Patent Publication Number: US-8986010-B2

Title: Airburst simulation system and method of simulation for airburst

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(a), this application claims the benefit of earlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Application No. 10-2011-0133673, filed on Dec. 13, 2011, the contents of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This specification relates to an airburst simulation system, an airburst simulation method, and a simulation apparatus having a dual barrel used therefor. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to an airburst simulation apparatus for simulating airburst of airburst ammunitions. A Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) as virtual engagement equipment is used world-widely for carrying out a combat training similar to an actual combat. The MILES system is an equipment which has been developed for providing realistic combat experience using properties of laser beams, such as straight propagation, data transfer, harmlessness to human bodies and the like. The MILES system includes a laser emitting unit (or laser firing unit), and a laser detecting unit. The laser detecting unit detects (senses) whether or not laser beam emitted from the laser emitting unit hits the target. 
     In recent time, a personal firearm having a dual barrel which allows for selective firing (shooting) of a small caliber bullet and a large caliber airburst ammunition. Here, the MILES system which senses laser beam reaching the target has a problem in that an airburst mode, in which an airburst ammunition is fired to a hidden target, is unable to be simulated. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, an aspect of the detailed description is to provide a simulation of an airburst mode using a laser. 
     To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of this specification, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an airburst simulation system including a laser emitting unit, a laser detecting unit and a determining unit. The laser emitting unit may emit laser beam to an airburst aiming position, preset above a target hidden behind an obstacle, such that a warhead is airbursted to shoot the target. The laser detecting unit may be mounted onto the target to detect an arrival of the laser beam above the target. The determining unit may measure a distance between the airburst aiming position and an arrival position of the laser detected by the laser detecting unit, and determine whether or not the target has been shot based on the distance. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, the laser emitting unit may include a body and a laser emitter. The body may have a trigger. The laser emitter may be installed in the body to emit laser beam by pulling the trigger. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, the laser emitting unit may include a firing pin protruded by the trigger to press a simulated ammunition, and a pressure sensor to sense pressure applied onto the simulated ammunition, and convert the sensed pressure into a signal to transfer to the laser emitting unit. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, the laser emitting unit may further include a firing noise generator to generate noise upon emitting the laser beam. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, the laser emitting unit may include a blank cartridge fired by the trigger, and a firing impact detector to detect the firing of the blank cartridge. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, the laser emitting unit may include a Global Positioning System (GPS), and an electronic compass. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, the laser detecting unit may include first and second cameras disposed with being spaced apart from each other to photograph the laser beam, respectively, at the spaced positions, and a posture sensing unit to measure respective angles that the first and second cameras face the laser. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, the determining unit may measure the distance between the airburst aiming position and the arrival position of the detected laser, to determine whether or not the target has been shot based on the measured distance and a preset reference distance. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, the determining unit may include a display unit to output at least one of an image and a sound to indicate whether or not the target has been shot. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, when the laser emitting unit emits a plurality of laser beams, the determining unit may determine which laser beam of the plurality of laser beams has shot the target, by comparison between a time point of sensing the arrival of the laser beam and a time point of emitting the laser beam, comparison between coordinates of a position of the target and coordinates of the airburst aiming position, and comparison between a directional vector of the emitted laser beam and a directional vector of the laser beam detected by the laser detecting unit. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, the available number of laser emission by the laser emitting unit may be limited to a preset number of times, and the determining unit may determine a laser beam which is emitted after exceeding the preset number of times to be invalid. 
     To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of this specification, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a simulation method for an airburst including emitting laser beam to an airburst aiming position, preset above a target hidden behind an obstacle, such that a warhead is airbursted to shoot the target, detecting the laser beam arriving above the target, and measuring a distance between the airburst aiming position and an arrival position of the laser beam, and determining whether or not the target has been shot based on the distance. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, the step of emitting the laser beam to the airburst aiming position, preset above the target hidden behind an obstacle, such that the warhead is airbursted to shoot the target may include applying pressure to a simulated ammunition by pulling a trigger, generating a signal by sensing the pressure applied to the simulated ammunition, and emitting the laser beam in response to the signal. 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, the step of emitting the laser beam to the airburst aiming position may include measuring a distance from a position of emitting the laser beam to the obstacle so as to estimate a distance up to the target. 
     Further scope of applicability of the present application will become more apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an airburst simulation apparatus having a laser emitter; 
         FIG. 2  is a configuration view of the laser emitter of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 3A to 3C  are conceptual views showing an operation of a pressure sensor which is cooperative with a simulated ammunition interface (or a dummy ammunition interface) of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing sequential operation steps of a firing simulation system for an airburst using the airburst simulation apparatus; 
         FIG. 5  is a side conceptual view showing an engagement simulation method for an airburst using the airburst simulation apparatus; 
         FIG. 6  is a top conceptual view showing the engagement simulation method for the airburst using the airburst simulation apparatus; 
         FIG. 7  is a configuration view of a laser detector; and 
         FIG. 8  is a conceptual view of a helmet having the laser detector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Description will now be given in detail of an airburst simulation system and an airburst simulation method according to the exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of brief description with reference to the drawings, the same or equivalent components will be provided with the same reference numbers, and description thereof will not be repeated. A singular representation may include a plural representation as far as it represents a definitely different meaning from the context. 
     The airburst simulation system may include a laser emitting unit and a laser detecting unit. A soldier who carries out an airburst simulation test may wear at least one of the laser emitting unit and the laser detecting unit. The airburst simulation system may further include a determining unit to determine information obtained by the laser emitting unit and the laser detecting unit. Hereinafter, the laser emitting unit, the laser detecting unit and the determining unit will be described in detail. 
     The laser emitting unit may be implemented as an airburst simulation apparatus. 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of an airburst simulation apparatus having a laser emitting unit.  FIG. 2  is a configuration view of the laser emitter of  FIG. 1 .  FIGS. 3A to 3C  are conceptual views showing an operation of a pressure sensor which is cooperative with a simulated ammunition interface (or a dummy ammunition interface) of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing sequential operation steps of a firing simulation system for an airburst using the airburst simulation apparatus.  FIG. 5  is a side conceptual view showing an engagement simulation method for an airburst using the airburst simulation apparatus.  FIG. 6  is a top conceptual view showing the engagement simulation method for the airburst using the airburst simulation apparatus. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the airburst simulation apparatus may be implemented as a personal firearm having a dual barrel  1 . The personal firearm having a dual barrel  1  may include an airburst ammunition barrel  5 , a bullet barrel  4 , a fire control system  3 , a trigger  11 , a laser emitting device  18 , and a rifle  2 . 
     An obstacle behind which a target is hidden may be detected through a scope (not shown) of the fire control system  3 , and a range up to the obstacle may be measured by operating a laser emitting button  12 , which is cooperative with a laser range finder (not shown) disposed within the fire control system  3 . A distance up to the target may be adjusted using range varying buttons  13  and  14 , by taking a thickness of the obstacle into account. 
     The personal firearm having a dual barrel  1  may select a bullet and an airburst ammunition. For example, when the airburst ammunition is selected, a fuse mode setting button  15  may be used to select one of airburst, point detonation or point delayed detonation as the fuse mode. The point detonation indicates that an explosive shell (bombshell, explosive bullet) is detonated (exploded) by impact at the moment when a target arrives, and the point delayed detonation indicates that the explosive shell penetrates through an obstacle and is detonated after a preset time elapses when a target is hidden behind an obstacle. The airburst indicates that the explosive shell is detonated above a target. 
     The airburst simulation apparatus may further include a laser emitter  7 , a fire control system interface wire  8 , an airburst simulated ammunition (or airburst dummy ammunition)  9 , and a simulated ammunition interface wire  10 . Also, the airburst simulation apparatus may include a fire control system interface  25 , and a simulated ammunition interface  26 , and further include at least one of a firing (shooting) noise generator  29 , and a firing impact detector  28 . Also, a power supply  27  for supplying power to the laser emitter  7  may be installed in the airburst simulation apparatus. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the laser emitter  7  may be installed on the personal firearm having a dual barrel  1 . A laser (or laser beam) may be emitted (fired, shot) instead of the airburst ammunition. Hence, the laser emitter  7  may preferably be installed near an airburst ammunition barrel (air explosive bomb barrel, air explosive shell barrel, airburst bomb barrel). That is, the laser emitter  7  may be arranged such that laser beam is emitted in the same direction as the airburst ammunition barrel  5  firing the airburst ammunition. 
     The laser emitter  7  may emit laser beam by detecting pressure applied onto the airburst simulated ammunition  9  as the trigger  11  is pulled. Thus, whether or not the laser beam has been emitted may be determined based on the airburst simulated ammunition  9 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIGS. 3A to 3C , upon pulling the trigger  11 , a hammer  17  connected to the trigger  11  may be released from a rotation-restricted state. Accordingly, the hammer  17  may rotate to hit a firing pin  16 . The firing pin  16  may thus move forward to apply pressure to a pressure sensor of the simulated ammunition  9 . 
     The pressure sensor may generate a signal in response to the pressure, and the signal may be transmitted to the laser emitter  7  via the simulated ammunition interface wire  10 . The signal may be transferred to the laser emitting device  18  via a code converter  24 , accordingly, the laser emitting device  18  may emit the laser beam. 
     Here, unlike the accompanying drawings, the simulated ammunition  9  may be replaced with a blank cartridge. The firing impact detector  28  may detect an impact when the blank cartridge is fired, and accordingly laser beam may be emitted. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B  and  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the airburst simulation apparatus may further include a Global Positioning System (GPS)  20 , an electronic compass  21 , and a wireless transceiver  22 . The electronic compass  21  may include a 2-axis magnetic sensor, a tilt sensor, or a 3-axis magnetic sensor. Therefore, the electronic compass  21  may measure an azimuth (φ) as a rotational angle from the true north of a laser optic axis, and an elevation (θ) as a tilt angle from the ground. 
     When the laser beam is emitted, a fire controller  19  may calculate GPS coordinates (P t =(X t ,Y t ,Z t )) of an airburst aiming position. The GPS coordinates (P t =(X t ,Y t ,Z t )) of the airburst aiming position may be obtained based on a three-dimensional (3D) directional vector ({right arrow over (d s )}=(x s ,y s ,z s )) of a laser beam that the electronic compass  21  measures, GPS coordinates (P s =(X s ,Y s ,Z s )) of a laser emission position measured by the GPS  20  mounted in the laser emitter  7 , and range information measured by the laser range finder. 
     The GPS coordinates (P t =(X t ,Y t ,Z t )) of the airburst aiming position, the 3D directional vector ({right arrow over (d s )}=(x s ,y s ,z s )) of the laser beam, the GPS coordinates (P s =(X s ,Y s ,Z s )) of the laser emission position, the range information and an Identification Number (ID) relating to the laser emitter  7  may be transmitted to a training control center via the wireless transceiver  22 . 
     When the target is located in a GPS reception poor area, such as the inside of a building, the GPS  20  may be replaced with an indoor location tracking unit  23 . 
     The indoor location tracking unit  23  may include at least one of various sensors, for example, a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, an ultrasonic sensor and a radio frequency (RF) sensor. The indoor location tracking unit  23  may thus track a moving path of a soldier using the sensor. That is, when the soldier is located within a building, a sensor may be installed at a specific location, of which GPS coordinates are aware, within the building. Accordingly, when the soldier passes the specific location, the sensor may sense the soldier&#39;s location. This may allow for compensation for the soldier&#39;s 3D GPS coordinates. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing sequential operation steps of a firing simulation system for an airburst using the airburst simulation apparatus. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , a target is hidden behind an obstacle, for example, behind a wall or inside a trench. A laser aiming marker A may match a laser aiming position T, namely, the obstacle where the target is hidden. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4C and 4D , the laser range finder may operate to measure a distance up to the obstacle, and control (adjust, compensate for) a range using the range varying buttons  13  and  14 , taking into account a spaced distance between the target and the obstacle behind the obstacle and a thickness of the obstacle. Here, an optic axis of the laser beam emitted from the laser range finder may be arranged to match an optic axis of laser beam fired from the laser emitter  7 . 
     Range information, a type of ammunition and a fuse mode may be transmitted to the laser emitter  7  via the fire control system interface wire  8 , which is connected to an external connection hole  6  located on a right surface of the fire control system  3 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4E and 4F , an aiming point marker R, based on the trajectory calculation by the fire control system  3 , may be displayed on the scope of the fire control system  3 . Here, the aiming point marker R is a value to which a trajectory in a parabolic form by the gravity is reflected. Therefore, upon emitting the laser beam with the straight propagation property, the laser aiming marker A may be used for firing. The laser beam may thusly be emitted toward the laser aiming marker A. 
     Hereinafter, description will be given of a detecting unit for detecting the emitted laser beam and a determining unit for determining whether or not a target has been shot. The detecting unit and the determining unit may be implemented by the laser detector  30 . 
       FIG. 7  is a configuration view of a laser detector, and  FIG. 8  is a conceptual view of a helmet having the laser detector. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the laser detector  30  may include first and second cameras  33  and  34 , a GPS  37 , a camera posture sensing unit  35 , a display unit  41 , an alarm generating unit  42 , a power supply  38  and a detection controller  36 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the laser detector  30  may be mounted, for example, to a helmet  31  of a target. The laser detector  30  may preferably be arranged on a top of the helmet  31  and in a circumferential direction of the helmet  31  so as to detect an overall region around the helmet  31 . Unlike this arrangement, the laser detector  30  may be installed in a combat uniform of a target, and the installation position may not be limited to preset position. 
     Each of the first and second cameras  33  and  34  may have, if necessary, an infrared filter for sensing laser beam which passes over the laser detector  30 . The first and second cameras  33  and  34  may be spaced apart from each other to photograph (take) the laser beam into stereo images. Therefore, 3D relative coordinates of the laser beam may be calculated based on a distance up to the photographed laser beam and positions that the first and second cameras  33  and  34  are mounted on the target, respectively. 
     That is, when the emitted laser beam passes over the laser detector  30  that a target hidden behind the obstacle is wearing, it is photographed into the stereo image. 
     To recognize orientation angles of the first and second cameras  33  and  34 , the camera posture sensing unit  35  may be installed. For example, the camera posture sensing unit  35  may include a gyro sensor. 
     The GPS  37  may allow for recognizing a current position of the laser detector  30  using electric waves transmitted from a satellite. That is, the GPS  37  may allow for identifying a position of the target, to measure a distance between the actual position of the target and the airburst aiming position. Accordingly, whether or not the target is to be shot by the laser beam may be determined on the basis as to whether the airburst aiming position is close to the actual position of the target. That is, the actual position of the target obtained by use of the GPS  37  may be compared with the airburst aiming position to determine whether the airburst aiming position has precisely been set, and a distance between the airburst aiming position and a laser arrival position detected by the laser detector  30  after the laser beam arrives may be calculated to determine whether or not the calculated distance is within a preset distance. Such determinations may allow for determining whether or not the target has been shot. 
     The display unit  41  may include an display window (not shown) which exhibits whether or not the target has been shot. This is to show whether or not a soldier who is carrying out a simulated engagement has been shot by another soldier. 
     When the target has successfully been shot, the alarm generating unit  42  may generate an alarm sound to allow the successful firing to be identified from far away. The detection controller  36  may control operations of the first and second cameras  33  and  34 , the camera posture sensing unit  35 , the GPS  37  and the display unit  41 . 
     That is, in view of the characteristic of laser beam with the straight propagation property, the laser beam within the images captured by the first and second cameras  33  and  34  may be displayed with a segment. 3D GPS coordinates of both end points of the segment may be obtained using the GPS coordinates (P r =(X r ,Y r ,Z r )) of the target and the orientation angle of the posture sensing unit  35 . Also, a 3D directional vector ({right arrow over (d s )}(x s ,y s ,z s )) of the detected laser beam may be obtained using the 3D GPS coordinates of the both ends of the segment. 
     The GPS coordinates (P r =(X r ,Y r ,Z r )) of the target, the 3D directional vector ({right arrow over (d s )}(x s ,y s ,z s )) of the laser beam and information (ID) relating to the laser detector  30  may be wirelessly transmitted in real time to the training control center via the wireless transceiver  40 . 
     Here, when the target is located in a GPS reception poor area, such as the inside of a building, an indoor location tracking unit  39  may replace the GPS  37 . The indoor location tracking unit  39  may be implemented substantially in the same manner as the indoor position tracking unit  23  installed in the laser emitter  7 . Therefore, the implementation method of the indoor position tracking unit  39  may be understood by the description of indoor position tracking unit  23  in the laser emitter  7 , so detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
     The power supply  38  may supply power necessary to drive the laser detector  30 . 
     When the same soldier wears both the laser emitter  7  and the laser detector  30 , only one of the GPS  20 ,  37  and the indoor position tracking unit  23 ,  39  may be installed according to whether or not a region is tracked by GPS. Also, the GPS  20 ,  37 , the indoor location tracking unit  23 ,  39 , the power supply  27 ,  38  and the wireless transceiver  22 ,  40  may be integrated into a common module, to be installed in the laser emitter  7  and the laser detector  30 . 
     In case of a simulated engagement that soldiers emit (shoot, fire) laser beams simultaneously, it may be necessary to check which soldier emitted a laser beam which has been detected (sensed). Therefore, a primary sorting may be carried out with respect to laser emission information, which is received for a preset time (t r −Δ≦t≦t r ), starting from a time point (t=t r ) that the training control center has received laser detection information. 
     Laser directional vectors ({right arrow over (d i )}, i=1, . . . n) of those primarily sorted laser emission information may be compared with laser directional vector ({right arrow over (d s )}=(x s ,y s ,z s )) of the laser detection information, thereby secondarily sorting emission information relating to laser beam whose parallelism is checked within a preset error range. 
     Of those secondarily sorted laser emission information, GPS coordinates (P r =(X r ,Y r ,Z r )) of the target having the laser detector  30  may be compared with GPS coordinates (P t =(X t ,Y t ,Z t )) of airburst aiming position to which the soldiers have shot the laser beams. When a distance between the two positions are within a preset distance (L), it may be determined that the target has been shot. The preset distance (L) may be set by taking into account an error between the GPS coordinates of the target and the GPS coordinates of the soldier and a casualty radius of the airburst ammunition. 
     When the training control center transmits the firing results to the target in a wireless manner, the wireless transceiver  40  of the laser detector  30  may receive the results and exhibit the results on the display unit  41 . Also, the alarm generating unit  42  may generate the alarm sound. 
     Also, the detection controller  36  of the laser detector  30  may record the number of firing carried out by each soldier. For example, when a solider exceeds a preset number of firing, the soldier may be unable to fire (emit) a laser beam any more even if he pulls the trigger  11 . 
     The training control center may also check the number of firing carried out by each soldier. Accordingly, laser beams, which have been detected by the laser detector  30  as exceeding the preset number of firing, may be determined as not hit. 
     In addition, by use of the GPS coordinates (P t =(X t ,Y t ,Z t )) airburst aiming position which are obtained by the laser emitter  7 , the airburst ammunition may be controlled to be exploded at the GPS coordinates (P t =(X t ,Y t ,Z t )) of the airburst aiming position on a program of the training control center. This may allow an effect of hitting the target to be shown directly on the program of the training control center. 
     The configurations and methods of the airburst simulation apparatus in the aforesaid embodiments may not be limitedly applied, but such embodiments may be configured by a selective combination of all or part of the embodiments so as to implement many variations. 
     With the configuration, an airburst, by which a target hidden behind an obstacle is shot, may be simulated by using the airburst simulation apparatus. 
     Also, with first and second cameras, a GPS, an electronic compass or an indoor location tracking unit, an airburst aiming position and a detection position of a laser beam may be precisely recognized, thereby determining whether or not the target has been shot. 
     In addition, the use of noise generating unit or a blank cartridge may allow the simulation to be similar to an actual situation. 
     The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure. The present teachings can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. This description is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The features, structures, methods, and other characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined in various ways to obtain additional and/or alternative exemplary embodiments. 
     As the present features may be embodied in several forms without departing from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.