METHOD FOR DETERMINING SAFETY FUNCTIONS IN A VEHICLE AND CORRESPONDING DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING AND DISPLAYING THE FOREMOWN SAFETY FUNCTIONS

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for defining safety functions in a vehicle and to a corresponding device for controlling and displaying the aforementioned safety functions.

[0002] Appropriate procedures and devices are required in vehicles, especially military vehicles, to enable different scenarios and operating modes. The simplest scenario is peacetime operation of the vehicle, which is intended to take place exclusively in peacetime, and defense operation in the event of an attack.

[0003] The safety of such a system is inextricably linked to the concept of a secure state. Weapon systems are characterized by their intended purpose of causing damage to the enemy. This intended damage is an integral part of the system's intended use.

[0004] As soon as this potential damage endangers one's own personnel, people, or uninvolved third parties, it becomes a risk. This risk must be reduced as much as possible by both the manufacturer and the operator. Safety functions are generally used for this purpose.

[0005] Corresponding safety functions include, for example, monitoring the system during operation in order to bring about the predefined safe state when certain predetermined events occur, such as component failure, signal interruption, etc.

[0006] A challenge arises from the different scenarios involved. For example, a safe state in peacetime might be defined as the immediate blocking of a combat vehicle's weapon or turret movement. This is relatively easy to implement technically. However, this also means that the same state will occur during operations or defense missions. The resulting state in these latter two cases cannot be considered safe. Clearly, the definition of a combat vehicle's safe state changes depending on the scenario or operating mode of the vehicle.

[0007] This problem is known to be solved using a so-called combat switch. The manufacturer provides the user with a way to at least partially bypass the integrated security functions. This deliberately reduces security in favor of availability.

[0008] A typical example is a hatch monitoring system that prevents a weapon from firing if at least one hatch is not closed. The disadvantage of such a system is that if the hatch sensor fails, firing is permanently prevented. This is where the problematic aspect of this solution becomes apparent in practice. As soon as the sensor fails, the weapon is no longer usable.

[0009] It is therefore very tempting for the user to use the combat switch to ignore minor malfunctions or errors in the system. At the same time, this can create a false sense of security because the operator is unaware of the risks they are taking. This is a particularly serious problem given the increasing complexity of systems. The external conditions of operations are also becoming ever more complex.

[0010] The commander of a combat vehicle in action is constantly exposed to intense physical and mental stress. It is virtually impossible for him to foresee the full range of risks when he activates the battle switch.

[0011] A particularly important aspect here is the acceptance of risks and the weighing of risks against each other. In peacetime operations, even minor material damage, for example from a gun barrel colliding with a hatch, would be considered unacceptable. In defense operations, however, any risk that helps to reliably evade the enemy's weapons would be acceptable.

[0012] A corresponding combat switch is known, for example, from DE 69816907 T2. This combat switch can deactivate or activate weapons.

[0013] Various safety features and the function of the combat switch present several decision-making options: accepting certain risks or consciously rejecting them as unacceptable. These decisions are further complicated by the Rules of Engagement (RoE). The vehicle commander could potentially overlook certain risks and unintentionally cause an incident.

[0014] Depending on the scenario, this decision space can be meaningfully limited by technical means, such as a scalable security concept. This ensures that the commander is only confronted with risks that remain within acceptable limits in the given scenario.

[0015] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and a device that relieves the crew of certain decisions depending on the mission scenario and thus minimizes the risk of incorrect decisions.

[0016] Solved for this problem by the method with the features of claim 1 and the device with the features of claim 10.

[0017] The procedure described involves defining safety functions in a vehicle, including a preselection and a combat switch. The preselection is designed so that the vehicle crew has no access to it; instead, the preselection is made by the vehicle manufacturer or maintenance personnel.

[0018] The preselection determines the scenario in which the vehicle operates. For example, the preselection can specify that the vehicle operates in peacetime mode. Similarly, it can specify that the vehicle operates in standby mode or in wartime mode, which corresponds to the aforementioned defense operation.

[0019] This preselection process activates specific safety functions within the vehicle to ensure its security. For example, in peacetime mode, it can be configured so that a turret or weapon is not ready to fire while, say, a roof hatch is open. Open hatches can damage the hatch, and potentially the weapon itself, when the weapon rotates.

[0020] Another possibility would be to make the weapon or vehicle turret deployable only when the vehicle's engine is switched off, or to make the vehicle operational only when the weapon systems are deactivated. Furthermore, it is conceivable to restrict the weapon's firing range during peacetime operations. This means that the weapon systems would be unable to fire within a certain angle. This serves the safety of the personnel on the vehicle as well as the surrounding area.

[0021] It may also be stipulated that the vehicle's engines or drives can only operate when the vehicle's doors and hatches are closed. This safety restriction also serves the safety of the personnel inside the vehicle and of people in the vicinity.

[0022] The procedure also includes a combat switch, which can be operated by the vehicle crew and is designed to at least partially override safety functions that have been pre-selected. For example, it may be necessary in peacetime to move the vehicle with the hatch open or to rotate the weapon by a certain angle.

[0023] Depending on the preselection definition, at least one safety function can be deactivated by the combat switch. Which safety functions and how many are deactivated by the combat switch can be determined by the preselection.

[0024] In a particular embodiment, the preselection is implemented as a key or dongle, which is supplied to the vehicle before the start of the mission in order to determine the mission scenario of the vehicle.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the vehicle can be preselected into one of three different operating modes: a peace mode, a standby mode, and a war mode. Depending on the mode, individual safety functions in the vehicle are active, and depending on the operating mode, it is predefined which of these safety functions can be deactivated by the operating switch.

[0026] The safety functions that can be activated or deactivated are, of course, not limited to those mentioned above, but vary depending on the vehicle type and area of ​​operation. However, the procedure has in common that different scenarios or operating modes with different safety functions can be preselected and at least partially deactivated again by the combat switch.

[0027] Depending on the preselection and combat switch, the following safety functions are conceivable, for example (GF means activated combat switch): Peace Peace+GS readiness Readiness+GS War War+GS Turret movement with open hatches no Limited to certain hatches no Limited to all hatches except one main hatch Yes, it will be noted. Yes Turret movement with open hatches and dependent on the azimuth angle no Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (permanently activated) Turret movement at certain weapon positions manually manually manually electric electric electric Firing a weapon with open hatches no no Yes, depending on the hatch. Yes Yes Yes Firing a weapon with open hatches and depending on the azimuth angle no no Yes Yes Yes Yes (permanently activated)

[0028] The invention also provides a device for monitoring and displaying the vehicle's safety functions when using the aforementioned method. This device includes a combat switch and means for displaying the safety functions. These means for displaying the safety functions can be visual and / or audible, so that the safety functions are displayed, for example, as a symbol, color, animation, or diagram. A combination of the aforementioned is also conceivable.

[0029] Preferably, the device includes means for displaying information that indicates whether a safety function is enabled or disabled. This means that, depending on the preselection, safety functions are enabled, and by selecting the combat switch, these functions can be displayed as enabled or disabled.

[0030] Furthermore, it is specifically designed so that all possible operating modes can be displayed on the device. Depending on the preselection, the corresponding operating modes are then shown, and it can also be indicated whether functions have been deactivated by the combat switch or not.

[0031] For clarity, the device is specifically designed to include a diagram of the vehicle. Corresponding functions can then be shown at the location on the diagram where they are actually present in the vehicle.

[0032] Since particular attention is paid to the states of the hatches located in the vehicle, it is also specifically suggested that the hatches in the device be shown and that it be indicated whether they are closed or open.

[0033] It is particularly preferred that safety features to be highlighted be indicated by special colors and / or by flashing, in order to draw the crew's attention to these safety features.

[0034] The aforementioned method and device allow for a significantly more flexible and modern solution compared to a conventional combat switch. It could be tailored to the respective operational doctrine, the user's training methods, and specific regulations, such as the Rules of Evaluation (RoE), and adapted as needed.

[0035] Further features can be seen in the attached drawings. They show... Figure 1 : a block diagram of the safety functions to be set in the vehicle. Figure 2 : an exemplary device according to the invention for displaying and controlling the safety functions in the vehicle.

[0036] Figure one shows the possible safety functions and operating modes that can be implemented in a vehicle. A pre-selection mode 1 is provided, which cannot be influenced by the crew. Pre-selection mode 1 determines which mission-specific features and safety functions the vehicle should have. The vehicle can be operated in three different scenarios: Peace Mode 2, Ready Mode 3, and War Mode 4.

[0037] The three aforementioned modes 2, 3, 4 each have different safety functions that are implemented in the vehicle and are determined by preselection 1.

[0038] The crew can then be controlled by means of a device located in the Figure 1 The combat switch (not shown) partially deactivates the safety functions defined by preselection 1. This means that when the combat switch is activated, operating modes 2, 3, and 4 are put into an "override" mode, in which at least some predefined safety functions are disabled.

[0039] Thus, by activating the combat switch, peace mode 2 can be changed to peace mode with reduced security 5. Standby mode 3 can be changed to standby mode with reduced security 6, and war mode 4 to war mode with reduced security 7.

[0040] Activating the combat switch does not disable all safety functions, but only those safety functions that can be deactivated in the respective operating modes 2, 3, and 4.

[0041] Figure 2 Figure 1 shows a possible device for controlling and displaying the safety functions in the vehicle. The device consists of a combat switch 15 and means for displaying the safety functions.

[0042] This allows for the display of ten general types of information. This information can be presented through colors and / or flashing lights, but can also include text. Acoustic signals are also possible.

[0043] Also provided is a diagram 11 of the vehicle and the components arranged therein, which have corresponding safety functions. The corresponding safety functions can then be represented locally in the vehicle at the point in the diagram where they are actually located.

[0044] Also provided is a mode display 12, which shows the preset operating mode. This operating mode is determined by the preselection and cannot be influenced by the vehicle crew.

[0045] A hatch representation 13 is proposed as a special feature, as it can have a particular impact on the vehicle's safety. The hatch representation 13 can indicate whether a hatch in the vehicle is open or closed. From this, it can be inferred whether safety functions react accordingly.

[0046] By selecting the combat switch 15, special security functions can now be deactivated, which in turn can be displayed via the security display 14.

[0047] By using such a device, the crew has an overview at all times of the activated safety functions and the possible deactivatable safety functions.

[0048] The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned features. Rather, further embodiments are conceivable. For example, additional signaling devices, such as rotating beacons, can be arranged in the vehicle to indicate corresponding safety functions. Furthermore, information could be displayed indicating which safety functions are active or which safety settings block or deactivate them. REFERENCE MARK LIST

[0049] 1 Preselection 2 Peace mode with security 3 Standby mode with security 4 War mode with security 5 Peace mode with reduced security 6 Standby mode with reduced security 7 War mode with reduced security 10 Information 11 Diagram 12 Mode representation 13 Hatch representation 14 Safety representation 15 Combat switch

Claims

1. A method for defining safety functions in a vehicle, having a preselection (1) and a combat switch (15), wherein safety functions can be overridden in the vehicle by the combat switch (15) and the safety functions that can be overridden can be selected by the preselection (1).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the safety functions that cannot be overridden can also be selected by the preselection (1).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the safety functions that can be overridden and cannot be overridden can be defined by the manufacturer or by maintenance personnel.

4. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the preselection (1) is realized by a key or dongle.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the key or dongle cannot be accessed by the vehicle's operating personnel.

6. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that three vehicle operating modes with different safety functions that can be overridden can be selected by the preselection (1), namely peace mode (2), standby mode (3) and war mode (4).

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that following the selection of one of the three operating modes (2, 3, 4) by the preselection (1), three corresponding operating modes (5, 6, 7) without safety functions that can be overridden can be selected by means of the combat switch (15).

8. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the functional states in the vehicle selected by the preselection (1) and the combat switch (15) are indicated by optical and / or acoustic means.

9. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the safety functions in the vehicle include, in particular, the movement of a weapon or a turret with a hatch open, the movement of a weapon or a turret with the vehicle engine switched off, the combat-readiness of a weapon or a turret with a hatch open.

10. A device for monitoring and displaying a vehicle's safety functions when using the method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the device contains a combat switch (15) and means for displaying the safety functions.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the device contains means for displaying information (11) which can be used to indicate whether a safety function is switched on or off.

12. The device as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the device contains a diagram (12) of the vehicle.

13. The device as claimed in one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the device contains means for representing the selected operating mode and / or a safety representation (14) of the selection of the combat switch (15).

14. The device as claimed in one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the device contains means for representing a hatch (13).

15. The device as claimed in one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the various means for representation and / or the diagram (12) can use different colors and / or flash.