Built-in test for tank fire control computer

Claim 5

Apparatus for testing a tank fire control system wherein said fire control system contains at least means for receiving signals which are a measure of range between a tank and target, a measure of wind velocity, and a measure of angular rate of tank turret rotation; means responsive at least to said range, wind velocity, and angular rate signals for producing signals which are a measure of displacement of a sighting reticle about an azimuth axis, and a measure of the super-elevation angle of the tank''s gun; and servo means for servoing said gun in elevation and for servoing said sighting reticle in azimuth, said means for testing comprising: a. means for applying predetermined range, wind velocity, and angular rate signals to said means for receiving, at least one of said predetermined signals being adjusted to cause the command signals to said servos to be substantially equal; b. means for sensing pre-chosen responses of said system to said signals; c. means for producing binary signals indicative of whether said responses are within predetermined ranges, said means including means for sensing and indicating by a binary signal, delta , when said range signal is correctly transmitted to the remainder of the system; means for sensing and indicating by a binary signal, Alpha , a balance in the feedback loops of said servos; and means for sensing and indicating by binary signals, Beta and gamma , excessive signals in each of the forward paths of said servos, respectively; and d. logical gate means, controlled by at least two of said binary signals, for producing signals indicative of the presence and location of a defect in said system.

Claim 6

Apparatus for testing a tank fire control system wherein said fire control system contains at least means for receiving signals which are a measure of range between a tank and target, a measure of wind velocity, and a measure of angular rate of tank turret rotation; means responsive at least to said range, wind velocity, and angular rate signals for producing signals which are a measure of displacement of a sighting reticle about an azimuth axis, and a measure of the super-elevation angle of the tank''s gun; and servo means for servoing said gun in elevation and for servoing said sighting reticle in azimuth, said means for testing comprising: a. means for applying predetermined range, wind velocity, and angular rate signals to said means for receiving, at least one of said predetermined signals being adjusted to cause the command signals to said servos to be substantially equal; b. means for sensing pre-chosen responses of said system to said signals; c. means for producing binary signals indicative of whether said responses are within predetermined ranges, said means including means for sensing and indicating by a binary signal, delta , when said range signal is correctly transmitted to the remainder of the system; means for sensing and indicating by a binary signal, Alpha , a balance in the feedback loops of said servos; and means for sensing and indicating by binary signals, Beta and gamma , excessive signals in each of the forward paths of said servos, respectively; and d. logical gate means, controlled by at least two of said binary signals, for producing signals indicative of the presence and location of a defect in said system.

Claim 7

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said fire control system has a cant resolver and a pair of driving amplifiers for said resolver, connected to receive said superelevation and deflection signals and to modify them in response to the cant angle of said tank, said means for testing further comprising: means for bypassing said cant resolver and said driving amplifiers to said servos; summing means for summing the output signals from said driving amplifiers, the output signals of said resolver, and the elevation command signal to said gun elevation servo; and comparator means adapted to generate binary signals epsilon , indicative that said driving amplifiers and said resolver have no defects, when the output voltage of said summing means is within a window of voltages, to extinguish zeta signal when said output voltage is on one side of said window, and to extinguish the epsilon signal when said output voltage is on the other side of said window.

Claim 8

Apparatus as recited in claim 3 and further comprising means for weighting the inputs to said summing means.

Claim 9

Apparatus as recited in claim 4 in which said means for weighting comprises resistors having a value a in the signal channel from said amplifiers and the value b in the signal channel from said elevation servo, and wherein b 2a - 2 .

Claim 10

Apparatus as recited in claim 3 and further comprising: a first plurality of logic gates connected and adapted to generate a binary signal ( Alpha Beta gamma + Alpha Beta gamma + Alpha Beta gamma ) delta + delta indicative that the computer is not defective, wherein the binary signals are defined: Alpha The feedback circuits of the two said circuits are equal Beta The forward circuit of the elevation servo is within limits gamma The forward circuit of the deflection servo is within limits delta The range signal delivered to the system is within limits zeta The driving amplifiers for the cant resolver are operating properly.

Claim 11

Apparatus as recited in claim 6 and further comprising at least one logic gate, connected and adapted to generate a binary signal, Alpha + Beta + gamma + delta , indicative that the output unit mechanism of the super-elevation servo has no defects.

Claim 12

Apparatus as recited in claim 6 and further comprising at least one logic gate, connected and adapted to generate a binary signal, Alpha + Beta + gamma + delta , indicative that the reticle projector servo has no defects.

Claim 13

Apparatus as recited in claim 7 and further comprising at least one logic gate, connected and adapted to generate a binary signal, Alpha + Beta + gamma + delta , indicative that the reticle projector servo has no defects.