Optoelectronic digital apparatus for assisting an operator in determining the shooting attitude to be given to a hand-held grenade launcher so as to strike a moving target, and respective operation method

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a digital optoelectronic device to assist the operator in determining the firing position to be given to a hand grenade launcher to hit a moving target and the appropriate mode of operation.

BACKGROUND ART [0002] The changing scenario of the use of the armed forces has recently imposed the need for extensive revision of the tasks and equipment allocated to military operators during operational arrangements, in particular the wider and more efficient use of high-caliber ammunition so as to allow high precision during combat and, consequently, obtain great reduction possibilities combat ability of the opponent.

[0003] To this end, it becomes necessary to equip a military operator with a weapon system that contains not only traditional small arms, such as a rifle, but also a grenade launcher, which is coupled with small arms to enable the operator to launch a high-caliber ammunition at a moving target , greater than or equal to 40 mm, which is referred to as "grenade".

[0004] However, the use of weapon systems including a grenade launcher of the above type has hitherto been limited in scope because, as it turned out, the probability of missing a single-grenade moving target is quite high and therefore unacceptable in combat scenarios.

[0005] In fact, the probability of missing a moving target with a grenade fired from the weapon system described above depends decisively on determining the correct firing position that is given to the grenade launcher by the operator. However, such an assessment turns out to be extremely complicated and therefore prone to errors, because the operator must make extremely rapid, especially in combat conditions, visual estimation of the distance from the moving target, visual estimation of the angle to the place where the moving target is located, and determination of the position of the shooting grenade launcher taking into account the target's movement, distance, angle and grenade trajectory, which is known to be particularly difficult to determine.

[0006] EP 0785 406 A2 relates to an improved method and device for aiming and firing a rifle-mounted grenade launcher without having to estimate the distance to the target and then manually adjusting the position of the grenades fired successively. The grenade launcher operator initiates the process by aiming the grenade launcher at a stationary target. The distance and azimuth of the stationary target are determined by a microprocessor-controlled combination of a laser rangefinder / digital compass. The ballistic solution is calculated by the microprocessor, and the lift needed to hit the stationary target with a grenade is displayed on one of several displays.

[0007] Therefore, the use of weapon systems equipped with hand grenade launchers of the type described above has so far proved to be very inconvenient and involves a high risk of locating a military operator with a low probability of hitting the target with grenades.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a digital optoelectronic device adapted to assist the operator both in determining the firing position to be given to the hand grenade launcher and in terms of the spatial arrangement given to the grenade launcher on a regular basis in accordance with the given firing arrangement in response to guidance grenade launcher by the operator himself, so as to increase the likelihood of hitting a grenade on a moving target.

[0009] According to the present invention, an digital optoelectronic device is provided to assist the operator in determining the firing position to be given to a hand grenade launcher in order to hit a grenade at a movable target, as stated in claim 1 and preferably, but not necessarily in each of claims directly or indirectly dependent on claim 1.

[0010] According to the present invention, there is further provided a method of assisting an operator via a digital optoelectronic device in determining the firing position to be given to a hand grenade launcher to hit a grenade at a movable target, as stated in claim 8 and preferably, but not necessarily, in any of the claims directly or indirectly dependent on claim 8.

[0011] According to the present invention, there is further provided a computer product that can be loaded into the memory of an electronic calculator to assist the operator in implementing the electronic computer itself in determining the firing position to be given to a hand grenade launcher in order to hit a grenade at a moving target in accordance with with what is specified in claim 15.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] The present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawing, which illustrates a non-limiting embodiment in which:

- Figure 1 schematically illustrates a grenade launcher in a reticle arrangement equipped with an optoelectronic digital assist device made according to the guidelines of the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a block diagram of the optoelectronic booster device shown in figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a schematic top view and side view of the grenade launcher of Figure 1 in the firing arrangement;

- Figures 4a, 4b and 4c show as a whole a flowchart including operations implemented by the optoelectronic assist device shown in figure 1;

- Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 schematically show examples of a graphic cross generated by an optoelectronic assist device to indicate to the military operator the direction to be given to the grenade launcher to hit a moving target;

- Figures 9 and 10 show two examples of ideal and real trajectories in the Cartesian reference system when shot with "flat" and "non-flat" typology, respectively.

THE BEST METHOD OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION [0013] With reference to figure 1, the number 1 denotes as a whole a hand grenade launcher with which the optoelectronic assist device 2 configured to assist the operator in determining the firing position to be assigned to the grenade launcher 1 in order to hit the movable is coupled goal K.

[0014] The optoelectronic assist device 2 is also configured to communicate to the operator, on an ongoing basis, the angular slope and direction to be given to the grenade launcher 1 in order to hit the target k, based on the spatial differences between the designated firing position and the instantaneous positioning given to the grenade launcher 1 by operator and given next move of the target k.

[0015] The grenade launcher 1 can be preferably, but not necessarily, mounted on a small arms 3, for example a rifle and in the example shown in figure 1 contains a grenade launcher barrel 4 having a longitudinal axis L converging and integral with the first Cartesian axis XBODY, the assumed SBODY reference system associated with the grenade launcher 1, and having the second Cartesian axis YBODY, perpendicular to the first Cartesian axis XBODY and the third Cartesian axis ZBODY, perpendicular to the first Cartesian axis XBODY and the second Cartesian axis YBODY.

[0016] The grenade launcher 1 also includes a sighting device 5 adapted to allow the operator to aim at a movable target and then placing the grenade launcher 1 in the sighting position based on the image of the target itself k.

[0017] The aiming device 5 is of the known type and therefore will not be further described except for the explanation that it can be configured such that, for example in the sighting arrangement, the longitudinal axis L of the grenade launcher barrel 4 crosses the target k.

[0018] With reference to figure 2, the optoelectronic assist device 2 includes an electronic distance measuring device 6 which is configured to measure the distance of the target Disttarget K from the grenade launcher 1; and also an electronic apparatus for measuring the pose, which is configured to determine the instant position of the grenade launcher 1, i.e. the angle Dapitch of the slope and the angle Dahead of the direction, which characterize the pose itself.

[0019] The optoelectronic assist device 2 also includes a user interface 8 through which the operator can issue commands to the optoelectronic assist device 2 and receive indications as to the position change of Dapitch and Dahead to be given to the grenade launcher 1 to hit the moving target k.

[0020] The optoelectronic assist device 2 also includes an electronic processing unit 9 which is configured to calculate the slope angle afpitch and angle angle afhead which characterize the firing position and communicates to the operator via the user interface 8 and in response to the displacement of the grenade launcher by the operator himself, changes ę Dapitch Dahead poses, how to give a grenade launcher 1 in order to make it so, to hit the moving target k.

[0021] The optoelectronic assist device 2 further includes a memory unit 10 containing a series of ammunition data indicating the various types of grenades that can be used with the grenade launcher 1.

[0022] The memory unit 10 further includes, for each type of grenade, a series of ballistic data associated with the grenade itself, such as the front face S of the grenade, i.e. the front surface of the grenade itself; weight m pomegranate; coefficient of aerodynamic drag Cd of the grenade; coefficient of grenade lifting force; Vin speed of the grenade shot; Vin1 coefficient correlated with the change in velocity of the grenade firing at the change in temperature T.

[0023] The memory unit 10 is further adapted also to store in addition: environmental data indicating the atmospheric pressure atm p, the air thermodynamic constant R; and precision data indicating the minimum desired precision of the grenade hit target K along the vertical axis (for example the Y axis in Figure 1) that is perpendicular to the flat reference surface of the Earth; as well as the minimum required precision of the errx of hitting the grenade on target K along the horizontal axis (for example the X axis in figure 1) parallel to the flat reference surface of the Earth in the direction of the shot (errors related to the operating range of the used grenade).

[0024] The optoelectronic assist device 2 also includes sensors 11 adapted to measure the temperature T of the air, which at the initial stage corresponds to the temperature of a grenade.

[0025] With reference to figure 2, the distance measuring device 6 may comprise, for example, a laser rangefinder (LASER - short for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation), which is configured to emit laser pulses towards the target by determining the distance Disttarget of the target from the grenade launcher 1 as a function of the "flight time" tflight of the laser pulse.

[0026] Instead of the electronic device 7 for measuring the position, in the example shown in figure 2, an inertia electronic platform 12 configured to deliver the acceleration components Ax, Ay, Az and the angular velocity components Gx, Gy, Gz of the grenade launcher 1 determined relative to the system is present SBODY references.

[0027] In particular, in the example shown in Figure 2, the electronic inertia platform 12 conveniently includes one or more accelerometers (not illustrated), for example a two-axis accelerometer and two uniaxial accelerometers, having two measuring axes along the XBODY and YBODY axes of the SBODY body reference system ; and one or more gyroscopes having a total of three measuring axes arranged parallel to the XBODY, YBODY and ZBODY axes of the SBODY body reference system.

[0028] The apparatus 7 for measuring the position also includes a computational module 13 receiving the input acceleration components Ax, Ay, Aż and the angular velocity components Gx, Gy, Gz measured by the electronic inertia platform 12, and processing them to generate a slope angle Dapitch and Dahead angle of direction.

[0029] In this case, the slope Dapitch and Dahead angles can be conveniently determined by the calculation module 13 via, for example, the calculation method described in the patent application filed in Italy on April 12, 2010 with the number TV2010A000060, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0030] As for the user interface 8, it comprises a screen or display 14 for visualizing one or more graphic interfaces, control device 15 and preferably, but not necessarily, device 16 for generating voice messages.

[0031] In particular, the electronic processing unit 9 can be configured to guarantee that the display 14 and / or device 16 for generating voice messages will notify the operator of changes in the Dapitch and Dahead arrangement to be given to the grenade launcher 1, while the control device 15 may comprise a keyboard provided with a set of keys through which the operator enters commands into the optoelectronic assist device 2.

[0032] In the example shown in figure 2, the display 14 is conveniently an OLED display (short for Organic Light Emitting Diode) and the electronic processing unit 9 is configured to ensure that the display 14 also visualizes the supporting graphic interface 14a representing the Dapitch and Dahead changes of the pose to be given to grenade launcher 1 to hit the moving target k.

[0033] In particular, the electronic processing unit 9 is configured to guarantee that the assistive graphic interface 14a visualized by the display 14 comprises a graphic cross 18 of the arrangement comprising a plurality of luminous segments arranged one after the other so as to form the first and second branches of the arrangement that are mutually perpendicular and intersect at a common center point.

[0034] More specifically, in the example shown in figures 5-8, the electronic processing unit 9 is configured to turn on / off:

- vertical branch segments 20 as a function of positive or negative change in pitch angle of the pitch apitch to be given to the grenade launcher 1 so as to orient it in the firing position;

- segments of the horizontal branch 21 arranged as a function of positive or negative Dahead change of the angle ahead of direction to be given to grenade launcher 1 so as to orient it in the firing position.

More specifically, in the example shown in figures 5-8, the arrangement branch 20 is divided relative to the midpoint into the first lighting branch 20a and the second lighting branch 20b, where the first lighting branch 20a contains a predetermined number of N1 segments adapted to be turned on / off in Inclination angle negative Dapitch function and the second shining branch 20b contains an assumed number of N2 segments adapted to be turned on / off as a function of the negative change of pitch angle Dapitch.

[0036] The second lighting branch 21 is in turn divided in relation to the midpoint into the first lighting branch 21a and the second lighting branch 21b, where the first lighting branch 21a contains a predetermined number of N3 segments adapted to be turned on / off as a function of negative change in the angle of direction of the Dahead the glowing branch 21b contains the assumed number of N4 segments adapted to be turned on / off as a function of positive change in the angle of direction Dahead.

[0037] It should be noted that the term "firing position" of the grenade launcher 1 will be understood as a state in which the grenade launcher 1 is oriented in space such that it provides a grenade impact on the target K, and the term "aiming position" means the state in which the operator indicates the target via the aiming device 5 (figure 1).

[0038] More specifically with reference to figure 3 at time ti, the general arrangement of the grenade launcher 1 is characterized by the angle aPITCH (ti) of the slope and the angle aHEAD (ti) of the direction, where the angle aPITCH (ti) of the slope corresponds to the angle between the first Cartesian axis XBODY a reference plane lying at ground level; while the angle aHEAD (ti) of the direction corresponds to the azimuth angle between the first YBODY Cartesian axis and the geographical north of the Earth.

[0039] As for the device 16 for generating voice messages, it may be configured to generate voice messages containing the change of Dahead and Dapitch arrangement to be given to the grenade launcher 1 to hit a moving target. The voice generating device 16 may include, for example, an electronic digital unit configured to produce digital voice messages and a loudspeaker, such as a headphone connected to the electronic digital unit and used by the operator to listen to information regarding changes in Dahead and Dapitch arrangements to be given to the grenade launcher 1.

[0040] As for the electronic processing unit 9, it may comprise a receiving microprocessor at the input: inclination angles and forward direction; Disttarget's distance to destination; as well as commands issued by the user via the control device 15.

[0041] The electronic processing unit 9 also receives a string of data indicating the type of grenade being fired, such as: frontal surface S, mass m, drag coefficient Cd; lift factor C1; initial speed Vin grenade; coefficient of change Vin1.

[0042] The electronic processing unit 9 further receives a data string indicating: atmospheric pressure p; the thermodynamic constant R of the air as well as data indicating the minimum desired precision erra and errx along the X axis and Y axis respectively.

[0043] The electronic processing unit 9 is adapted to implement a computational method that processes the above-mentioned input variables to communicate to the operator, on an ongoing basis, the Dapitch and Dahead changes of the arrangement to be given to the grenade launcher 1 to obtain the correct firing arrangement necessary to hit into a moving target k.

More specifically, the electronic processing unit 9 is adapted to change the number of N1 and / or N2 on / off segments located in the first glowing branch 20 and the number of N3 and / or N4 on / off segments located in the second glowing branch 21, yes to conveniently inform the operator about the angle to be given to the grenade launcher 1 to place it in the firing position.

[0045] With reference to figures 4a, 4b and 4c, the calculation method implemented by the electronic processing unit 9 for determining changes will be described below.

Dapitch and Dahead poses to be given to the grenade launcher 1 to hit the moving target K, it being assumed that the optoelectronic assist device 2 is configured / set based on a specific type of grenade.

[0046] In particular, the configuration / settings of the optoelectronic assist device 2 may cause: the electronic processing unit 9 notifies the operator via the user interface 8 of the different types of grenades available in the memory unit 10, and determines in the memory unit 10 data which characterize the grenade ballistics in response to the grenade selection order issued by the operator.

[0047] In the initial stage, the operator, through the user interface 8, selects the type of shot trajectory to be given to the grenade, which may correspond to the first type, later designated as "flat shot", an example of which is shown in Figure 9 or the second type, later designated "non-plane shot", an example of which is shown in figure 10 (block 100).

[0048] This method generally provides a sequence of data collection operations as well as a sequence of operations to calculate the arrangement to be given to the grenade launcher 1 to hit the movable target k based on the data obtained.

In particular, this method, preferably but not necessarily, involves the fact that the electronic processing unit 9 communicates to the operator via the user interface 8 a request to aim / track the target k via a grenade launcher for a specified period of time.

[0050] The operator orientates the grenade launcher 1 towards target k so as to place it in the aiming position (block 110) (figure 1) and simultaneously transmits through the user interface 8 the command to activate the data cluster (t = tC0) (block 120).

At this stage, the optoelectronic assist device 2 samples at every moment of the tci sampling (and is between 0 an):

Disttarget = (Disttarget (tC0), ..., Disttarget (tCn)) to target k from grenade launcher 1, angles apitch = (apitch (tC0), .., apitch (tCn)) slopes and angles ahead = (ahead (tC0 ), ..., ahead (tCn)) of the direction that determine the position of the grenade launcher 1 (block 130) and stores the sampled data in the memory unit (block 140).

[0051] To this end, the memory unit 10 may conveniently be structured to include a cyclic memory buffer 10a (shown in figure 1) in which the sampled data Disttarget (tci), apitch (tci), ahead (tci) obtained in during sampling.

[0052] The electronic processing unit 9 verifies that the memory buffer 10 is saturated / full (block 150) and in the negative case (output Not from block 150), increases the sampling time tci = tci + 1 (block 160) and repeats steps 130, 140 , 150 so as to get new Disttarget (tci), apitch (tci), ahead (tci) data associated with target displacement k.

[0053] In a positive case (output Yes from block 150), i.e. if the memory buffer 10 is saturated / full, the electronic processing unit 9 sorts temporarily distance / arrangement data Disttarget (tci), apitch (tci), ahead (tci) contained in memory buffer 30 (block 170) and processes the same sorted data Disttarget (tci), apitch (tci), ahead (tci) to determine the positions of PI taken by the target in time k, relative to the Cartesian coordinate system S (X, Y, Z) (shown in figure 1), whose origin S (0,0,0) is located at the assumed point of the grenade launcher 1, for example at the outlet of the grenade launcher barrel 4 (block 180).

More precisely, the electronic processing unit 9 calculates target position vectors PI = Pi (tci) = (XT (tci), YT (tci), ZT (tci) starting from the initial sampling moment tci = tco to the final sampling moment tci = this:

XT = (Xtarget (vol_co), Xtarget (vol_ci), Xtarget (vol_cn)) YT = (Ytarget (vol_co), Ytarget (vol_ci), ···, Ytarget (vol_cn)) ZT = (Ztarget (vol_co) / Ztarget (vol_ci), Ztarget (vol_cn)) [0055] The electronic processing unit 9 calculates, based on IP vectors containing the coordinates of the positions occupied by the target in k and using the optimization method, for example the method of least squares or any other similar method of approximating motion based on polynomial functions, preferably but not necessarily functions first degree, which allow assuming a certain degree of approximation, the actual position Pi (tC0), Pi (tCn) and the next positions Pi (tCn + 1) P (tCn + k) occupied by the target k during its movement (block 190).

[0056] In particular, at this stage, the method implements the following relationships that allow determining, via polynomial functions F (X), F (y), F (Z), preferably but not necessarily the first degree, of the target's motion in space:

^and)

F (x) = a_x+ b_x* Xi F (y) = a_s+ by * Yi F (Z) = a_from+ b_from* Zi where Xi, Yi, Zi are polynomial variables, while ai is the assumed value, and bi is the assumed angular coefficient.

[0057] At this point, the electronic processing unit 9 calculates the ideal grenade movement (block 200), implementing an algorithm that determines, starting from the tact request of the assistance, a solution to the problem of the ideal grenade movement subject to the force of gravity, by determining the range of GIT , VIN output speed from grenade launcher 1, ideal aidealpitch angle of inclination, and tflight time of grenade flight to hit target k.

[0058] It should be clarified that the moment tact of the assistance request may correspond to the moment when the operator via the graphic interface 8 issues a command signal requesting the calculation of the firing position.

[0059] In particular, the electronic processor 1 calculates:

b)

<img file="PL2593744T3_D0001.tif" />

VIN = VIN0 + (T-273.15) * VIN1 aidealpitch = (1/2) arcsin (GIT * g / VIN²) tflight = 2 * (VIN / g) sin (aidealpitch) where XT (tact), YT (tact) and ZT (tact) are the position coefficients of the pomegranate PI at the time of tact assistance request.

[0060] The electronic processing unit 9 initializes the counter Inum = 0 (block 210) and calculates (block 220) the timp moment of hitting the grenade at target k via the following relationship:

^c)

<img file="PL2593744T3_D0002.tif" />

[0061] The electronic processing unit 9 calculates via the polynomial functions F (X), F (y), F (Z) the position of the target XT (timp), YT (timp), ZT (timp) at the moment of hit timp and determines the distance Disttarget to target k from grenade launcher 1 when hit timp via the following relationship:

d)

<img file="PL2593744T3_D0003.tif" />

[0062] The electronic processing unit 9 determines (block 230) the angle aipitch of the slope corresponding to the angle to be given to the grenade launcher 1 to hit the target in perfect conditions, by means of the following relationship:

e)

<img file="PL2593744T3_D0004.tif" />

[0063] At this point, the electronic processing unit 9 checks whether:

f) the Disttarget of the hit is within the assumed distance range limited by the minimum value dTMIN and the maximum value dTMAX;

g) the slope angle aipitch is within the assumed angular range limited by the minimum value a1 and the maximum value a2, where preferably a1 is about -0.78 and a2 is preferably equal to approximately 0.78 (block 240). [0064] In the event that at least one of the conditions f) and g) is not met (output No from block 240), the optoelectronic assist device 2 generates a message that alerts the operator of the impossibility of calculating the shot angle and requests that the target be re-aimed and new data collection (blocks 110-230). [0065] However, if both conditions f) and g) are met (output Yes from block 240), then the electronic processing unit 9 initiates an integration counter i = 1 (block 250) to determine the actual grenade trajectory based on the ideal trajectory, ballistic data, environmental and accuracy data.

[0066] In particular, the electronic processing unit 9 calculates the real infinitely small displacement Dxi and Dyi of the grenade relative to the X and Y axes at the time t = tact + i * dt, where dt is the assumed integration interval, using the following relationships h) and i) (block 260):

h)

<img file="PL2593744T3_D0005.tif" />

[0067] At this point, the electronic processing unit 9 increases the integration counter i = i + 1 and calculates the slope of the actual grenade trajectory at the moment ti = tact + i * dt via the following relationship (block 270):

l)

<img file="PL2593744T3_D0006.tif" />

/ [0068] The electronic processing unit 9 further calculates the grenade speed Viprojectile at time ti via the following relationship f) (block 280):

[0069] m)

<img file="PL2593744T3_D0007.tif" />

[0070] The electronic processing unit 9 increases the integration counter i = i + 1 (block 290) again and calculates the successively infinitely small displacements Dxi Dyi regarding the grenade at the time moments ti = tact + i * dt.

[0071] In this case, the calculation of each infinitely small displacement Dxi Dyi of the grenade along its actual trajectory made in each interval dt time is calculated by the following relationships n) and o) (block 300):

n)

Δχ = (χ.-χ ..) = E cos (a.) Dt ~ —S—— ^{1 1 1-17} projeclile ^V ł projectile ⁷ 2 l 77Z R'T

Pis.-P^about)

RT coste. ) · SinićZ,) · E² . df projectile projeciite łprojeclile

Av, = (with -Z-_,) = K ζ (Ρ.₈._ρ m

• V projeciite sin (a) dt ~ - f - S——

2I m RT cos (a,) · E · dt ¹ projeciite ^L projeciite sin («) · E² dt² + * projectile 'projectile costo) -cos (ćz,) E dt -g dt

RT 'projeciite projectile' projectile [0072] With reference to figure 4c, after calculating the infinitely small displacement, the electronic processing unit 9 determines the new slope of the trajectory, the new grenade speed and so on until determining the entire actual trajectory corresponding to the ideal initial angle aipitch.

[0073] In particular, for each trajectory integration stage, the electronic processing unit 9 verifies whether the first condition or the second condition is met, wherein:

p) the first condition is met when X1 = DXi + Xi-1&gt; = XT (timp) and the selected shot is flat;

q) the second condition is met when Yi = DYi + Yi-1 &lt;= YT (timp), the Dyi grenade change is negative and the selected shot is not flat (block 310).

[0074] If the first condition p) and the second condition q) are not met (output not from block 310), then the electronic processing unit 9 performs again the steps described in blocks 270, 280, 290, 300, 310 so as to continue the process " integration 'of infinitely small displacements of the grenade to determine its real trajectory.

[0075] However, if one or both of the conditions p) or q) are met (output from block 310), then the electronic processing unit 9 verifies (block 320) whether the third and fourth conditions are met, where:

r) the third condition is met when the Xi grenade displacement is within the range limited by the minimum value of XT (timp) -errx and the maximum value of XT (timp) + errx; and

s) the fourth condition is met when the displacement of Yi grenade is within the range limited by the minimum value of YT (timp) -erry and the maximum value of YT (timp) + erry (block 320).

[0076] If the third condition r) and the fourth condition s) are met (exit yes from block 320), then the electronic processing unit 9 gives the angle of inclination of the shot the value of the angle of inclination given from the method in the initial stage (i.e. in block 270) of the calculation cycle aipitch:

afpitch = aipitch (block 330) [0077] If, however, at least one of the conditions r) and s) is not met (output not from block 320), then the electronic processing unit 9 starts calculating the new trajectory (block 340), where the initial angle aipitch changes according to the relation s) in the case of a "flat" shot or according to the relation t) in the case of a "non-flat" shot: s)

<img file="PL2593744T3_D0008.tif" />

t)

<img file="PL2593744T3_D0009.tif" />

Where max (yi) is the maximum value of the trajectory along the Y axis (shown in figure 10).

[0078] In this case, the electronic processing unit 9 re-implements the steps described above from blocks 260-340.

[0079] After calculating the angle afpitch = aipitch of the slope of the shot, the electronic processing unit 9 calculates the angle afhead of the shot direction via the following mathematical relationship u):

<img file="PL2593744T3_D0010.tif" />

where GITX is the projection of the GIT range on the X axis ahead (timp) is the azimuth position of the target in k at the moment of timp that the grenade hits the target k (block 350).

[0080] At this point, the electronic processing unit 9 increases the Inum = Inum + 1 counter (block 360) and checks (block 370) whether:

u) Inum&gt; = ITMAX; where ITMAX is the assumed threshold value indicating the maximum number of iterations that can be performed during the assumed calculation interval Dt;

v) ctfpitchU ™) - ąfpitcMJ) | &lt;= MinDiff where MinDiff is the assumed threshold value.

[0081] In the event that none of the conditions u) or v) is met (exit from block 370), the electronic processing unit 9 re-implements the actions of blocks 220-370.

[0082] With reference to figure 4d, if, however, the conditions u) or v) are met (exit from block 370), then the electronic processing unit 9 confirms the assignment to the angle of inclination of the shot and assigns the angle afhead = afhead (Inum) the direction of the shot , preferably but not necessarily, to the ISP parameter indicating the moment of grenade explosion, the moment of hit timp; to the Disttarget distance to the target value of the GIT range (timp) and to the parameter counting the number of cycles NUMCI the value of the Inum counter (block 380).

[0083] At the moment tact, the electronic processing unit 9 determines the effective angle apitch (tact) of the slope and checks (block 400) whether the following first condition a1 is met:

a1) Aofpitch (tact) | &lt;S1 where Da = afpitch-apitch (tact) and S1 is the assumed threshold value.

[0084] In a positive case, i.e. if condition a1) is met (output YES from block 400), the electronic processing unit 9 determines that the angle apitch (tact) of the slope corresponds to the final angle afpitch of the slope, i.e. that the grenade launcher 1 has correct firing position (block 410) and therefore does not require grenade launcher 1 movements to change the angle of tilt.

[0085] The electronic processing unit 9 orders, via the user interface 8, to keep segments N1 and N2 off, so as to communicate to the operator the lack of the need to rotate, i.e. the angle of inclination of the grenade launcher 1 (block 410) (figure 8).

[0086] In the negative case (output NOT from block 400), i.e. if condition a1) is not met, the electronic processing unit 9 determines the integer to assign to an unknown value, e.g., to meet condition a2):

a2)

AOipitch (tact) ~ ftpitch * S9.

where Sa is the assumed angular value associated with each segment of the graphic cross (block 420).

[0087] At this point, if the npitch is positive, then the electronic processing unit 9 controls the inclusion of the number N1 '= npitch of the luminous segments of the graphic cross 18 of the arrangement via the user interface 8 (figures 5, 7), whereas if the npitch is negative then the electronic processing unit 9 controls the inclusion of the number N2 '= npitch of the illuminated segments of the graphic cross 14 of the arrangement via the user interface 8 (block 430) (figure 6).

[0088] At the time tact, the electronic processing unit 9 also determines the angle ahead (tact) of the direction and checks whether the following condition b1) is met (block 450):

b1)

<img file="PL2593744T3_D0011.tif" />

where Dahead (tact) = afhead -ahead (tact) where S2 is the assumed threshold value.

[0089] In the positive case (exit yes from block 450), i.e. if condition b1) is met, the electronic processing unit 9 states that the angle ahead (tact) of the direction corresponds to the final angle afhead of the direction, i.e. that the grenade launcher 1 has the correct orientation (block 460) and therefore does not require grenade launcher 1 movements to change the angle ahead of direction.

[0090] The electronic processing unit 9 orders via the user interface 8 to keep the segments N3 and N4 off, so as to communicate to the operator that they do not need to turn the grenade launcher 1 (Figures 5 and 8). [0091] In the negative case, i.e. if condition b1) is not met, the electronic processing unit 9 determines the integer to be assigned to the unknown value nhead to satisfy the following condition b2):

b2) Dahead = nhead * Sa (block 470) [0092] At this point, if nhead is positive, then the electronic processing unit 9 controls the inclusion of the number N3 '= nhead of the luminous segments of the graphic cross 18 of the arrangement (figure 7), whereas if nhead is negative, then the electronic processing unit 9 controls the inclusion of the number N4 '= nhead of the luminous segments of the graphic cross 18 of the arrangement (block 480) (figure 6).

[0093] In the event that the expressions a1) and b1) are met, the electronic processing unit 9 communicates to the operator the correct positioning of the grenade launcher 1 in the firing position (block 500). In this case, in the example shown in Figure 8, the electronic processing unit 9 controls the deactivation of all segments and preferably but not necessarily the activation of a central graphic icon, containing, for example, a center-centered circle.

[0094] At this time, the electronic processing unit 9 checks whether the calculation interval Dt has passed from the moment the operation was performed in block 210 (block 510) and in the negative case (output not from block 510) remains in the waiting state, whereas in the case of positive (exit yes from block 510) updates the actual moment tact by giving it the status of the current moment, measured, for example, via an internal clock (block 520) and again performs the operation implemented in block 200 and subsequent operations.

[0095] From the above description, it should be noted that the operations described above in Figures 4a-4d can be encoded in software stored in the memory unit 10 and configured so that when it is loaded into the electronic processing unit 9, it performs the same operations, so as to assist the operator in operating the grenade launcher.

[0096] The optoelectronic booster described above is extremely useful because it automatically gives the military operator a precise indication of the position to be given to the grenade launcher to successfully hit a moving target. [0097] Finally, it is clear that this electronic device and method may be subject to changes and variations without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.