Combat communication system
AssigneeOerlikon Contraves AG
InventorPeter Gerber
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Abstract
The combat communication system is used for "identification friend or foe", firing simulation during practice, and/or combat aiming for live night shooting. Each participant wears a harness comprising light detectors and control units, as well as a laser assembly mounted to a weapon. For firing simulation or identification, a participant aims his weapon at a potential target and sends a laser signal. When the target is another participant wearing a harness, his harness answers via a radio, ultrasonic or light signal. The carrier frequency of the response signal can be determined and transmitted by the querying unit over the laser beam.
Claims33
An arrangement for combat communication comprising query units and response units, wherein
- each said query unit comprises a continuous wave laser emitter for emitting a query beam, a modulator for pulse modulating query data into said continuous wave laser query beam, and "a signal" receiver for receiving a response signal responsive to said encoded data,
- each said response unit comprises at least one detector adapted for receiving said pulse modulated continuous wave laser query beam, at least one demodulator for demodulating said query data, and a signal emitter which is capable of operating at various carrier frequencies and generating said response signal at said carrier frequency, wherein said carrier frequency is set by a frequency code in said query data.
A method for combat communication between a query unit and a response unit, each of said units being capable of sending/receiving at a plurality of frequencies, comprising the steps of:
- determining a free carrier frequency by said query unit continuously scanning said plurality of frequencies and storing a list of the currently free frequencies of said plurality of frequencies, and, before sending a query signal, selecting one of said free frequencies as a desired carrier frequency,
- sending an optical continuous wave query beam from said query unit to said response unit and pulse modulating said continuous wave query beam, to obtain an encoded binary message including the following query data:
- a frequency code for a desired response channel carrier frequency,
- an identification code of said query unit,
- wherein said response unit is fastened on a portable piece of equipment of a person participating in a real or simulated combat,
- receiving said modulated continuous wave query beam at said response unit and demodulating said modulated continuous wave query beam to determine said desired carrier frequency, and
- generating a response signal in response to said query beam at said demodulated desired carrier frequency.
An assembly for being mounted onto a portable fire weapon comprising,
- a housing which forms a first chamber for housing batteries to power a diode laser and electronic circuitry and a second chamber for housing a laser source and additional electronics, wherein said first and second chambers extend parallel and form a recess therebetween to allow a free sighting of the target,
- said housing having a bottom side with an attaching element for attaching said housing to said portable fire weapon,
- a laser source arranged in said housing and capable of emitting a modulated continuous wave light beam along a longitudinal direction,
- said housing having a lateral side and an upper side;
- and
- a lever switch pivotally connected to said housing and having an OFF position in which said lever switch is positioned adjacent to said lateral or upper side of said housing, and an ON position in which said lever switch extends downward from said housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.