Motion-induced stimuli initiation system

Claim 2

A motion-induced stimuli initiation system for a multi-stage missile comprising: (a) a plurality of firing units to initiate respective pyrotechnic events; (b) means for obtaining motion-induced stimuli; (c) means for computing from said motion-induced stimuli redundant acceleration, velocity and distance data; (d) means for combining said redundant acceleration, velocity and distance data to provide valid respective outputs to said firing units should said obtaining means incur a partial failure; and (e) means for comparing said redundant data with predetermined values of acceleration, velocity and distance to assure that said missile has attained a nominal velocity and a safe distance from the launch facility within a predetermined time after launch before initiation of arming of destruct system and of igniting a missile engine and to initiate said pyrotechnic events when said values have been attained.

Claim 3

A motion-induced stimuli initiation system as recited in claim 1 wherein said obtaining means comprises a plurality of accelerometers mounted on said missile, each of said accelerometers providing a data channel to said computing means.

Claim 4

A motion-induced stimuli initiation system as recited in claim 2 wherein said computing means comprises: (a) a first integrator to integrate the acceleration data from one of said accelerometer data channels to obtain velocity; (b) a second integrator to integrate the velocity data from said first integrator to obtain distance; (c) a first comparator to compare said acceleration data to a first predetermined acceleration value and provide an output when said acceleration data equals or exceeds said first predetermined acceleration value; (d) a second comparator to compare said velocity data to two predetermined velocity values and to provide an output when said velocity data is in the range between said two predetermined velocity values; and (e) a third comparator to compare said distance data from said second integrator to a predetermined distance value and provide an output when said distance data equals or exceeds said predetermined distance value.

Claim 5

A motion-induced stimuli initiation system as recited in claim 3 wherein said combining means comprises a solid state voting logic circuit to which is input said redundant acceleration, velocity and distance data such that should two of said data channels attain said predetermined values for said redundant acceleration, velocity and distance data a valid output is provided to said respective firing units.