Patent ID: 7278658

Claim:
In a land vehicle comprising a plurality of reactive effectors, each reactive effector having an effector containing explosive or pyrotechnic material, the improvement comprising: a plurality of initiators associated with the effectors, each initiator comprising a reactive material configured to initiate the associated effector; a firing control system in communication with the initiators; and a sensor on the vehicle for sensing a condition precedent to arming or firing at least one of said initiators; wherein at least one of said initiators comprises initiator control circuitry that is in communication with the sensor and is responsive to the sensor and independently responsive to the firing control system for initiating its associated effector upon receipt of proper signals from bath the firing control system and the sensor; wherein the initiator control circuitry has an input impedance equal to or greater than 1,000 ohms and equal to or less than 10,000 ohms; wherein in response to a firing signal received from the firing control system and from the sensor, the initiator control circuitry evaluates an output of the sensor for indication of a favorable firing condition, thereby enabling the associated initiator to override a signal from the firing control system indicating readiness to fire.