Patent Publication Number: US-2003224332-A1

Title: Computerized battle-control system/game (BCS)

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to a computerized battle-control system for both maneuvering a weapon platform and guiding a projectile having a distance/time-sensitive detonator.  
       DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART  
       [0002] Some weapon guidance systems rely on lasers to guide projectiles onto the target, which may endanger the weapon platform or the military personnel responsible for “painting” the target; and some targets are extremely difficult for using laser-guided systems to engage them.  
       [0003] Another principle used for guidance of projectiles onto an object that generates heat, such as a jet airplane, is limited in terms of the required amount of heat needed for detecting the target and for guiding the projectile toward that target. Defensive weapons, such as flares, also limit heat-seeking systems.  
       [0004] Some systems may be expensive due to the fact that the projectile is required to communicate with its command post. The following weapon guidance systems require such communication:  
       [0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,290 issued to Dupont Stephane in June 1998;  
       [0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,966 issued to Simeone Robert and Bean Marvin in January 1995;  
       [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,487 issued to Eichweber Kurt in January 1977.  
       [0008] The cited systems also require a steering mechanism for the projectile. One of them (U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,487) requires a TV camera on board the projectile. All that adds additional expense in situations where it can be avoided.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a computerized battle-control system/game, which makes it possible to control events on a battlefield or to simulate a battle on a screen of a computer monitor with participation of the operator/pilot/player in the events of the battlefield.  
       [0010] Still another object is to provide control over a battle field which ensures lesser collateral damage by not allowing uncontrollable movement of projectiles beyond a certain point where the projectile is detonated prior to producing the unwanted damage.  
       [0011] An additional object is to provide an inexpensive alternative to other systems of guided weaponry, when, for instance, the target is impossible to paint with a laser.  
       [0012] Another object is to provide the aforementioned guidance/control system and game, wherein the mission of the operator is to avoid intersection with enemy&#39;s projectiles/weapons and to control the operator&#39;s weaponry in an attempt to destroy, set off course, damage, or alternate in any way the enemy&#39;s objects.  
       [0013] A further object is to provide the aforementioned guidance/control system and game, wherein the weapon used by the player/operator/pilot has distance/time-sensitive detonation feature and can detonate/explode at the point and moment of time predetermined by the operator.  
       [0014] Another object is to provide such a system and game (or a part of a game) for controlling events on the battlefield which is divided by a front line drawn across the computer monitor&#39;s screen into two territories where weapon platforms cannot (in case of the simulator) cross the aforementioned line but can shoot projectiles across this line.  
       [0015] Another object is to provide such a game system/platform wherein the main goal is to improve both the operator&#39;s skills in coordinating the movements of the operator&#39;s projectiles with the movements of the targets and the operator&#39;s tactical combat skills.  
       [0016] Another object is to provide a game system/platform for entertainment purposes.  
       [0017] In the system/game of the invention the screen of the display or a computer monitor represents a battlefield. The illustrated battlefield is divided by a horizontal line or by parts of a horizontal line drawn across the screen; the line is simulating a front line that separates the territories of the opposing sides/platforms. The weapon platforms or objects to be targeted can be represented on both sides by conventional images of such items as missiles, Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO), tanks, ships, submarines, air crafts, or other moving or still objects. The projectiles can be represented by missiles, torpedoes, artillery shells, bullets, laser beams, bombs, etc. All actions can be controlled from the buttons of the computer mouse, via a joystick, by a touch-screen method, or other similar mechanisms. Some actions can be controlled with a keyboard. When the application is used as a simulator, the movements of the enemy&#39;s objects are controlled by a predetermined program. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0018] The principle of the game/system of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, FIGS.  1 - 8 .  
     [0019]FIG. 1 is a view of a screen with attributes of the system/game of the invention in a stationary state of the battlefield.  
     [0020]FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the operator&#39;s projectile and the enemy&#39;s projectile at the initial stage of movement.  
     [0021]FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the situation at the moment when the projectiles are being close to the platforms meant as targets.  
     [0022]FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the operator&#39;s platform which was moved by the operator prior to be hit by the enemy&#39;s projectile. The drawing also shows operator&#39;s projectile at the moment of its detonation.  
     [0023]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing a new enemy platform starting its movement from one side of the battlefield to the other.  
     [0024]FIG. 6 is similar to FIGS.  1 - 5 , providing illustrations to the weapon guidance system&#39;s description.  
     [0025]FIG. 7 is the flow chart of the BCS, based on FIGS.  1 - 6 .  
     [0026]FIG. 8 is similar to FIGS.  1 - 6 , illustrating the application when it is used as a simulator. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0027] In the context of the present invention the term “operator” means a player of the computerized game as well as a pilot, driver, or any other real participant of a real combat.  
     [0028]FIG. 1 is a view of a screen with attributes of the game/system of the invention in a stationary state of the battlefield. In this drawing, reference numeral ( 20 ) designates a screen or a part of the screen of a display or a computer monitor (not shown), which represent a battlefield ( 21 ). As can be seen from FIG. 1, the battlefield ( 21 ) is divided by a horizontal line ( 22 ) or by parts of the line ( 22   a,    22   b ) which can be visible or partly visible. The battlefield ( 21 ) is divided by Line ( 22 ) into two areas: Area ( 23 ) and Area ( 24 ). Area ( 23 ) is the part of the battlefield ( 21 ) where the operator can maneuver his/her platform by using the mouse buttons, the screen itself, or keyboard buttons. Area ( 24 ) is the part of the battlefield ( 21 ) where the targets ( 26 ) are detected and shown. Also Area  24  has a function connected with the weaponry guidance feature of the system—by clicking Area  24  at the point of interest the operator triggers and guides his/her projectile to the point of interest. (More details on the guidance system are discussed with relation to FIG. 6.) The operator&#39;s platform is represented on the battlefield ( 21 ) as Object ( 25 ). The operator&#39;s target is shown as Object ( 26 ).  
     [0029]FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, showing an illustration of the battlefield at the moment when the operator&#39;s platform ( 25 ) and the opposition&#39;s platform ( 26 ) have just launched their projectiles. As already mentioned, the operator dispatches a projectile ( 27 ) by clicking Area ( 24 ) at the point of interest. During simulation, the operator&#39;s target ( 26 ) periodically fires projectiles at the operator&#39;s platform. The opposition&#39;s projectile ( 28 ) is also shown in FIG. 2. During a simulated battle the system is preprogrammed to illustrate simulated movement of the opposition&#39;s projectiles ( 28 ). In a real combat situation the system can communicate with various detectors through an independent database to acquire necessary information (coordinates, in one form or another) on the opposition&#39;s projectiles for illustration on the screen.  
     [0030]FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the next possible moment in the course of the game or combat. It shows the battlefield at the moment when the operator&#39;s projectile ( 27 ) is being close to its target ( 26 ); it also shows the opposition&#39;s projectile ( 28 ) being close to its target ( 25 ).  
     [0031]FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, showing the next possible arrangement on the battlefield. FIG. 4 shows the operator&#39;s platform ( 25 ) that has changed locations to avoid being intersected by the opposition&#39;s projectile ( 28 ). The drawing also illustrates the detonation ( 29 ) of the operator&#39;s projectile. During simulation, the system proceeds to the next possible step illustrated in FIG. 5, since the opposition&#39;s platform ( 26 ) is found within the range of the detonation&#39;s action ( 29 ).  
     [0032]FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, showing a new target ( 26 ) at the initial stage of its path over the battlefield ( 21 ).  
     [0033]FIG. 6 is similar to FIGS.  1 - 5 , serving as an illustration to the more detailed description of the weapon guidance system. FIG. 6 shows the operator&#39;s platform ( 25 ) and target ( 26 ). There is a point of click ( 31 ) and distance ( 32 ). Point  31  is the point of interest briefly discussed above in relation to FIGS. 1 and 2. By “clicking” the point of interest ( 31 ) the operator provokes the program (the BCS) to do the following four groups of activities: 1) determine the two-dimensional coordinates of the projectile&#39;s detonation—convert point of click/interest ( 31 ) into coordinates; 2) calculate the distance ( 32 ) from the operator&#39;s platform ( 25 ) to the point of click/interest ( 31 ); 3) if needed, connect to an independent database and transfer the coordinates (Point  31 ) and distance ( 32 ) to that database; 4) during the simulated battle, trigger the projectile ( 27 , FIG. 2) and illustrate its flight as perpetual motion of an object. Distance ( 32 ) represents distance between two coordinates of the same plane (horizontal, for instance); and this distance is needed for calculations of the distance between the actual operator&#39;s platform and the point of the actual future detonation; and to complete these calculations one needs to know the third dimension&#39;s (the elevation&#39;s, for instance) coordinates of the positions of both the operator&#39;s weapon platform ( 25 ) and actual future detonation; all the coordinates of the operator&#39;s platform ( 25 ) are supposed to be provided by detectors at the beginning of the operations and the actual future detonation&#39;s coordinate in question can be represented by the corresponding coordinate (the elevation, for example) of the target ( 26 ).  
     [0034]FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the BCS; the chart is based on FIGS.  1 - 6 ; this chart includes instructions for the operator on how to use the software and description of the software itself. The BCS is designed to control weaponry where the operator&#39;s platform is a still object or an object that can move slowly enough to maintain close correlation between the preprogrammed/predetermined and actual detonation points (such platforms may be tanks, ships, helicopters, hover-planes, personnel, air balloons, etc.). The system is designed for guiding projectiles that both rely on no other guidance systems after being launched and are able to, after being dispatched and until the moment of detonation, maintain a trajectory that is straight enough not to undermine effectiveness of the detonation. The system is designed for providing an actual operator&#39;s weapon platform or independent database with the following information needed for pre-launch calculations of the exact time and location of a projectile&#39;s detonation (FIG. 6): 1) the distance ( 32 ) between the operator&#39;s platform ( 25 ) and Point  31  which is determined by the operator; 2) the coordinates of Point  31 . The pre-launch calculations are also based on characteristics of the actual projectile, therefore, the complete pre-launch calculations are not included in the BCS; however, the system is capable of running such calculations when all the necessary information is made available; furthermore, the system is programmed to accurately simulate speed, acceleration, and deceleration of a hypothetical projectile.  
     [0035]FIG. 8 is similar to FIGS.  1 - 5 , illustrating the application when it&#39;s used as a simulator. The operator&#39;s mission in this combat simulator is to destroy the enemy&#39;s platforms and avoid the enemy&#39;s “fire”. FIG. 7 shows the attributes/elements of the game; and the functions of the attributes are provided in the following four paragraphs.  
     [0036] 1. UFO or any other moving or still platform ( 25 ). This element is the representation of the operator&#39;s weapon platform.  
     [0037] 2. Spaceships (two kinds: one armed, one cargo) or any other moving or still platforms ( 26 ). These elements are the targets that are meant to be destroyed by the operator&#39;s weaponry.  
     [0038] 3. The elements described in this paragraph are the weapons that the participating sides are equipped with. The operator&#39;s platform ( 25 ) is equipped with guided distance/time-sensitive torpedoes ( 27 ). The operator can fire torpedoes ( 27 ) and then move the weapon platform ( 25 ) without waiting for torpedoes to detonate (fire-and-forget). At a certain point predetermined by the operator the distance/time-sensitive torpedoes ( 27 ) explode, destroying targets found within the range of the detonation&#39;s action. The torpedoes ( 27 ) also destroy targets ( 26 ) on impact when the paths of the torpedoes ( 27 ) and targets ( 26 ) cross simultaneously before planed/predetermined detonations. The opponent has missiles ( 28 ) and orbital plasma bombs ( 30 ). The opponent&#39;s missiles and bombs are dispatched periodically according to a predetermined program.  
     [0039] 4. The elements described here, the dividing marks ( 22   a,    22   b ), visually split the battlefield ( 21 ) to show where the operator&#39;s platform ( 25 ) is supposed to be maneuvered and where to fire torpedoes ( 27 ). The operator moves his/her platform ( 25 ) around the battlefield ( 21 ) by pressing the mouse (or screen) at the desired point above the dividing marks ( 22   a,    22   b ), and fires torpedoes ( 27 ) by clicking below these dividing marks that are located at the left and right sides of the battlefield ( 21 ). The dividing marks ( 22   a,    22   b ) also designate the area ( 24 ) where the targets ( 26 ) are shown. Above the dividing marks ( 22   a,    22   b ) is the area ( 23 ) where orbital plasma bombs ( 30 ) are preprogrammed to appear. The divided battlefield ( 21 ) of the simulator represents an actual battlefield as it would seem from above or any other convenient angle.  
     [0040] The following five paragraphs instruct the player on how to use the simulator:  
     [0041] 1. Open the program.  
     [0042] 2. After the activation targets ( 26 ) begin moving from one side of the battlefield ( 21 ) to the other and plasma bombs ( 30 ) also start moving from one side of the battlefield ( 21 ) to the other. The operator can avoid having the weapon platform ( 25 ) being hit by missiles ( 28 ) and bombs ( 30 ); in order to do that the operator can click Area ( 23 ) at the point where the operator&#39;s platform is safe and the platform ( 25 ) will be moved to that point. If the platform ( 25 ) represents an alien space ship (or UFO), the platform ( 25 ) can move to the “clicked” point instantly. The movement of the platform ( 25 ) can also be illustrated as perpetual motion of an object.  
     [0043] 3. Analyze the trajectory of movement of the target ( 26 ) or, to be more precise, make an assessment of the speed and future positions of the target ( 26 ). Determine the desired trajectory of your torpedo ( 27 ) and the point of the torpedo&#39;s detonation.  
     [0044] 4. Click Area ( 24 ) at the determined point to dispatch a projectile. A projectile ( 27 ) will be dispatched to the determined point; and the projectile&#39;s flight will be illustrated on the screen. The projectile ( 27 ) will explode at the moment when it reaches the clicked point of the battlefield ( 21 ). If the target ( 26 ) is found within the detonation&#39;s range of action, the target ( 26 ) is destroyed and a new target is launched.  
     [0045] 4. If the operator&#39;s platform ( 25 ) is hit by an opposition&#39;s missile ( 28 ) or a bomb ( 30 ), the game is stopped and the results of the mission are displayed in the lower part of the screen.  
     [0046] 5. To start the game again press the start button in the upper part of the screen.  
     [0047] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it is understood that this embodiment should not be construed as limiting the application of the invention, and various changes and modifications are possible, provided they do not depart from the scope of the patent claims. For example, the weapon platforms may be different from those described in the specification; the weapon platforms may represent missiles, tanks, ships, submarines, air crafts, hot air balloons, or other moving or still objects; the projectiles may represent torpedoes, artillery shells, bullets, laser beams, bombs, or any other object meant to disrupt/alternate in any way other objects and/or their functions; the movement of platforms may be illustrated as perpetual motion (similar to that one of the projectiles ( 27 ,  28  in FIG. 8) or as sequential appearance and disappearance events (when, for example, the UFO moves instantly from one location to another at a click of a mouse); the battlefield may be divided into more than two areas that have specific functions; the entire game may be used as a part of another game. Although the examples showed the game with one target and one weapon platform on each side, the game may include multiple target-weapon platform interaction.