U.S. patent application number 14/117710 was filed with the patent office on 2014-03-27 for radio controlled ammunition.
This patent application is currently assigned to Alcated Lucent. The applicant listed for this patent is Wolfgang Templ, Dirk Wiegner. Invention is credited to Wolfgang Templ, Dirk Wiegner.
Application Number | 20140083318 14/117710 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45841488 |
Filed Date | 2014-03-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140083318 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Templ; Wolfgang ; et
al. |
March 27, 2014 |
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.
Inventors: |
Templ; Wolfgang; (Sersheim,
DE) ; Wiegner; Dirk; (Schwaikheim, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Templ; Wolfgang
Wiegner; Dirk |
Sersheim
Schwaikheim |
|
DE
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
Alcated Lucent
Paris
FI
|
Family ID: |
45841488 |
Appl. No.: |
14/117710 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
March 15, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2012/054551 |
371 Date: |
November 14, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
102/215 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A 17/063 20130101;
F42B 5/08 20130101; F41A 19/62 20130101; F41A 17/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
102/215 |
International
Class: |
F41A 17/06 20060101
F41A017/06; F41A 17/08 20060101 F41A017/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 18, 2011 |
EP |
11400030.0 |
Claims
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.
Description
[0001] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to
wireless communications and, more specifically, to controlling the
firing of ammunition, such as gun bullets, with the help of
wireless radio signals.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In the past, unfortunately far too many deadly gun rampages
committed with mostly private handguns have occurred throughout the
world, killing dozens or even hundreds of innocent people who
accidently were at the wrong place at the wrong time and thereby
also leading to nervous breakdowns of their relatives and friends.
Examples of such dramatic gun rampages include school and/or
university shootings initiated by mentally disordered students as a
means of revenge or a last desperate means for drawing up
attention. Often such shootings end with the killing or the suicide
of the perpetrator.
[0003] As a consequence, many legal accentuations have been called
for, including, e.g., a prohibition of shooting video games, better
monitoring of gun club members, directives to have all ammunition
deposited with police, and provisions to have gun club members
store their weapons at the club house. Also a complete prohibition
of youths' access to guns in gun clubs has been demanded, as well
as less violence on TV.
[0004] Following such demands some governments have passed
legislation to improve handgun security e.g. with electronic
nation-wide weapons registry, increased age limitations for
large-caliber weapons as well as unannounced, random inspections in
gun-owner homes. Also, obligatory biometric security systems are to
be introduced once they are technically feasible. However, a ban on
several fighting games trivializing and encouraging violence was
not yet passed neither was a limitation on the number of guns owned
nor an obligation to store guns with shooting clubs.
[0005] Since purely legal measures to prevent crimes do not always
lead to the envisaged results, also technical measures against
crimes committed with handguns may be considered. These include
e.g. blocking solutions, which directly block a weapon itself.
However, such solutions are elaborate and difficult for retroactive
introduction.
[0006] Therefore improved technical measures are required to
prevent the uncontrolled use of weapons and ammunition and, hence,
fatal crimes like, e.g., the above-mentioned gun rampages.
SUMMARY
[0007] Embodiments may be based on the finding that radio signals
available today and in the future may be used to control the firing
of ammunition, e.g. a bullet, off a weapon. By means of wireless
radio signals ammunition may be controlled such that its firing off
is possible only within predefined geographic areas, such as, e.g.,
shooting stands of gun clubs or in the wilderness. Hence,
embodiments mainly but not exclusively address bullets or
ammunition and the related weapons of private persons, such as gun
club members or amateur hunters.
[0008] Embodiments may be further based on the finding that an
ignition mechanism of the ammunition may be modified, such that
ignition and hence firing off the ammunition can only happen if the
ammunition has previously been armed by a radio controlled
procedure. Embodiments, hence, virtually provide intelligent
ammunition which allows to be fired off only under certain
circumstances.
[0009] Embodiments provide ammunition for a weapon, the ammunition
comprising control circuitry adapted to enable and/or disable an
ignition mechanism of the ammunition for firing the ammunition off
the weapon in response to a wireless radio control signal. That is,
the ammunition itself may be armed or disarmed based on the
wireless radio control signal.
[0010] Hence, according to embodiments, ammunition may only be
primed if it is in reach of at least one wireless radio control
signal. Such a wireless radio control signal may be transmitted
either at certain time instants or it may only be transmitted
within a limited geographic area such as a shooting drill ground,
etc. That is, according to an embodiment the ammunition may only be
armed in certain geographic areas corresponding to permitted areas,
such as shooting stands or the like. For this purpose the control
circuitry may be either adapted to "listen" to a special wireless
radio control signal and to control the ignition mechanism based on
the reception of said special wireless radio control signal.
According to further embodiments the control circuitry may also be
adapted to extract, from the wireless radio control signal received
at the ammunition's current geographical location, information
indicative of said current geographical location, in order to
compare the extracted information with information indicative of
the geographic area where the ammunition is allowed to be fired
from the weapon, and to control the ignition mechanism based on the
result of the comparison.
[0011] The regionally limited wireless radio control signal may,
hence, have a certain frequency or carry a certain code which has
to be identified by the ammunition in order to get armed. It may
also carry GPS (Global Positioning System) data with which the
control circuitry may determine or calculate a quite accurate
estimate of the ammunition's current position or location. In other
embodiments, the wireless radio control signal may carry
information indicative of cells or base stations of a wireless
communication system, such as WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network),
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), UMTS (Universal
Mobile Telecommunications System) or LTE (Long-Term
Evolution)--just to name a few of many possible mobile or wireless
communications systems. With such cell specific information the
control circuitry may also get an indication of the ammunition's
current position or location.
[0012] Such extracted information may then be compared to data
indicative of the permitted geographic area where the ammunition is
allowed to be fired from the weapon. According to one embodiment,
such data indicative of the permitted geographic area may be stored
in the ammunition or the control circuitry. Therefore a (small)
memory, such as e.g. a semiconductor memory, integrated with or
coupled to the control circuitry may be implemented in the
ammunition.
[0013] In order to program such built-in memory, embodiments of the
ammunition may comprise a programming interface for receiving
information indicative of a condition allowing the ammunition to be
fired off the weapon. Hence, when selling such ammunition to
private persons or gun clubs a signal or a code indicative of the
gun club's geographic location may be programmed into the
ammunition's memory, such that the ammunition may only be fired
with the area of a predefined gun club, i.e., in case of a match
between the programmed data and the data carried by the wireless
radio control signal. For a hunter, e.g., a signal or a code
indicative of his permitted hunting ground may be programmed. That
is, in regions not corresponding to the programmed signals or
codes, e.g. city-center regions or regions with public facilities,
it will not be possible to arm embodiments of the ammunition.
[0014] Based on the result of this data comparison the ammunition's
ignition mechanism, i.e. its ability to be fired off an adequate
weapon, may then be enabled or left disabled (default state),
depending on whether the comparison yielded that the ammunition's
current location corresponds to the geographic area for which legal
use of a weapon with ammunition is allowed, in particular for
private persons. Such an area may e.g. be a coverage area (or a
part thereof) of a certain cell of a wireless communication system,
i.e., a geographic area where a cell-ID identifying the cell's
serving base station may be received. The cell or a part thereof
may e.g. cover a gun club or the like. Outside this permitted area,
i.e. when the wireless radio signal carrying the specific cell-ID
may not be received, the ammunition's ignition mechanism will be or
become disabled.
[0015] For processing the wireless radio control signal at the
ammunition, embodiments of the ammunition comprise a control
circuitry which comprises receiving circuitry adapted to receive
the wireless radio control signal. Further, enabling/disabling
circuitry may be provided at the ammunition 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.
[0016] The receiving circuitry may comprise at least a simple radio
signal receiver, depending on the complexity of the underlying
wireless communication system and/or the wireless radio signal.
Typically, such receivers include RF (Radio Frequency) front-ends
comprising mixers and filters for converting a received signal from
an RF band to an intermediate or base band signal domain.
Downstream to the RF front-end there may be arranged a back-end
receiver, e.g. including at least a simple signal processor for
extracting, among other things, the aforementioned information
indicative of the ammunition's current geographical location.
[0017] In order to receive the wireless control signal, a cartridge
or hull of the ammunition may be adapted to serve as an antenna
means according to some embodiments. This is possible since the
cartridge of the ammunition will typically be metallic. According
to other embodiments the cartridge of the ammunition may also be
adapted to provide contacts or contact means for enabling an
electrical contact of the ammunition's control circuitry with an
external antenna for receiving the wireless radio control signal.
Such an external antenna may e.g. be a barrel of the weapon or gun,
although this will most likely not be exactly fitted to the
frequency of the radio signal and, hence, not provide best
reception qualities. Of course, also solutions with better external
antennas mounted to the weapon or gun are possible. To summarize,
the ammunition may be configured to use at least parts of the
weapon as an antenna means for receiving the wireless radio control
signal.
[0018] The ammunition may comprise means for converting a
mechanical impulse from a gun-hammer into an electrical signal used
for ignition. Such means may comprise e.g. a piezoelectric device
and a spark gap, wherein the piezoelectric device and the spark gap
are electrically connected. The piezoelectric device has a location
within the ammunition such that it can be hit by the hammer of the
weapon. The spark gap has a location 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. That is, the spark gap
or its electrodes may be located close to or inside the
ammunition's gun powder reservoir. Thus hitting the piezoelectric
crystal with the hammer will trigger a spark ignition which again
triggers an explosion which finally fires the ammunition off the
weapon.
[0019] When the ignition mechanism is disabled, the spark gap, i.e.
its electrodes, may be electrically shorted by a switch in closed
position. When the ignition mechanism is enabled the switch may be
brought to an open position. There are many possible embodiments of
such a switch (e.g. transistors), depending on the complexity of
the electrical circuitry implemented within the ammunition.
According to one embodiment the switch may be realized by a fuse,
such that in the disarmed state the spark-gap is electrically
shorted by the switch or fuse thus preventing ignition of the
ammunition. A radio command received by the antenna and processed
by the receiving unit will trigger an enable switch controller
which opens the short or melts the fuse. According to some
embodiments of the switch, this procedure is repeatable in order to
also get back from the armed state in the disarmed state.
[0020] According to some embodiments the electrical circuitry of
the intelligent ammunition is off power as long as the ammunition
is not loaded into its weapon. In that powered-off state the
ammunition is of course also disarmed. In other words, the
ammunition's electrical or control circuitry may be configured to
be supplied with power (only) in case the ammunition is loaded into
the weapon. This may be realized by concepts where a power supply
is located within the ammunition and only activated when the
ammunition is loaded or by external power supplies, which may,
e.g., be located in the weapon and deliver power to the
ammunition's circuitry during the time when the ammunition is
loaded into said weapon. Hence, according to one embodiment the
ammunition may comprise a built-in electric power supply for its
control circuitry or chip and contact means to enable the built-in
power supply for the control chip when the ammunition is loaded
into the weapon. According to another embodiment the ammunition may
comprise 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.
[0021] Although some embodiments of the ammunition may be fired off
with conventional weapons, such as handguns or rifles, there may be
other embodiments of the ammunition which require specifically
adapted weapons, e.g., when a weapon needs to function as an
external power-supply or when it needs to have installed a specific
antenna device. Hence, embodiments also comprise a weapon for
operating ammunition according to certain embodiments.
[0022] According to yet a further embodiment a method for
controlling an ignition mechanism of ammunition for a weapon is
provided. The method comprises a step of receiving, at the
ammunition, a wireless radio control signal, and a step of enabling
and/or disabling the ignition mechanism of the ammunition in
response to the received wireless radio control signal. As
described above, the ignition mechanism may only be enabled when
the ammunition is loaded into said weapon according to some
embodiments.
[0023] Some embodiments comprise a digital control circuit
installed within the ammunition's control circuitry. As has been
described before, such a digital control circuit, e.g. a digital
signal processor (DSP), needs to be programmed accordingly. Hence,
yet further embodiments also provide a computer program having a
program code for performing embodiments of the method, when the
computer program is executed on a computer or a digital
processor.
[0024] Embodiments are hence directed towards a modification of an
ammunition's ignition mechanism, such that ignition and, hence,
firing off the ammunition can only take place if the ammunition is
armed or activated by a radio controlled procedure. According to
embodiments, the ammunition's hull or cartridge does not contain a
mechanical percussion cap anymore. Instead, it may comprise a
piezoelectric ignition mechanism and a wireless controlled chip
which may prime the ammunition only within a permitted area, such
as a shooting stand. In order to achieve this, the mobile radio or
GPS infrastructure may be used, e.g. for localization and priming
of the ammunition. The built-in chip affects that the ammunition is
disarmed except in the specific mobile radio cell or location, for
which legal use is allowed.
[0025] Embodiments may therefore improve the annoying situation
with respect to gun rampages or kidnapping mostly committed with
private handguns that must actually only be used in the mentioned
permitted areas. Firing such improved ammunition at public places,
like schools, universities, or hospitals, becomes nearly
impossible. Hence, embodiments may help to prevent crimes committed
with private handguns and ammunition.
[0026] Required mobile radio network infrastructure for realizing
embodiments already exists and required electronics for the
ammunition is not very complex. One advantage of embodiments is a
clearly improved possibility o disable and enable ammunition and
thus weapons (e.g. by mobile radio network). No big effort on later
implementation of embodiments for the weapons themselves is
required. Embodiments of the ammunition may only be enabled in
mobile radio cells where use of them is allowed (e.g. firing
range). Thus the embodiments may clearly increase overall safety by
improved crime prevention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0027] Some embodiments of apparatuses and/or methods will be
described in the following by way of example only, and with
reference to the accompanying figures, in which
[0028] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the intelligent ammunition
concept of embodiments of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an embodiment of ammunition
according to an embodiment;
[0030] FIG. 3 shows details of a radio-controlled ammunition
ignition mechanism according to an embodiment;
[0031] FIG. 4a shows a block circuit diagram of a receive unit and
an enable/disable unit of an ammunition according to an
embodiment;
[0032] FIG. 4b shows ammunition according to an embodiment with
electrical contact in its cartridge;
[0033] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a method for
controlling an ignition mechanism of ammunition according to an
embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0034] Various example embodiments will now be described more fully
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example
embodiments are illustrated. In the drawings, the thicknesses of
layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity.
[0035] Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of
various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof
are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be
described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there
is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms
disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover
all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the
scope of the invention. Like numbers refer to like elements
throughout the description of the figures.
[0036] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as
being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be
directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening
elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred
to as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another
element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words
used to describe the relationship between elements should be
interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., "between" versus "directly
between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.).
[0037] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of
example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an"
and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further
understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes"
and/or "including," when used herein, specify the presence of
stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or
components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or
more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,
components and/or groups thereof.
[0038] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and
scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example
embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g.,
those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted
as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the
context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an
idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined
herein.
[0039] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the intelligent ammunition
concept according to embodiments of the present invention.
[0040] Exemplarily, three mobile radio cells 11a, 11b and 11c of a
wireless communication system 10 are shown. Examples of wireless
communication systems are Wi-Fi networks, e.g. WLAN (Wireless Local
Area Network), 2.sup.nd generation mobile communication systems,
like, e.g., GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), 3.sup.rd
generation mobile communication systems, like, e.g., UMTS
(Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) or 4.sup.th generation
mobile communication systems, like, e.g., LTE (Long-Term
Evolution). Every network cell 11a, 11b and 11c is served by a
corresponding base station 12a, 12b, and 12c, respectively.
Depending on the used infrastructure the base stations 12a, 12b,
and 12c may also be referred to as access points.
[0041] While the cell 11a exemplarily covers a geographic area of a
firing or shooting range of a gun club or the like, the cells 11b
and 11c cover public facilities, like schools, hospitals, etc.
Hence, for the cells 11b and 11c the intelligent ammunition
according to embodiments is blocked and thus ineffective since
there are no firing ranges or other facilities within these cells,
which would require active ammunition. In the cell 11a, however,
the ammunition may be activated by a suitable enabling signal
provided by the corresponding radio base station 12a. Following
this concept, the ammunition and thus its related weapons may only
be activated in very limited geographic areas by using existing
wireless network infrastructure.
[0042] FIG. 2 shows the main required building blocks in order to
realize the radio controlled ammunition concept which has been
exemplified with reference to FIG. 1.
[0043] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates ammunition in form of a
bullet 20 for a weapon 26, e.g. a hand gun, wherein the ammunition
or bullet 20 comprises a control circuitry 21 adapted to enable
and/or disable an ignition mechanism of the bullet 21 in response
to a wireless radio control signal. The ignition mechanism shall
launch the firing of the bullet 20 off the weapon 26.
[0044] For this purpose the control circuitry 21 may comprise a
power supply 22, e.g. in form of a battery, for supplying
electrical power to a receiving part 23 and an enabling and/or
disabling part 24 coupled to the receiving part 23 of the control
circuitry 21. The enabling circuitry 24 may be adapted to generate
an electrical signal which enables or disables the ignition
mechanism of the bullet 20 in response to a received wireless radio
control signal. For receiving said wireless control signal the
receiving circuitry 23 may be coupled to an antenna device 25.
According to some embodiments, in particular for high frequency
wireless signals, the cartridge of the bullet 20 may be adapted to
serve as the antenna device 25 itself. However, the cartridge may
also be adapted to provide contact means for enabling a contact of
the bullet 20 with an external antenna 25 for receiving the
wireless radio control signal. Due to the relatively small size of
the bullet 20 a part of the weapon 26 may be used as said external
antenna device 25, as indicated in FIG. 2. According to some
embodiments this antenna part may e.g. be the barrel of the weapon
26 although it may not be perfectly matched to the radio frequency
of the wireless control signal. If a match of the antenna to the
wireless signal is of great importance, also a dedicated external
antenna device may be foreseen at the weapon.
[0045] The control circuitry 21 is implemented in each bullet 20
and makes the bullet active or inactive. The control circuitry 21
may be of the form of an integrated circuit, e.g. a semiconductor
chip. According to some embodiments it may also be assembled of
discrete electrical components, depending on the size of the bullet
20. The control circuitry 21 and thus the bullet 20 may be
controlled by a mobile radio infrastructure as has been explained
with reference to FIG. 1. In order to achieve this, the control
circuitry 21 includes the receive unit 23 (coupled to antenna 25)
as well as the enabling/disabling unit 24. Without an appropriate
enabling signal, the bullet 20 is always blocked, i.e. its ignition
mechanism will not work.
[0046] According to some embodiments the control circuitry 21 may
be adapted to extract, from the wireless radio control signal
received at the bullet's 20 current geographical location (e.g. in
one of the cells 11a, 11b or 11c) via the antenna 25, information
indicative of said geographical location. This extracted
information may then be compared with information indicative of a
geographical area where the bullet 20 is allowed to be fired from
the weapon 26 (e.g. cell 11a), and to control the bullet's 20
ignition mechanism based on the result of the comparison. The
control circuitry 21 may hence be adapted to extract geographic
positioning data or cell identification information from the
wireless radio control signal. In one case the control circuitry 21
may extract a cell-ID from the received wireless radio signal and
compare it to a stored cell-ID which may indicate a permitted
geographical area. Such a cell-ID may be an identifier of a base
station or an access point. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1
the control circuitry 21 would hence only activate the bullet's
ignition mechanism if the extracted information indicated that the
bullet 20 is currently located in cell 11a corresponding to the
firing range. In all other cells 11b and 11c the bullet 20 would
remain deactivated and could therefore not be fired from weapon 26.
Other embodiments may also allow an extraction of GPS data from the
wireless control signal. Based on such data the bullet's current
position could be determined and compared to geographical areas
where a firing off is permitted. If the current position falls
within such a permitted area the bullet 20 may be armed. Otherwise
it remains or becomes disarmed.
[0047] After an overview of the radio controlled bullet concept has
been provided with reference to the FIGS. 1 and 2, a
radio-controlled bullet ignition mechanism according to an
embodiment will be described in more detail turning now to FIG.
3.
[0048] FIG. 3 shows a bullet 30 according to an embodiment. Beside
the already discussed control circuitry 21 the bullet 30 comprises
a bullet head or projectile 31, an explosive area 32, and means 33,
34, 35 for converting a mechanical impulse or force 36 from a
gun-hammer (not shown) into an electrical signal used for ignition
of the explosive area 32. The control circuitry 21 may be located
in the bullet's cartridge, preferably in a region of reduced
mechanical (shock) stress. For example, the means 33, 34, 35 for
converting a mechanical impulse may comprise a piezoelectric device
33 with electrical contacts 34. Piezoelectricity thereby denotes an
electrical charge which accumulates in certain solid materials
(notably crystals, certain ceramics, and biological matter such as
bone, DNA and various proteins) in response to applied mechanical
strain. The piezoelectric device or crystal 33 may be preferably
located in a position within the bullet 30 such that it can be hit
by a hammer of the weapon 26. I.e., it may be located in the rear
part of the bullet 30. Instead, the control circuitry 21 may be
suitably located in a region of reduced mechanical (shock) stress
between the piezoelectric crystal crystal 33 and the explosive area
32. The electrical charge resulting from the hit by the hammer may
result in voltages of thousands of Volts between the electrical
contacts 34. These contacts 34 may be electrically connected to
electrodes forming a spark gap 35 located in a position within the
bullet 30 such that it can cause a spark ignition in the explosive
area 32 in response to the hit by the weapon's hammer in order to
fire off the bullet 30. Hence, for the bullet's ignition mechanism
the hammer of the gun 26 hits the piezoelectric crystal 33 which is
electrically connected to the spark gap 35 which is located close
or inside the bullet's gun powder reservoir 32. Thus hitting the
crystal 33 will trigger a spark ignition which again triggers the
explosion which finally fires the bullet 30.
[0049] FIG. 4a shows a top level schematic 40 of the electronic
unit 21 located in the bullet's cartridge.
[0050] The electronic control unit 21 may comprise a contact 41 for
connecting an antenna device 25 to the control unit's receiving
circuit 23, which again is coupled to the enabling/disabling
circuit 24 and the power supply 22. The enabling circuit 24 may
control a switch (or fuse) 42, which again may short electrodes of
the spark gap 35 when in closed state. That is, in the closed state
of the switch 42 the bullet's ignition mechanism is deactivated or
disarmed since no spark ignition can take place in response to a
mechanical impulse on the piezoelectric device 33 and a resulting
high voltage between the spark gap's electrodes (35). A radio
command of a wireless control signal received by the antenna 25 and
processed by the receiving circuit 23 may trigger the enabling
circuit 24 to open the short (or to melt a fuse), i.e. to put the
switch 42 into open position. Thus a mechanical impulse onto the
piezoelectric device 33 may cause a spark ignition inside or close
to the bullet's propellant charge in reservoir 32 and hence firing
of the bullet 20, 30 as described above. Thereby a distance between
contacts 44a, 44b of the opened switch 42 (or fuse) should be
chosen large enough in order to avoid an unwanted spark at the
switch 42 instead of the desired spark at the spark gap 35.
[0051] Electric power supply for the electronic control unit 21 may
be provided by means of an integrated battery device 22. In order
to prevent discharge during a longer inactive period, the bullet's
battery circuit may be open circuited per default and be closed
e.g. by means of two power-supply contacts 43a, 43b ("Battery
Enable"). The power-supply contacts 43a, 43b may e.g. be located at
the perimeter of the bullet's cartridge such that they are shorted
as soon as the ammunition 20, 30 is loaded into the weapon 26. That
is, the control circuitry 21 may be configured to be supplied with
electrical power when the bullet 20, 30 is loaded into the weapon
26. In particular, the bullet 20, 30 may comprise a built-in
electric power supply 22 for the control chip 21 and contact means
43a, 43b to enable the built-in power supply 22 for the control
chip 21 when the bullet 20, 30 is loaded into the weapon 26.
Similarly, the contact with the antenna 25 may be provided when the
bullet 20, 30 is loaded by means of an antenna contact 41a, 41b
(see FIG. 4b).
[0052] According to other embodiments the power-supply for the
electronic control unit 21 may also be located off the bullet 20,
30. For example, a power supply may also be provided by the weapon
26 when the bullet is loaded. For this case the contact means 43a,
43b may be adapted to enable an electrical contact with an external
power supply for the control circuitry 21 when the bullet 20, 30 is
loaded into the weapon 26.
[0053] As has been explained before, some embodiments provide
ammunition with a programming interface for receiving information
indicative of a condition or a geographic region allowing the
ammunition to be fired from the weapon. This condition may be the
presence of a certain wireless control signal indicating a specific
geographic area which corresponds e.g. to at least one specific
cell of a wireless communication system. Hence, a memory of the
control circuit 21 may be programmed with a certain signal or code
e.g. corresponding to a cell-ID of a base station serving a cell in
which a permitted shooting range is located, thus allowing firing
the ammunition 20, 30 only in said permitted area and nowhere else.
Preferably, the programming of the ammunition may only be performed
by trusted authority. Therefore, special authorization and/or
signing procedures may be employed during the programming
process.
[0054] FIG. 5 illustrates a high-level flow chart of a method 50
for controlling an ignition mechanism of ammunition 20, 30
according to an embodiment.
[0055] The method 50 comprises a step 51 of receiving, at the
ammunition 20, 30, a wireless radio control signal, and a step 52
of enabling and/or disabling the ignition mechanism of the
ammunition in response to the received wireless radio control
signal. As described above, the ignition mechanism may only be
enabled when the ammunition 20, 30 is loaded into said weapon 26
according to some embodiments.
[0056] The control circuit 21 may comprise a signal processor
executing a computer program having a program code for performing
or supporting at least one of the above described method-steps when
the computer program is executed on said processor. Hence,
embodiments may provide a computer program having a program code
for performing one of the above described methods when the computer
program is executed on a computer or processor. A person of skill
in the art would readily recognize that steps of various
above-described methods can be performed by programmed computers.
Herein, some embodiments are also intended to cover program storage
devices, e.g., digital data storage media, which are machine or
computer readable and encode machine-executable or
computer-executable programs of instructions, wherein said
instructions perform some or all of the steps of said
above-described methods. The program storage devices may be, e.g.,
digital memories, magnetic storage media such as a magnetic disks
and magnetic tapes, hard drives, or optically readable digital data
storage media. The embodiments are also intended to cover computers
programmed to perform said steps of the above-described
methods.
[0057] To summarize, embodiments propose to modify the ignition
mechanism of an ammunition, such as, e.g. a bullet, a grenade, a
bazooka, etc., so that ignition and hence firing the ammunition can
only happen if the ammunition is armed by a radio controlled
procedure. According to embodiments, the ammunition's cartridge
contains no percussion cap anymore. Instead it may feature a
piezoelectric ignition mechanism and a wireless controlled chip
which may prime ammunition only within a permitted area, such as a
shooting stand. In order to achieve this, the mobile radio or GPS
infrastructure could be used, e.g. for localization and priming of
the ammunition. The built-in chip affects that the ammunition is
ineffectual except in the specific mobile radio cell or location,
for which legal use is allowed.
[0058] The description and drawings merely illustrate the
principles of the invention. It will thus be appreciated that those
skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements
that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the
principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and
scope. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally
intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the
reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the
concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and
are to be construed as being without limitation to such
specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all
statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of
the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended
to encompass equivalents thereof.
[0059] Functional blocks denoted as "means for . . . " (performing
a certain function) shall be understood as functional blocks
comprising circuitry that is adapted for performing a certain
function, respectively. Hence, a "means for s.th." may as well be
understood as a "means being adapted or suited for s.th.". A means
being adapted for performing a certain function does, hence, not
imply that such means necessarily is performing said function (at a
given time instant).
[0060] Functions of various elements shown in the figures,
including any functional blocks may be provided through the use of
dedicated hardware, as e.g. a processor, as well as hardware
capable of executing software in association with appropriate
software. When provided by a processor, the functions may be
provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared
processor, or by a plurality of individual processors, some of
which may be shared. Moreover, explicit use of the term "processor"
or "controller" should not be construed to refer exclusively to
hardware capable of executing software, and may implicitly include,
without limitation, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware,
network processor, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC),
field programmable gate array (FPGA), read only memory (ROM) for
storing software, random access memory (RAM), and non-volatile
storage. Other hardware, conventional and/or custom, may also be
included.
[0061] It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of
illustrative circuitry embodying the principles of the invention.
Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow charts, flow
diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudo code, and the like
represent various processes which may be substantially represented
in computer readable medium and so executed by a computer or
processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly
shown.
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