RF data communications link for setting electronic fuzes

Abstract

Fuze setting data for setting a projectile fuze may be transferred from a fuze setter to a fuze over a radiative data link. The radiative data link may comprise a signal transmission over one or more bands selected from a group consisting of the audio, ultrasonic, infrared, RF, visible and UV bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. In one embodiment, frequency shift keying is used to modulate a radio frequency carrier signal. Operational power for the fuze may be inductively transferred from the fuze setter to the fuze over a magnetic inductive link.

1 . A system for programming a fuze comprising: 
 a fuze having a receiver; and    a fuze setter having a transmitter;    wherein pre-launch fuze setting data is transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver via an electromagnetic signal selected from a group consisting of the audio, ultrasonic, infrared, RF, visible and UV bands of the electromagnetic spectrum.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fuze setter further comprises an inductive transmitter; the fuze further comprises a magnetic transducer; and operational power for the fuze may be inductively transmitted from the fuze setter to the fuze.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fuze further includes a transmitter; the fuze setter further includes a receiver; and the setting data received by the fuze may be verified by a reverse transmission from the fuze transmitter back to the fuze setter receiver.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is within 6 inches of the receiver.  
   
   
       5 . A system for programming a fuze comprising: 
 a fuze having a radio frequency receiver; and    a fuze setter having a radio frequency transmitter;    wherein pre-launch fuze setting data is transmitted from the radio frequency transmitter and received by the radio frequency receiver.    
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the radio frequency receiver of the fuze comprises a radio frequency transceiver; and the radio frequency transmitter of the fuze setter comprises a radio frequency transceiver.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein a talkback signal may be sent from the fuze transceiver to the fuze setter transceiver to verify the setting data.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the fuze setting data is transmitted via a frequency modulated carrier signal.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the fuze setting data is transmitted using frequency shift keying.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the fuze setter further comprises an inductive transmitter; the fuze further comprises a magnetic transducer; and operational power for the fuze may be inductively transmitted from the fuze setter to the fuze.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the transmitter is within 6 inches of the receiver.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the transmitter comprises a level shifter, a modulation circuit and an antenna.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the level shifter comprises a first digital-to-analog converter and a second digital-to-analog converter, the output of the first digital-to-analog converter having a higher voltage than the output of the second digital-to-analog converter.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the receiver comprises an antenna, a modulation circuit and an analog-to-digital converter.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein at least 1,000 bits/second may be transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein at least 70,000 bits/second may be transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein at least 500,000 bits/second may be transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein at least 1,000,000 bits/second may be transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver.  
   
   
       19 . A fuze setter comprising: 
 a controller; a magnetic inductive portion for generating a magnetic waveform output; and    a radiative transmitter portion generating a radiative data signal output;    wherein the radiative data signal output contains fuze setting data.    
   
   
       20 . The fuse setter of  claim 19 , wherein the radiative transmitter portion comprises a radio-frequency transmitter.  
   
   
       21 . A method of setting a projectile fuze comprising: 
 providing a fuze having a radio frequency receiver;    providing a fuze setter having a radio frequency transmitter;    transmitting setting data from radio frequency transmitter to the radio frequency receiver.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of transmitting setting data from radio frequency transmitter to the radio frequency receiver comprises: 
 modulating a radio frequency carrier signal using frequency shift keying;    transmitting the modulated carrier signal via the radio frequency transmitter;    receiving the modulated carrier signal via the radio frequency receiver; and    down converting the modulated carrier signal.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 providing the fuze with a magnetic transducer;    providing the fuze setter with a magnetic transmitter; and    inductively transmitting power to the fuze.