to be elevated completely independent of the sighting device. The GWS can be stabilized and operated remotely.

A shutter for reconnaissance cameras includes a digital signal processor (DSP) system which provides for control of motors moving two curtains. The curtains each define an edge, the gap between the edges of the curtains defines an exposure slit. The shutter replaces the prior art DC curtain motors and potentiometer curtain position sensing devices with AC motors having integral resolvers that provide motor shaft position feedback information. Furthermore, a mechanical clutch coupling the curtains together, which has been standard practice in the prior art, has been eliminated, with the precise movement of the curtains governed by the motors under control by the DSP. The marriage of DSP control with the AC motors and resolvers provides a direct coupling to the curtains, with built-in motor shaft position feedback via the resolvers. This design allows not only precise movement of the curtains and control of the exposure slit, but also provides for a dramatically increased durability, reliability, long mean time between failure, and high frame rates. The shutter is thus able to meet the requirements of the latest generation of reconnaissance cameras, whereas known prior at shutters lacked these capabilities due to their inherent design limitations.

Long-life focal plane shutter for reconnaissance cameras

An aerial reconnaissance system generates imagery of a scene that meets resolution or field of view objectives automatically and autonomously. In one embodiment, a passive method of automatically calculating range to the target from a sequence of airborne reconnaissance camera images is used. Range information is use for controlling the adjustment of a zoom lens to yield frame-to-frame target imagery that has a desired, e.g., constant, ground resolution or field of view at the center of the image despite rapid and significant aircraft altitude and attitude changes. Image to image digital correlation is used to determine the displacement of the target at the focal plane. Camera frame rate and aircraft INS/GPS information is used to accurately determine the frame to frame distance (baseline). The calculated range to target is then used to drive a zoom lens servo mechanism to the proper focal length to yield the desired resolution or field of view for the next image. The method may be performed based on parameters other than range, such as aircraft height and stand off distance.

Autonomous electro-optical framing camera system with constant ground

A system for measuring the attitude of the platform that is movable relative to a fixed frame. The system comprises at least three platform mounting assemblies, each of the three mounting assemblies comprising (a) an isolation mount interconnecting the platform to the frame, the isolation mount permitting the platform to move relative to the frame, and (b) a means for measuring the movement of a point on the platform relative to the frame along three orthogonal axes. For each of the three mounting assemblies, the means for measuring, in the preferred embodiment, comprise a set of three linear position sensors having a known fixed attachment point to the frame and an end portion that terminates at or about the point on the platform. The linear position sensors or potentiometers generate measurement signals corresponding to the measurements of platform movement. The system further comprises a data processor that receives the measurement signals and responsively calculates the attitude of the platform relative to the frame according to a procedure set forth in detail. In an embodiment of the invention wherein the platform includes an aerial reconnaissance camera system, and the platform is mounted to a portion of the aircraft frame. The data processor obtains from the aircraft's inertial navigation system current information as to roll, pitch and yaw of the aircraft and sums the calculated yaw, pitch and roll angles with aircraft roll, pitch and yaw information derived from an inertial navigation system. Thus, the data processor derives the attitude of the platform in an inertial frame of reference and corrects for platform movement caused by the passive isolation mounts, permitting precise pointing of the aerial reconnaissance camera.

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Gurnee, IL, United States of America

James P Quinn