Radio controlled ammunition

Abstract

Radio controlled cartridge ammunition ( 20; 30 ) for a weapon ( 26 ), wherein the ammunition comprises control circuitry ( 21 ) adapted to enable and/or disable a mechanism for the ignition of the propellant charge ( 32 ) of the ammunition ( 20; 30 ) in response to a wireless radio control signal. Thereby the control circuitry ( 21 ) extracts, from the wireless radio control signal received at the ammunition's geographical location, information indicative of said geographical location, and compares the extracted information with information indicative of a geographical area where the ammunition ( 20; 30 ) is allowed to be fired off the weapon ( 26 ). Hence, the ignition mechanism is controlled based on the result of the comparison.

1 . An ammunition for a weapon, the ammunition comprising:
 control circuitry adapted to enable and/or disable an ignition mechanism of the ammunition in response to a wireless radio control signal, wherein the control circuitry is adapted to extract, from the wireless radio control signal received at the ammunition's geographical location, information indicative of said geographical location, to compare the extracted information with information indicative of a geographical area where the ammunition is allowed to be fired off the weapon, and to control the ignition mechanism based on the result of the comparison.   
     
     
         2 . The ammunition according to  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is adapted to extract positioning data or cell identification information from the wireless radio control signal. 
     
     
         3 . The ammunition according to  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is adapted to extract a cell identification information from the received wireless radio signal and to compare it to a cell identification information stored in the ammunition, wherein the stored cell identification information indicates a permitted geographical area, and wherein the cell identification information comprises an identifier of a base station or an access point of a wireless communication system. 
     
     
         4 . The ammunition according to  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry comprises receiving circuitry adapted to receive the wireless radio control signal and enabling circuitry which is coupled to the receiving circuitry and adapted to generate an electrical signal which enables or disables the ignition mechanism of the ammunition in response to the received wireless radio control signal. 
     
     
         5 . The ammunition according to  claim 1 , wherein a cartridge of the ammunition is adapted to serve as an antenna means or to provide contact means for enabling a contact with an antenna for receiving the wireless radio control signal. 
     
     
         6 . The ammunition according to  claim 5 , wherein the ammunition is configured to use parts of the weapon as an antenna means for receiving the wireless radio control signal. 
     
     
         7 . The ammunition according to  claim 1 , wherein the ammunition comprises a piezoelectric device and a spark gap, wherein the piezoelectric device and the spark gap are electrically connected, wherein the piezoelectric device is located in a position within the ammunition such that it can be hit by a hammer of the weapon and, wherein the spark gap is located in a position within the ammunition such that it can cause a spark ignition in response to the hit by the weapon's hammer to fire off the ammunition. 
     
     
         8 . The ammunition according to  claim 7 , wherein the spark gap is electrically shorted by a switch in closed position when the ignition mechanism is disabled and, when the ignition mechanism is enabled, the switch is brought to an open position. 
     
     
         9 . The ammunition according to  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to be supplied with electric power when the ammunition is loaded into the weapon. 
     
     
         10 . The ammunition according to  claim 9 , wherein the ammunition comprises a built-in electric power supply for the control circuitry and contact means to enable the built-in electric power supply for the control circuitry when the ammunition is loaded into the weapon. 
     
     
         11 . The ammunition according to  claim 9 , wherein the ammunition comprises contact means adapted to enable an electrical contact with an external power supply for the control circuitry when the ammunition is loaded into the weapon. 
     
     
         12 . The ammunition according to  claim 1 , wherein the ammunition comprises a programming interface for receiving information indicative of a condition allowing the ammunition to be fired from the weapon. 
     
     
         13 . A weapon for operating ammunition according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A method for controlling an ignition mechanism of an ammunition for a weapon, the method comprising:
 receiving, at the ammunition, a wireless radio control signal; and   extracting, from the wireless radio control signal received at the ammunition's geographical location, information indicative of said geographical location;   comparing the extracted information with information indicative of a geographical area where the ammunition is allowed to be fired off the weapon; and   enabling and/or disabling the ignition mechanism of the ammunition based on the result of the comparison.   
     
     
         15 . A computer program having a program code for performing the method of  claim 14 , when the computer program is executed on a computer or processor.