Patent ID: 6967614

Claim:
A projectile launch detection system utilizing a continuous wave radio frequency signal to confirm a muzzle exit of a projectile, the launch detection system comprising: a continuous wave radio frequency source for generating a continuous wave radio frequency signal; an antenna for transmitting a continuous wave radio frequency signal down a gun tube toward a boundary at a muzzle of the gun tube between the gun tube and free space; the antenna receiving a reflected continuous wave radio frequency signal reflected from the boundary; a mixer for generating a demodulated intermediate frequency signal from the transmitted continuous wave radio frequency signal transmitted and the reflected continuous wave radio frequency signal; a buffer/amplifier for generating a homodyne signal from the demodulated intermediate frequency signal; a processing circuit for performing an analysis of the de-modulated intermediate frequency signal; and a decision circuit for determining whether the analysis of the demodulated intermediate frequency signal constitutes a valid gun launch of the projectile.