The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 02, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 15, 1999
James P. Kane, III, Altamonte Springs, FL (US);
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US);
Abstract
An electronic safe arm & fire (ESAF) device has a common module and a pair of programmable devices that are readily configurable to different missile types. The ESAF device has a first static arming switch that is controlled by the first programmable device and a second static arming switch that is controlled by the second programmable device. The ESAF device has a firing module that has an exploding foil initiator. The common module and the firing module can be configured as a standalone module in close proximity to a warhead or can be integrated into a warhead. The common module has some inputs that are used by all the missiles in a group for the same signals; some inputs that are used by all the missiles, but for different signals; and, some inputs that are used by some of the missile, but not by all of the missiles. The common module has an input port for a separation signal, a communications port for a fuze data signal, and an input port for a signal that can be used to determine safe separation. The first programmable device is a microcontroller. The second programmable device can be a microcontroller or a programmable logic device. The first programmable device and the second programmable device perform a built-in test by checking the other device against a hardwired value. The ESAF device has a dynamic switch that is turned on by one of the programmable devices and controlled by the other programmable device.