Drs Sustainment Systems, Inc.

Other

Thomas D Linton

Michael Thomas Fox

Bruce E Exely

Michael C Mareschal

Robert Talir

Jeffrey S Fitzgerald

Jeffrey S Folmer

Methods, computer-readable media, and systems are disclosed for controlling a turret assembly with two or more gimbaled, swivel assembly sub-systems, such as a gimbaled gun and a gimbaled electro-optical sensor. The turret can be automatically slewed in response to one of the swivel assemblies rotating. A user can switch turret modes reflecting a priority between the gimbaled sub-systems system so that one takes priority over the other(s) during a mission.

Operational control logic for harmonized turret with gimbaled sub-systems

Methods, devices, and systems are presented for calibrating or otherwise correcting the pointing accuracy of a gimbal. Measurements of the actual planes of rotation of each of a gimbal's rotatable elements is made using an off-board measurement device, such as a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). The measurements from the off-board device can be combined with those from native, on-board gimbal sensors of the rotation angles at which the planes are tilted/pitched with respect to their nominal planes of rotation. Information representing the error vectors between the nominal and actual planes of rotation is stored and used for correcting the pointing accuracy of the gimbal. The corrected pointing vector of the gimbal can be combined with measurements from an inertial measurement unit (INU) and rangefinder in order to accurately determine a geographic target position to which the gimbal points.

AZ/EL gimbal housing characterization

Methods, devices, and systems are presented for compensating for gyroscopic drift in a stabilized gimbal system mounted on a vehicle. When the vehicle is parked and the gimbal is not being commanded to move by an operator, encoders or resolvers of the gimbal stabilized system are read and periodically read thereafter. When the vehicle begins to move or the gimbal is commanded to move, the last periodic reading of the resolvers is used to determine the amount that the gimbal has moved during the rest period. A gyroscopic drift rate is computed by dividing the amount of angular movement by the time period between the readings, and the gyroscopic drift rate is used for corrections while the vehicle is moving or gimbal is commanded to move. Each time the vehicle stops, the gyroscopic drift rate is re-computed and updated. The gyroscope can be heated until the drift rate is constant with respect to temperature, further helping the calibration.

Gyro drift cancelation

Methods are disclosed for controlling a turret assembly with two or more gimbaled, swivel assembly sub-systems, such as a gimbaled gun and a gimbaled electro-optical sensor. The turret can be automatically slewed in response to one of the swivel assemblies rotating. A user can switch turret modes reflecting a priority between the gimbaled sub-systems system so that one takes priority over the other(s) during a mission.

A hand controller for controlling an electro-optic sensor of a weapons system may include a first cam/spring mechanism configured to provide non-linear displacement to an operator applying a torque to rotate the hand controller in a first direction. A second cam/spring mechanism may be configured to provide non-linear displacement to an operator applying a torque to rotate the hand controller in a second direction. A first sensor may be configured to sense torque being applied in the first direction and to generate a command signal to control rotation of the electro-optic sensor in the first direction. A second sensor may be configured to sense torque being applied in the second direction and to generate a command signal to control rotation of the electro-optic sensor in the second direction. The command signals may be substantially mathematically proportional rate command signals with respect to applied torque.

Hand controller for controlling a long-range sensing system of a weapons system

A pocket protector clip is formed to fit over the edge of a shirt or coat pocket to protect the edges of the pocket from marking or damage and keep a pen or pencil oriented properly when the pen or pencil is clipped on to the protector clip. The protector clip has two panels, joined at first edges, and one panel is placed on each side of the pocket cloth panel. The inside clip panel has notches for receiving the remote portion of the barrel of pens or pencils which are clipped on the protector clip, to stabilize the barrel in position on the protector clip.

Growing community of inventors

Lake Saint Louis, MO, United States of America

Thomas D Linton