대표
청구항
▼
Having described my invention, I claim: 1. A weapon firing system for firing a plurality of independently aimed weapons in a firing sequence in order to cause a plurality of projectiles fired by said plurality of independently aimed weapons to strike at least one target in a specified striking sequence, comprising: a. a plurality of weapons, each having i. a remotely operable firing mechanism, ii. weapon locating means, capable of accurately determining a position for said weapon, iii. communication means, capable of transmitting data regarding said pos...
Having described my invention, I claim: 1. A weapon firing system for firing a plurality of independently aimed weapons in a firing sequence in order to cause a plurality of projectiles fired by said plurality of independently aimed weapons to strike at least one target in a specified striking sequence, comprising: a. a plurality of weapons, each having i. a remotely operable firing mechanism, ii. weapon locating means, capable of accurately determining a position for said weapon, iii. communication means, capable of transmitting data regarding said position of said weapon, and capable of receiving commands sent to said weapon; b. target locating means, capable of accurately determining a position for said at least one target; c. a control unit having i. communication means, capable of receiving said data regarding said position of each of said weapons from said plurality of weapons and capable of transmitting weapon-specific fire commands to said plurality of weapons, ii. computation means, capable of computing a distance from each of said weapons to a target of said at least one target designated for each of said weapons, a time-in-flight for each of said plurality of projectiles, and said firing sequence for said plurality of weapons which will result in said specified striking sequence. 2. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said communication means is selected from the group comprising radio frequency transmitters/receivers, electrical cables, data buses, optical cables, and cable-free optical transmitters/receivers. 3. A weapon system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a. a videoscope on each of said plurality of weapons, capable of delivering an electronic image to said communication means on each of said plurality of weapons; and b. wherein said communication means on each of said plurality of weapons is capable of transmitting said electronic image to said control unit, so that said electronic image can be displayed and viewed at said control unit. 4. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 3, wherein said communication means is selected from the group comprising radio frequency transmitters/receivers, electrical cables, data buses, optical cables, and cable-free optical transmitters/receivers. 5. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said target locating means comprises: a. heading sensing means mounted on each of said plurality of weapons, capable of accurately determining a heading for each particular weapon; b. wherein said communication means on each of said plurality of weapons is capable of transmitting said heading; and c. wherein said computation means computes said position for a designated target of said at least one target by using a first position for a first weapon trained upon said designated target, a first heading for said first weapon, a second position for a second weapon trained on said designated target, a second heading for said second weapon, and principles of triangulation. 6. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 5, wherein said communication means is selected from the group comprising radio frequency transmitters/receivers, electrical cables, data buses, optical cables, and cable-free optical transmitters/receivers. 7. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 5, wherein said target locating means further comprises: a. inclination sensing means mounted on each of said plurality of weapons, capable of accurately determining an inclination for each particular weapon; b. wherein said communication means on each of said plurality of weapons is capable of transmitting said inclination; and c. wherein said computation means computes said position for a designated target of said at least one target by using a first position for a first weapon trained upon said designated target, a first heading for said first weapon, a first inclination for said first weapon, a second position for a second weapon trained on said designated target, a second heading for said second weapon, a second inclination for said second weapon, and principles of triangulation. 8. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 7, wherein said communication means is selected from the group comprising radio frequency transmitters/receivers, electrical cables, data buses, optical cables, and cable-free optical transmitters/receivers. 9. A weapon system as recited in claim 1, wherein: a. each of said plurality of weapons further comprises a trigger movable between an undepressed position and a depressed position; b. said communication means on each of said plurality of weapons is capable of transmitting said position of said trigger; and c. said firing sequence will not be transmitted by said communication means in said control unit until said position of all of said triggers for all of said plurality of weapons matches a predetermined criterion for said position of all of said triggers. 10. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 9, wherein said communication means is selected from the group comprising radio frequency transmitters/receivers, electrical cables, data buses, optical cables, and cable-free optical transmitters/receivers. 11. A weapon system as recited in claim 9, wherein said control unit visually displays said position of said trigger for at least one of said plurality of weapons. 12. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 11, wherein said communication means is selected from the group comprising radio frequency transmitters/receivers, electrical cables, data buses, optical cables, and cable-free optical transmitters/receivers. 13. A weapon firing system for firing a plurality of independently aimed weapons in a firing sequence in order to cause a plurality of projectiles fired by said plurality of independently aimed weapons to strike at least one target in a specified striking sequence, comprising: a. a plurality of weapons, each having i. a remotely operable firing mechanism, ii. weapon locating means, capable of accurately determining a position for said weapon, iii. a rangefinder, capable of accurately determining a range from said weapon to a designated target of said at least one target, iv. communication means, capable of transmitting data regarding said position of said weapon and said range from said weapon to said designated target, and capable of receiving commands sent to said weapon; b. a control unit having i. communication means, capable of receiving said data regarding said position of each of said weapons from said plurality of weapons and said data regarding said range to said designated target, wherein said communication means is capable of transmitting weapon-specific fire commands to said plurality of weapons, ii. computation means, capable of computing a time-in-flight for each of said plurality of projectiles, and said firing sequence for said plurality of weapons which will result in said specified striking sequence. 14. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 13, wherein said communication means is selected from the group comprising radio frequency transmitters/receivers, electrical cables, data buses, optical cables, and cable-free optical transmitters/receivers. 15. A weapon system as recited in claim 13, further comprising: a. a videoscope on each of said plurality of weapons, capable of delivering an electronic image to said communication means on each of said plurality of weapons; and b. wherein said communication means on each of said plurality of weapons is capable of transmitting said electronic image to said control unit, so that said electronic image can be displayed and viewed at said control unit. 16. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 15, wherein said communication means is selected from the group comprising radio frequency transmitters/receivers, electrical cables, data buses, optical cables, and cable-free optical transmitters/receivers. 17. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 13, further comprising: a. inclination sensing means mounted on each of said plurality of weapons, capable of accurately determining an inclination for each particular weapon; b. wherein said communication means on each of said plurality of weapons is capable of transmitting said inclination; and c. wherein said computation means adjusts said time-in-flight computations for each of said plurality of weapons according to said inclination for each weapon. 18. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 17, wherein said communication means is selected from the group comprising radio frequency transmitters/receivers, electrical cables, data buses, optical cables, and cable-free optical transmitters/receivers. 19. A weapon system as recited in claim 13, wherein: a. each of said plurality of weapons further comprises a trigger movable between an undepressed position and a depressed position; b. said communication means on each of said plurality of weapons is capable of transmitting said position of said trigger; and c. said firing sequence will not be transmitted by said communication means in said control unit until said position of all of said triggers for all of said plurality of weapons matches a predetermined criterion for said position of all of said triggers. 20. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 19, wherein said communication means is selected from the group comprising radio frequency transmitters/receivers, electrical cables, data buses, optical cables, and cable-free optical transmitters/receivers. 21. A weapon system as recited in claim 19, wherein said control unit visually displays said position of said trigger for at least one of said plurality of weapons. 22. A weapon firing system as recited in claim 21, wherein said communication means is selected from the group comprising radio frequency transmitters/receivers, electrical cables, data buses, optical cables, and cable-free optical transmitters/receivers.
