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US 2014/0338552 A1Published application
Detonation command and control
AssigneeLos Alamos National Security, LLC
InventorsJonathan L. Mace, Gerald J. Seitz, John A. Echave, Pierre-Yves Le Bas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The detonation of one or more explosive charges and propellant charges by a detonator in response to a fire control signal from a command and control system comprised of a command center and instrumentation center with a communications link therebetween. The fire control signal is selectively provided to the detonator from the instrumentation center if plural detonation control switches at the command center are in a fire authorization status, and instruments, and one or more interlocks, if included, are in a ready for firing status. The instrumentation and command centers are desirably mobile, such as being respective vehicles.
Claims24
A command and control system for controlling the detonation of one or more explosive charges and propellant charges by a detonator, the command and control system comprising:
- a mobile command vehicle, the command vehicle comprising a first switch operable to provide a first authorized to fire control signal in response to actuation of the first switch to a first switch authorized to fire position;
- a second switch operable to provide a second authorized to fire control signal in response to actuation of the second switch to a second switch authorized to fire position;
- command computing hardware configured to provide a third switch operable to provide a third authorized to fire control signal in response to actuation of the third switch to a third authorized to fire position;
- the command computing hardware also being configured to receive signals corresponding to the status of plural instruments and at least one interlock;
- a mobile instrumentation vehicle spaced from the command vehicle, the instrumentation vehicle comprising a plurality of instrumentation inputs each for coupling to a respective associated instrument for receiving instrument status signals indicating the status of the associated instrument and for receiving instrument data signals corresponding to the data collected by the associated instrument;
- the instrumentation vehicle also comprising at least one interlock input for coupling to a respective associated interlock for receiving interlock status signals indicating the status of the associated interlock;
- the instrumentation vehicle further comprising fire set and control system (FSCS) computing hardware operable to receive:
- (i) signals corresponding to the instrument status and instrument data signals, (ii) signals corresponding to the at least one interlock status signal, and (iii) signals corresponding to the first, second and third authorized to fire control signals;
- the FSCS computing hardware being configured to provide FSCS computing hardware output signals corresponding to the instrument status and instrument data signals and corresponding to the at least one interlock status signal;
- the FSCS computing hardware also being configured to provide a firing control signal for causing the firing of the detonation device to detonate the one or more explosive charges and propellant charges in response to the firing control signal, the FSCS computing hardware providing the firing control signal in response to the plural instruments and at least one interlock having a status corresponding to an authorized to fire status;
- and
- a communication network coupled to the command computing hardware and to the FSCS computing hardware, the communication network being operable to provide communications between the command vehicle and the instrumentation vehicle so as to:
- (i) transmit signals corresponding to the FSCS computing hardware output signals and thereby corresponding to the status of said at least one interlock, corresponding to the status of the plural instruments, and corresponding to the instrument data signals, from the instrumentation vehicle to the command vehicle for receipt by the command computer hardware;
- and (ii) signals corresponding to the first, second and third authorized to fire control signals from the command vehicle to the instrumentation vehicle for receipt by the FSCS computing hardware.
11 more elements
An apparatus for controlling the detonation of an explosive by a detonator comprising:
- a movable command center;
- the command center comprising at least one manually controlled switch operable to produce a first fire authorization signal when said at least one switch is in a detonate explosive position;
- the command center comprising command center computing hardware configured to cause the generation of a second fire authorization signal in response to actuation of displayed fire command switch to a detonate explosive position;
- a movable instrumentation center physically spaced from and movable relative to the movable command center;
- the instrumentation center comprising fire setting and control system (FSCS) computing hardware having an output for coupling to the detonator and configured to selectively provide a fire control signal to cause detonation of the detonator and explosion of the explosive;
- the FSCS computing hardware also comprising plural inputs coupled to a plurality of instruments for receiving instrument status signals corresponding to the operational status of such instruments and instrument data signals corresponding to data signals from such instruments;
- wherein the FSCS computing hardware is configured to selectively provide a fire control signal to cause the detonation of the detonator to detonate the explosive in response to the first and second fire authorization signals providing that the status of the instruments determined based on the instrument status signals is acceptable for detonating the explosive;
- a communication network operable to communicate signals from the command center to the instrumentation center and from the instrumentation center to the command center, such communicated signals corresponding to the first and second fire authorization signals, corresponding to the instrument status signals and corresponding to the instrument data signals;
- and
- the FSCS computing hardware and command computing hardware being configured to test the operability of the communication network and to prevent the detonation of the detonator and explosion of the explosive in the event the communication network is determined to be inoperative.
7 more elements
A method of controlling the firing of an explosive comprising:
- (a) placing a command center a first distance away from the site at which the explosive is to be detonated;
- (b) placing an instrumentation center a second distance away from the site at which the explosive is to be detonated, the second distance being less than the first distance;
- (c) establishing a communication link between the command center and instrumentation center and verifying the operation of the communications link at least during times that the explosive may be detonated;
- (d) receiving instrument status signals at the instrumentation center indicating the operational status of plural instruments and transmitting signals corresponding to such instrument status signals to the command center;
- (e) receiving at least one interlock status signal at the instrumentation center indicating the status of the at least one interlock and transmitting signals corresponding to such interlock status signal to the command center;
- (f) providing plural fire authorization signals from the command center to the instrumentation center;
- (g) selectively delivering a fire control signal from the instrumentation center to an explosive detonator in response to the plural detonation control signals and providing that the instrument status signals and interlock status signals indicate that the instruments and at least one interlock are in an acceptable status for the explosive to be detonated;
- (h) detonating the explosive in response to the fire control signal;
- and
- (i) receiving explosion responsive instrument data signals at the instrument center collected by instruments in response to the explosion and transmitting signals corresponding to the instrument data signals to the command center.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.