Simulator for firing small-bore guns at simulated targets

Claim 2

A simulator for simulating firing small-bore guns at simulated targets, said simulator being mounted on a gun provided with a gunsight and with controls for aiming said gun and firing a fictitious shot, comprising: orientation sensor means, fixed to said gun, for delivering signals which determine orientation of said gun; firing sensor means, fixed on the firing control of said gun, for delivering a signal indicating instants of firing said gun; first monitor means, coupled to said gunsight, for introducing in said gunsight an image of a simulated target, an image of tracers, an aiming-point image, and skylines; video recorder means for reading a magnetic tape on which is recorded a video signal representing a target which is located at a center of said images and has a size and attitude which vary as a function of a predetermined simulated trajectory, and digital data recorded in field blanking intervals of said video signal and representing coordinates of said target and coordinates of an aiming point to be superimposed on said target in said gunsight by orienting said gun; control means having second monitor means for displaying the same images as are displayed in said first monitor means plus a target indicator, and controls for selecting modes of operation of said simulator, for providing control signals which control the firing simulation; and logic means for receiving the signals of said orientation sensor means and said firing sensor means and said video recorder means and said control means, and for generating image signals and a mixed synchronizing signal to be transmitted to said first and second monitor means.

Claim 3

A simulator according to claim 1, wherein said logic means includes: digital computer means for receiving (a) the signals of said orientation sensor means and said firing sensor means (b) said control signals (c) said digital data, and (d) fixed-synchronization signals, and for producing target image displacement signals and signals for generating tracers, skyline, aiming point and target localization; digital data extractor means for extracting said digital data from said video signal, said data being sent to said computer means; fixed-synchronization means for extracting fixed-synchronization pulses from said video signal; displaced synchronization means for generating from said target image displacement signals and from said fixed-synchronization pulses displaced-synchronization signals, including displaced line and field synchronization signals, which make it possible to displace the image of said target on said first and second monitor means as a function of a simulated trajectory of said target and of the orientation of said gun; mixed synchronization means for generating, from said displaced-synchronization signals, said mixed synchronizing signal which is transmitted to said first and second monitor means and which groups together field and line synchronization pulses; target signal generator means for suppressing, in said video signal, field and line blanking intervals and replacing them by a grey level of a video signal background to produce a target signal; skyline generator means for obtaining a skyline signal from the skyline-generating signal; tracer generating means for obtaining a tracer signal from the tracer-generating signal; aiming-point generator means for obtaining an aiming signal from the amining-point generating signal; localizer generator means for obtaining a localizing signal from the target localization-generating signal; first mixer means for receiving said target signal, said skyline signal, said tracer signals, and said aiming signal via a gate which is opened by said computer, and for delivering of said images to said first monitor means; and second mixer means for receiving said target signal, said skyline signal, said tracer signal, said aiming signal, and said localizing signal, and for delivering said images to said second monitor means.

Claim 4

A simulator according to claim 2, wherein said skyline generator means includes: buffer memory means for receiving from said computer an initial address corresponding to an angle of rotation of said gun; counter means, initialized by contents of said buffer memory means, for counting a signal having a frequency equal to a number N of points which are representative of one line of an image; control circuit means for receiving said displaced-synchronization signals and carrying out loading of said buffer memory means and initialization of said counter means before a first line of each field; at least one memory containing N values of angles of elevation of said N points representing said skyline, said memory being read under control of said counter means; at least one digital-to-analog converter means for converting digital values read in said at least one memory to an analog signal; means for generating, from a signal which measures inclination of said skyline, and from said displaced line synchronization signal, a symmetrical sawtooth slope signal to produce an inclination of said skyline; at least one adder means for forming an output means which is the sum of said analog signal, said slope signal and an elevation signal which produces a displacement in height of the skyline; first generator means for producing a first sawtooth signal at a frequency corresponding to a frequency of said displaced field synchronization signal; at least one comparator means for comparing said output signal of said adder means with said sawtooth signal and delivering a binary signal which indicates the result of said comparison; and a gate for selecting at least one of two predetermined voltage sources corresponding to two distinct luminances of said monitor means under control of said binary signal, and for deliverying said skyline signal.

Claim 5

A simulator according to claim 3, wherein said means for generating said signal includes: second generator means for producing a second sawtooth signal at a frequency corresponding to a frequency of said displaced line synchronization signal; first multiplier means for multiplying said second sawtooth signal by a constant voltage and delivering a positive sawtooth signal; first amplifier means for multiplying by a predetermined coefficient said signal which measures inclination of said skyline and producing an output signal; first adder means for adding said output signal of said first amplifier means and said constant voltage and producing an output signal; second multiplier means for multiplying said second sawtooth signal by said output signal of said first adder means and delivering a negative sawtooth signal; second adder means for adding said positive and negative sawtooth signals and providing an output signal; blocking means for storing a maximum level of said output signal of said second adder means; second amplifier means for multiplying said level stored in said blocking means by a coefficient-1/2; and third adder means for adding the output signals of said second adder means and said second amplifier means and delivering said slope signal.

Claim 6

A simulator according to claim 2 further including an address bus and a data bus and interface circuits provided between said digital computer means and said tracer generator means, comprising: a decoding circuit coupled to said address bus and to a validation connection; a queue circuit connected to said data bus and loaded by said data bus under control of said decoding circuit; a flip-flop positioned by said queue circuit when said que cirucit is loaded; a monostable circuit triggered by said flip-flop; a first OR-date having an input connected to said monostable circuit and delivering loading pulses; a down-counter loaded by said queue circuit under control of said loading pulses for counting down pulses; a zero detector which detects an end of said counting down and which has an output connected to said input of said first OR-gate; a first register loaded by said queue circuit under control of said loading pulses; a second register loaded by said first register under control of said loading pulses and having an output which delivers data which are necessary for controlling said tracer generator; a clock controlled by said displaced line synchronization signal, said clock being inhibited by a signal derived from said first register; a second OR-gate for receiving said clock signal and said displaced line synchronization signal, and for initiating counting down by said down-counter; and a second monostable circuit triggered by said displaced field synchronization signal for repositioning said flip-flop and resetting said queue circuit to zero.

Claim 7

A simulator according to claim 5, wherein said tracer generator includes: a third monostable circuit triggered by said loading pulses and providing an output signal; an insertion converter which receives said target signal and delivers a keying signal; a first AND-gate which receives said output signal of said third monostable circuit, said keying signal, and an impact signal; a fourth monostable circuit triggered by said first AND-gate and providing an output signal; a third OR-gate connected to said output signals of said third and fourth monostable circuits; a second AND-gate which receives said keying signal, said impact signal and said output signal of said third OR-gate, and provides an output signal; a third AND-gate which receives said keying signal and a signal for occultation by said target and provides an output signal; a digital-to-analog converter which receives a digital tracer-luminance signal, is validated by said output signal of said third OR-gate, is forced to a maximum by said output signal of said second AND-gate, is inhibited by said output signal of said third AND-gate, and delivers said tracer signal.