Patent Abstract:
A multiple warhead fuzing apparatus including a first warhead and a second warhead. Operation/detonation of the first and second warheads is controlled using safe and arming logic and an onboard weapon computer that communicates triggering and fire signal parameters to fire signal logic located on the weapon. For a hard target application, the initiation module(s) of each warhead will initiate when commanded by the warhead&#39;s fuze after specific criteria has been satisfied, as determined by the fuze programming from the weapon computer. Soft target applications will require the warheads to initiate simultaneously after a delay from impact. The large area target settings will initiate all warheads upon receipt of a fire command from the weapon computer or height of burst sensor.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent application having application No. 61,326,977 filed Apr. 22, 2010 under 35 U.S.C. 119(e). 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a method of fuzing multiple warheads. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of the invention. 
       It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not to be viewed as being restrictive of the invention, as claimed. Further advantages of this invention will be apparent after a review of the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments, which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings and in the appended claim. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , apparatus embodiments include a weapon computer  2  located within a weapon. An electrical power supply  4  is located within the weapon. At least one pressure sensor  6   a ,  6   b  is located within the weapon. In some embodiments, a first pressure sensor  6   a  is associated with a pre-cursor warhead (‘PW’) arming and validation logic  14  and is located within a pre-cursor warhead fuze module  12 . In other embodiments, the first pressure sensor  6   a  is associated with the pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  and is associated with the weapon but is not located within the pre-cursor warhead fuze module  12 . In some embodiments, a second pressure sensor  6   b  is associated with a follow through warhead (‘FTW’) arming and validation logic  28  and is located within a follow through warhead fuze module  26 . In other embodiments, the second pressure sensor  6   b  is associated with the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  and is associated with the weapon but is not located within the follow through warhead fuze module  26 . 
     At least one trigger sensor  8  is located with the weapon. The trigger sensor  8  can be a height of burst sensor or an impact sensor. Where a height of burst sensor is included, the height of burst sensor is selected from the group of sensors consisting of infrared (IR) laser and radio frequency (RF) proximity fuze. The impact sensor is selected from the group of sensors consisting of: accelerometer, g-switch, and crush switch. 
     Embodiments also include at least one pre-cursor warhead located with the weapon. A pre-cursor warhead fuze module  12  is located within the weapon and electrically associated with the electrical power supply  4 , pre-cursor warhead, and the at least one trigger sensor  8 . The pre-cursor warhead fuze module  12  includes pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  for arming the pre-cursor warhead. The pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic is electrically associated with the electrical power supply  4  and a pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16 . 
     The pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16  is electrically associated with a pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18 . The pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  includes a pre-cursor warhead firing capacitor for storing arming energy and a trigger switch for dumping energy onto a pre-cursor warhead warhead initiator when the pre-cursor warhead is armed and a firing signal is communicated to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  from the pre-cursor warhead fire signal logic  22 . The pre-cursor warhead energy interrupters  16  interrupts power transfer between the electrical power supply  4  and the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  preventing arming of the pre-cursor warhead until the pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16  receives a plurality of pre-determined pre-cursor warhead arming signals communicated from the pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  indicating that a first environment is valid, a second environment is valid, that the first environment was valid prior to the second environment becoming valid, and that the first and second environment were determined to be valid within a pre-determined temporal window. 
     The pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  and the pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16  are adapted and associated to arm at least one of the at least pre-cursor warhead by allowing electrical power to flow from the electrical power supply to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  when the pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16  receives a plurality of pre-determined arming signals communicated from the pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  indicating that the first environment is valid, the second environment is valid, that the first environment was valid prior to the second environment becoming valid, and that the first and second environment were determined to be valid within a pre-determined temporal window. Pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  further includes a first means for determining whether the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure (and that the transition to a pre-determined differential pressure is maintained for at least a pre-determined amount of time) and a first means for determining whether power supplied to the pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  is within a predetermined range of frequency and amplitude. The first means for determining whether the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure (and that the transition to a pre-determined differential pressure is maintained for at least a pre-determined amount of time) is selected from the group of technologies adapted to determine whether the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure (and that the transition to a pre-determined differential pressure is maintained for at least a pre-determined amount of time) consisting of an FPGA; discrete circuitry; and an integrated circuit. The first means for determining whether power supplied to the pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  is within a predetermined range of frequency and amplitude is a different technology than the technology of the first means for determining whether the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure and is selected from the group of technologies adapted to determine whether power supplied to the pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  is within a predetermined range of frequency and amplitude consisting of an FPGA; discrete circuitry; and an integrated circuit. The pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16  includes a series of switches (electrical and/or mechanical). The switches (electrical and/or mechanical) are adapted to allow power to flow from the pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  only when a plurality of pre-determined pre-cursor warhead arming signals indicating that a first environment is valid, a second environment is valid, that the first environment was valid prior to the second environment becoming valid, and that the first and second environment were determined to be valid within a pre-determined temporal window is communicated from the pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  to the pre-cursor warhead series of switches (electrical and/or mechanical). In some embodiments, the switches are metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). 
     The pre-cursor warhead fuze module  12  also includes pre-cursor warhead fire signal logic  22  electrically associated with the weapon computer  2  and pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18 . The pre-cursor warhead fire signal logic  22  is adapted to start a pre-cursor warhead back-up timer when at least one trigger sensor  8  is triggered. In some embodiments, the trigger sensor  8  is triggered when the weapon has reached a pre-determined height above a predetermined object. In other embodiments, the trigger sensor  8  is triggered when the weapon experiences an impact with a pre-determined object. The pre-cursor warhead fire signal logic  22  is adapted to communicate a fire signal to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  upon each of the following occurrences until the pre-cursor warhead explodes: 1) at least one pre-cursor warhead trigger is received; 2) the pre-cursor warhead back-up timer has expired. A pre-cursor warhead fuze communication interface  36  for communication between the weapon computer  2  and the pre-cursor warhead fire signal logic  22 , the weapon computer  2  being programmed to communicate to the pre-cursor warhead fire signal logic  22  the parameters of the at least one trigger and the length of time of the pre-cursor warhead back-up timer. 
     Embodiments also include at least one follow through warhead located with the weapon. A follow through warhead fuze module  26  is located within the weapon and electrically associated with the electric power supply, the follow through warhead, and the at least one trigger sensor  8 . The follow through warhead fuze module  26  includes follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  electrically associated with the electrical power supply and a follow through warhead energy interrupter  30 . The follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  is electrically associated with a follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32 . The follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  includes a follow through warhead firing capacitor for storing arming energy and a trigger switch for dumping energy onto a follow through warhead warhead initiator when the follow through warhead is armed and a firing signal is communicated to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  from the follow through warhead fire signal logic  34 . The follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  interrupts power transfer between the electrical power supply and the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  preventing arming of the follow through warhead until the follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  receives a plurality of pre-determined signals communicated from the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  indicating that a first environment is valid, a second environment is valid, that the first environment was valid prior to the second environment becoming valid, and that the first and second environment were determined to be valid within a pre-determined temporal window. The follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  and follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  are adapted and associated to arm at least one of the at least one follow through warhead by allowing electrical power to flow from the electrical power supply to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  when the follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  receives a plurality of pre-determined signals communicated from the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  indicating that a first environment is valid, a second environment is valid, that the first environment was valid prior to the second environment becoming valid, and that the first and second environment were determined to be valid within a pre-determined temporal window. The follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  includes a second means for determining whether the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure (and that the transition to a pre-determined differential pressure is maintained for at least a pre-determined amount of time) and a second means for determining whether power supplied to the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  is within a predetermined range of frequency and amplitude. The second means for determining whether the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure (and that the transition to a pre-determined differential pressure is maintained for at least a pre-determined amount of time) is selected from the group of means consisting of: an FPGA electrically associated with the at least one pressure sensor, the FPGA being configured and programmed to determine whether the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure; discrete circuitry adapted to determine whether the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure; and an integrated circuit configured and programmed to determine whether the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure. The second means for determining whether power supplied to the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  is within a predetermined range of frequency and amplitude is a different technology than the technology of the second means for determining whether the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure and is selected from the group of technologies adapted to determine whether power supplied to the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  is within a predetermined range of frequency and amplitude consisting of: an FPGA; discrete circuitry; and an integrated circuit. 
     The follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  includes a series of switches (electrical and/or mechanical). The switches (electrical and/or mechanical) are adapted to allow power to flow from the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  only when a plurality of pre-determined follow through warhead arming signals indicating that a first environment is valid, a second environment is valid, that the first environment was valid prior to the second environment becoming valid, and that the first and second environment were determined to be valid within a pre-determined temporal window is communicated from the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  to the follow through warhead series of switches (electrical and/or mechanical). In some embodiments, the switches (electrical and/or mechanical) are MOSFET. 
     The follow through warhead fuze module also includes follow through warhead fire signal logic  34 . The follow through warhead fire signal logic  34  is electrically associated with the weapon computer  2  and the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32 . The follow through warhead fire signal logic  34  is adapted to start a back-up timer when the trigger sensor  8  is triggered. A follow through warhead communication interface  38  for communication between the weapon computer  2  and the follow through warhead fire signal logic  34  is included. The weapon computer  2  is programmed to communicate to the follow through warhead fire signal logic  34  the parameters of the at least one trigger and the length of time of the back-up timer. In some embodiments, the trigger sensor  8  is triggered when the weapon has reached a pre-determined height above a predetermined object. In other embodiments, the trigger sensor  8  is triggered when the weapon experiences an impact with a pre-determined object. In some embodiments, the follow through warhead fire signal logic  34  is adapted to communicate a fire signal to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  upon each of the following occurrences until the follow through warhead explodes: 1) a pre-determined amount of delay time has passed since the trigger sensor  8  was triggered (the weapon computer  2  is also programmed to communicate to the follow through warhead fire signal logic  34  the amount of delay time); 2) the back-up timer has expired. In other embodiments, the follow through warhead fire signal logic  34  is adapted to communicate a fire signal to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  upon each of the following occurrences until the follow through warhead explodes: 1) the weapon has passed through a pre-determined number of layers since the trigger sensor  8  was triggered (the weapon computer  2  is also programmed to communicate to the follow through warhead fire signal logic  34  the number of layers that the weapon must pass through after the trigger sensor  8  was triggered before a fire signal is communicated to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32 ); 2) the back-up timer has expired. 
     Method embodiments include using the weapon computer  2  located within the weapon to communicate target information to a follow through warhead fire signal logic  34  located within the weapon. The method also includes verifying, (using follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28 ), that a power signal provided from an electrical power supply  4  located within the weapon to the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  has a pre-determined amplitude and frequency. The method also includes initiating a first follow through warhead safe separation timer when the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  has determined that the power signal provided by the electrical power supply  4  matches a pre-determined amplitude and frequency within a pre-determined percent error. The method includes rendering safe a follow through warhead located within the weapon when the power signal provided from the electrical power supply  4  to the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  does not have a pre-determined amplitude and frequency. 
     The method also includes verifying, (using pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14 ), that a power signal provided from the electrical power supply to the pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  has a pre-determined amplitude and frequency. The method further includes initiating a first pre-cursor warhead safe separation timer when it has been determined that the power signal provided by the electrical power supply  4  matches the pre-determined amplitude and frequency. The method further includes rendering safe a pre-cursor warhead located within the weapon when the power signal provided from the electrical power supply  4  to the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  does not have a pre-determined amplitude and frequency. 
     The method includes verifying, (using the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28 ), that the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined pressure and initiating a second follow through warhead safe separation timer when it has been determined that the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined pressure. 
     The method includes verifying, (using the pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14 ), that the weapon has experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure (and that the transition is maintained for a pre-determined amount of time) and initiating a second pre-cursor warhead safe separation timer when it has been determined that the power signal provided by the electrical power supply  4  matches the pre-determined amplitude and frequency within a pre-determined percent error. 
     The method includes removing a first follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  when the first follow through warhead safe separation timer has reached a pre-determined amount of time, removing a second follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  when the second follow through warhead safe separation timer has reached a pre-determined amount of time, and removing a final follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  when the follow through warhead arming and validation logic  28  has determined that the following occurred in a pre-determined order and within a pre-determined temporal window: 1) the weapon experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure (and the transition is maintained for a pre-determined amount of time); and 2) that the power signal provided by the electrical power supply  4  matches the pre-determined amplitude and frequency within a pre-determined percent error. 
     The method includes removing a first pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16  when the first pre-cursor warhead safe separation timer has reached a pre-determined amount of time, removing a second pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16  when the second pre-cursor warhead safe separation timer has reached a pre-determined amount of time, removing a final pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  30  when the pre-cursor warhead arming and validation logic  14  has determined that the following occurred in a pre-determined order and within a pre-determined temporal window: 1) the weapon experienced a transition from no differential pressure to a pre-determined differential pressure (and the transition is maintained for a pre-determined amount of time); and 2) that the power signal provided by the electrical power supply  4  matches the pre-determined amplitude and frequency within a pre-determined percent error. 
     The method includes arming the follow through warhead by providing electrical power to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  when the final follow through warhead energy interrupter has been removed. The method includes rendering safe the follow through warhead by interrupting electrical power to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  when the first follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  was not electrically removed before the second follow through warhead energy interrupter  30 . The method includes rendering safe the follow through warhead by interrupting electrical power to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  when the first follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  was not electrically removed within a pre-determined temporal window. The method includes rendering safe the follow through warhead by interrupting power to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  when the second follow through warhead energy interrupter  30  was not electrically removed within a pre-determined temporal window. 
     The method includes arming the pre-cursor warhead by providing electrical power to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  when the final pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter has been removed. The method includes rendering safe the pre-cursor warhead by interrupting power to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  when the first pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16  was not electrically removed before the second pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16 . The method includes rendering safe the pre-cursor warhead by interrupting power to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  when the first pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16  was not electrically removed within a pre-determined temporal window. The method includes rendering safe the pre-cursor warhead by interrupting power to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  when the second pre-cursor warhead energy interrupter  16  was not electrically removed within a pre-determined temporal window. 
     In some embodiments, the method includes initiating a follow through warhead back-up timer when a trigger condition is sensed by a trigger sensor  8  located on the weapon and communicating a fire signal to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  when the follow through warhead back-up timer is expired. 
     In some embodiments, the method includes communicating a fire signal to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  when the weapon has passed through a pre-determined number of layers after the trigger condition is sensed. In other embodiments, the method includes communicating a fire signal to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  a pre-determined amount of time after the trigger condition is sensed by the trigger sensor  8 . In some embodiments, the pre-determined amount of time is shorter than the amount of time it takes for the follow through warhead back-up timer to expire. 
     In some embodiments, the method includes initiating a pre-cursor warhead back-up timer when a trigger condition is sensed by a trigger sensor  8  located on the weapon and communicating a fire signal to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  when the pre-cursor warhead back-up timer is expired. 
     In some embodiments, the method includes communicating a fire signal to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  a pre-determined amount of time after the trigger condition is sensed by the trigger sensor  8 . In some embodiments, the pre-determined amount of time is short than the amount of time it takes for the pre-cursor warhead back-up timer to expire. 
     Some method embodiments include: initiating a follow through warhead back-up timer when a trigger condition is sensed by a trigger sensor  8  located on the weapon and communicating a fire signal to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  when the follow through warhead back-up timer is expired; communicating a fire signal to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  when the weapon has passed through a pre-determined number of layers after the trigger condition is sensed; initiating a pre-cursor warhead back-up timer when a trigger condition is sensed by a trigger sensor  8  located on the weapon and communicating a fire signal to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  when the pre-cursor warhead back-up timer is expired; communicating a fire signal to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  a pre-determined amount of time after the trigger condition is sensed by the trigger sensor  8 , wherein the pre-determined amount of time is shorter than the amount of time it takes for the pre-cursor warhead back-up timer to expire. 
     Some method embodiments include: initiating a follow through warhead back-up timer when a trigger condition is sensed by a trigger sensor  8  located on the weapon and communicating a fire signal to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  when the follow through warhead back-up timer is expired; communicating a fire signal to the follow through warhead fireset and explosive train  32  a pre-determined amount of time after the trigger condition is sensed by the trigger sensor  8 , wherein the pre-determined amount of time is shorter than the amount of time it takes for the follow through warhead back-up timer to expire; initiating a pre-cursor warhead back-up timer when a trigger condition is sensed by a trigger sensor  8  located on the weapon and communicating a fire signal to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  when the pre-cursor warhead back-up timer is expired; communicating a fire signal to the pre-cursor warhead fireset and explosive train  18  a pre-determined amount of time after the trigger condition is sensed by the trigger sensor  8 , wherein the pre-determined amount of time is shorter than the amount of time it takes for the pre-cursor warhead back-up timer to expire. 
     While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5