Wireless multi-fuze setter interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12104889-B2
Application number	US-202117924226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2021
Priority date	May 12, 2020
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

Techniques and architecture are disclosed for a wireless fuze setter interface, comprising an electronics subsystem comprising a plurality of ports and a plurality of output interfaces having a common interface with the plurality of ports on the electronics subsystem. The plurality of output interfaces comprises an electrical energy transfer zone configured to provide electrical energy to the fuze, and a high speed data communications zone configured to transfer fuze setting data to the fuze. The wireless fuze setter interface provides fuze setting capability without the need for rotational or other physical alignment between the fuze and the fuze setter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless fuze setter interface, comprising:
an electronics subsystem comprising one or more ports; and
one or more output interfaces having a common interface with the one or more ports on the electronics subsystem;
wherein the one or more output interfaces comprises,
an electrical energy transfer zone configured to provide electrical energy to a fuze; and
a high speed data communications zone configured to transfer fuze setting data to the fuze;
wherein the wireless fuze setter interface provides fuze setting capability without the need for rotational or other physical alignment between the fuze and fuze setter.

2. The wireless fuze setter interface of claim 1 , wherein the electrical energy transfer zone comprises an electrical energy transfer coil.

3. The wireless fuze setter interface of claim 1 , wherein the communications zone comprises a communications transceiver capable of bidirectional communications.

4. The wireless fuze setter interface of claim 3 , wherein the communications transceiver comprises an antenna or an inductive coil.

5. The wireless fuze setter interface of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the electrical energy transfer zone and the communications zone concurrently engages with two or more fuzes.

6. A wireless fuze setter interface for setting multiple fuzes on a projectile, comprising:
a fuze setter electronics subsystem comprising one or more ports; and
one or more output interfaces having a common interface with the one or more ports on the electronics subsystem;
wherein the one or more output interfaces comprises,
an electrical energy transfer zone configured to provide electrical energy to the fuze, wherein the electrical energy transfer zone spans a plurality of fuzes; and
a high speed data communications zone configured to transfer fuze setting data to the fuze, wherein the communications zone spans a plurality of fuzes.

7. The wireless fuze setter interface of claim 6 , wherein the electrical energy transfer zone is a single fuze electrical energy transfer zone coupled with a single fuze communications zone.

8. The wireless fuze setter interface of claim 6 , wherein the electrical energy transfer zone is a multi-fuze electrical energy transfer zone coupled to a single fuze communications zone.

9. The wireless fuze setter interface of claim 6 , wherein the electrical energy transfer zone is a multi-fuze electrical energy transfer zone coupled to a multi-fuze communications zone.

10. The wireless fuze setter interface of claim 6 , wherein the communications zone comprises a communications transceiver capable of bidirectional communication and configured to wirelessly transfer the fuze setting data using near field magnetic induction.

11. The wireless fuze setter interface of claim 6 , wherein the one or more output interfaces includes different fuze interfaces configured to engage with different fuze types.

12. The wireless fuze setter interface of claim 6 , wherein the output interfaces includes a panel that extends across the multiple fuzes which are in close proximity to each other to allow for the electrical energy and fuze setting data transfers.

13. The wireless fuze setter interface of claim 6 , wherein the electrical energy transfer zone is configured to provide the electrical energy to the fuze by magnetic resonance.

14. A method for wirelessly setting a fuze, comprising:
bringing the fuze into proximity of a fuze setting station, the fuze setting station comprising an electrical energy transfer zone and a communications zone;
powering up the fuze while in proximity to the electrical energy transfer zone; and
configuring the fuze with fuze setting data while in proximity to the communications zone;
wherein the electrical energy transfer zone and the communications zone overlap with respect to the fuze, and wherein the fuze setting station provides fuze setting capability without the need for rotational or other physical alignment between the fuze and a fuze setter.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein configuring the fuze with fuze setting data is by near field magnetic induction.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising powering up a plurality of fuzes concurrently in the electrical energy transfer zone.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising configuring a plurality of fuzes concurrently in the communications zone.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising public/private key cryptography on the fuze setting data.

Assignees

• Bae Sys Inf & Elect Sys Integ

Inventors

• Feda Francis M

Classifications

• Y02D30/70

  in wireless communication networks · CPC title

• H04B5/72

  for local intradevice communication · CPC title

• H04B5/77

  for interrogation · CPC title

• H04B5/73

  for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils · CPC title

• H04B5/00

  Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems · CPC title