Firearm Laser Trigger via Vibration Signature

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Solution Overview

Problem

Laser transmission systems used in military combat training exercises face challenges in accurately simulating bullet trajectories and preventing cheating, as they often initiate laser transmission after the firearm's barrel has deviated due to flash events, leading to inaccurate hits and potential eye safety issues with increased laser power.

Innovation Solution

A laser transmission system that initiates laser transmission based on the detection of multiple predetermined sequences of mechanical vibrations associated with the firing of a round, ensuring transmission occurs before the flash event, thereby maintaining accuracy and preventing cheating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If laser transmission is initiated after detection of flash event, then cheating is prevented, but laser accuracy deteriorates due to barrel deviation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecheating preventionVSAvoidlaser accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by initiating laser transmission before the flash event occurs. The vibration sensor detects the firing sequence and triggers laser transmission in advance, ensuring the laser follows the correct barrel orientation before flash-induced deviation occurs. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining accuracy through timing the laser initiation prior to the harmful flash event.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If laser power is increased to compensate for barrel deviation, then hit probability improves, but eye safety deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehit probabilityVSAvoideye safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By initiating laser transmission before the flash event causes barrel deviation, the system maintains laser accuracy without needing to increase power. The laser follows the correct trajectory from the moment of firing, ensuring hit probability remains high while preserving eye safety through normal power levels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical approach of increasing laser power to compensate for deviation with a temporal solution - timing the laser transmission to occur before deviation happens. This substitution eliminates the need for harmful power increases while maintaining effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If laser transmission is initiated based on vibration detection alone, then system simplicity is maintained, but cheating vulnerability increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidcheating resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system monitors the continuous vibration signal from the firearm and uses the characteristic vibration sequence produced during actual firing. By analyzing the continuous vibration pattern rather than isolated events, the system can distinguish genuine firing from attempted cheating while maintaining relatively simple hardware. The useful action of vibration detection is maintained but enhanced with sequence analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback by monitoring the vibration sequence and using it to control laser transmission timing. The vibration feedback allows the system to detect authentic firing events and trigger the laser appropriately, preventing cheating while keeping the overall system design relatively simple through sensor-based control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system accurately simulates bullet trajectories by initiating laser transmission before barrel deviation, preventing cheating, and maintaining eye safety without the need for increased laser power.

Implementation Method 1

a sensing apparatus that senses a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm when a munition is fired from the firearm

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical vibration: Vibration

Data Source

PatentUS9163894B1Laser transmission system for use with a firearm in a battle field training exercise

Publication Date: 2015.10.20 LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP

AI summary

Laser transmission systems mountable on firearms are disclosed along with methods of operating and configuring the same. The laser transmissions systems are configured to detect that a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations on the firearm are in accordance with a predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm. In response, the laser transmission system initiates transmission of a laser to simulate a munitions strike. The predetermined characteristic firing signature is based on a sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations resulting from a first pre-flash firing event and a subsequent second pre-flash firing event. In this manner, the laser transmission system initiates transmission of the laser prior to a flash event and more accurately approximates a bullet trajectory.