Device for Recording and Displaying Data from the Firing of Small-Arms

Abstract

A device for recording and displaying data from the firing cycle of small-arms that senses when a shot has been fired from a weapon using its acceleration, acoustic noise, or RF emissions; measures the interval between shots so that the firing rate may be determined; measures the time at which each shot has been fired; measures the number of rounds fired and deducts that number from a predetermined total thus displaying the remaining number of rounds contained within the weapon's magazine in real time to the operator; stores any combination of firing rate, firing intervals and time data for subsequent analysis and has an electrical interface to transfer data from the device to a computer or other data collection device.

1 . A shot detecting device mounted on a projectile weapon comprising:
 an impulse detector responsive to the mechanical impulse produced by firing said projectile weapon, said impulse detector generally independently responsive in at least two axis;   a processor having an input coupled to said impulse detector and programmed to discriminate a true shot by comparing the signal from said impulse detector to a stored representation of a true shot in amplitude and direction.   
   
   
       2 . The shot detecting device in  claim 1  in which the impulse sensor is an accelerometer. 
   
   
       3 . A shot detecting device mounted on a projectile weapon comprising:
 an impulse detector responsive to the mechanical impulse produced by firing said projectile weapon;   a processor having an input coupled to said impulse detector and programmed to discriminate a true shot by comparing the signal from said impulse detector to a stored representation of the time profile of a true shot.   
   
   
       4 . The shot detecting device in  claim 3  in which the impulse sensor is an accelerometer. 
   
   
       5 . The shot detecting device in  claim 3  in which the impulse sensor is an acoustic detector. 
   
   
       6 . The shot detecting device in  claim 3  in which the time profile includes the impulse generated by the acceleration of the projectile. 
   
   
       7 . The shot detecting device in  claim 3  in which the time profile includes the impulse generated by the acceleration of the projectile and the return movement of the weapon. 
   
   
       8 . The shot detecting device in  claim 3  in which the time profile includes the impulse generated by the acceleration of the projectile and the return movement of the weapon and the impulse caused by the action of the weapon. 
   
   
       9 . A shot detecting device mounted on a projectile weapon comprising:
 an impulse detector responsive to the mechanical impulse produced by firing said projectile weapon;   at least an additional sensor responsive to a characteristic indicative of firing a shot;   a processor having an input coupled to said impulse detector and said additional sensor and programmed to discriminate a true shot by comparing the signal from said impulse detector and said additional sensor to a stored representation of a true shot.   
   
   
       10 . The shot detecting device in  claim 9  where the additional sensor is optical and responsive to muzzle flash. 
   
   
       11 . The shot detecting device in  claim 9  where the additional sensor is thermal and responsive to the heat produced by a shot. 
   
   
       12 . The shot detecting device in  claim 9  where the additional sensor is a strain gauge and responsive to the mechanical strain produced by a true shot. 
   
   
       13 . The shot detecting device in  claim 9  where the additional sensor is acoustic and responsive to the noise produced by a shot. 
   
   
       14 . The shot detecting device in  claim 9  where the additional sensor is responsive to the mechanical mechanism of the projectile weapon. 
   
   
       15 . The shot detecting device in  claim 14  where the additional sensor is a switch coupled to the action of the weapon and actuated by the motion thereof. 
   
   
       16 . The shot detecting device in  claim 14  where the additional sensor is an input means from the weapon's fire control system. 
   
   
       17 . A shot detecting device mounted on a projectile weapon comprising:
 an impulse detector responsive to the mechanical impulse produced by firing said projectile weapon;   a GPS sensor capable of determining the geographic position of the weapon;   a storage means capable of recording data;   a processor having an input coupled to said impulse detector and programmed to discriminate a true shot and storing geographic position information of the weapon correlated to the detected true shot.   
   
   
       18 . A shot detecting device mounted on a projectile weapon comprising:
 an impulse detector responsive to the mechanical impulse produced by firing said projectile weapon;   an electronic compass capable of determining the geographic orientation of the weapon;   a storage means capable of recording data;   a processor having an input coupled to said impulse detector and programmed to discriminate a true shot and storing geographic orientation information of the weapon correlated to the detected true shot.   
   
   
       19 . A shot detecting device mounted on a projectile weapon comprising:
 an impulse detector responsive to the mechanical impulse produced by firing said projectile weapon;   an electronic temperature sensor capable of recording the operating temperature of the weapon;   a storage means capable of recording data;   a processor having an input coupled to said impulse detector and programmed to discriminate a true shot and storing operating temperature information of the weapon correlated to the detected true shot.