Weapon Mount Control System Stabilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional systems fail to accurately stabilize and point weapons, especially in high vibration environments, and do not adequately address the complexities of base effects, gravity, velocity, and ballistic coefficients for precise targeting.

Innovation Solution

A control system with cascaded control loops and sensors for gimbal stabilization, ballistics compensation, and pointing, incorporating angular rate sensors, GPS, and accelerometers, along with feedback and feedforward loops to generate accurate velocity models and compensate for disturbances, allowing precise weapon pointing and stabilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional stabilization systems are used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and stability are insufficient in high vibration environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweapon pointing accuracyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system is divided into multiple cascaded control loops including an inner rate loop and an outer position loop, with each loop handling specific aspects of stabilization and pointing control. This segmentation allows complex control functions to be managed in manageable stages, improving measurement precision without overwhelming system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Angular rate sensors serve as intermediary devices that measure base motion and provide feedback signals to the control system. These sensors act as mediators between the physical vibration environment and the control algorithms, enabling precise compensation without requiring direct measurement of weapon position with complex equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If comprehensive sensor arrays and cascaded control loops are implemented, then weapon stabilization and pointing accuracy are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestabilization performanceVSAvoidcontrol system architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback loops where angular rate sensors continuously measure base motion and feed this information back to the control algorithm. The control algorithm then adjusts motor commands based on this feedback to maintain weapon stability. This feedback mechanism improves reliability by continuously correcting for disturbances without requiring overly complex open-loop control systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control system performs preliminary compensation for anticipated disturbances by using feedforward control based on predicted base motion from angular rate sensors. This preliminary action reduces the burden on the feedback loop and allows for simpler overall system architecture while maintaining high stabilization performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If ballistics compensation and velocity modeling are added, then targeting precision is improved, but device complexity and computational requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetargeting accuracyVSAvoidcomputational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system pre-computes ballistics compensation values and velocity models based on anticipated weapon motion and environmental conditions. By performing these calculations in advance rather than in real-time during firing, the system achieves high targeting accuracy without requiring excessive computational resources during the critical firing moment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control algorithm uses the weapon system's own motion data from angular rate sensors and GPS to self-calculate ballistics compensation parameters. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external complex ballistics computing equipment, improving targeting accuracy while keeping device complexity manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Object-affected harmful factors

If remote operation capability is implemented, then operator safety is improved, but control precision and system complexity are affected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperator exposure to dangerVSAvoidremote control precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The remote operation system incorporates feedback loops that provide the operator with real-time information about weapon position and base motion. This feedback enables the operator to make precise control adjustments despite the physical separation, maintaining ease of operation and control precision while achieving operator safety through remote positioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS7549367B2Control system for a weapon mount

Publication Date: 2009.06.23 UTAH STATE UNIV RES FOUND USURF

AI summary

A control system stabilizes a turret having a gimbal and base and pointing a weapon mounted within the turret. The control system includes computer executable modules to receive turret data and operator commands and to modify operator commands in accordance with a generated line of sight vector and ballistic data. The modules include a time optimal controller to generate modified operator commands. The modules further include a gimbal stabilization controller to generate motor commands to stabilize the turret and point the weapon.