FR2554619A1 - Simulator system for training operating staff who have to learn to manoeuvre a device in or with respect to an environment - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the present invention is a simulator system for training operating staff who have to learn to manoeuvre a device in an environment. Computer means 5, 6 drive a video disc which can turn at a variable speed, the means being suitable for acquiring information relating to the manoeuvres by the staff member. An instructor's position 9 makes it possible to insert, into the means 5, 6, data representing an unforeseeable situation. The present invention finds an application, for example, for firing simulation with weapons or simulation of vehicle driving.

Description

The present invention relates to a simulator system
for training an operator to learn to operate a device in or in relation to an environment such as a vehicle on a road or a weapon to fire at a target or the like, of the type in which the environment such as landscapes, the road or the target is projected on a display screen from an image support.

 We already know shooting simulators in which the image support is a film that is projected on a notch, for example in paper. This simulator uses small caliber ammunition.

 This known system has the major drawback of not allowing situations to be varied, which considerably reduces its educational value, of being a large consumer of screen papers and ammunition which, although being exercise ammunition, is expensive and to be fra gille, which is extremely annoying because during a break the information concerning the target will be lost.

 The present invention aims to provide a simulator system which does not have the aforementioned drawbacks of the known system.

 To achieve this objective, the simulator system according to the invention is characterized in that the image support is an advantageously laser video-disc, capable of rotating at a variable speed, which is controlled by suitable computer means to acquire advantageously periodically information relating to the maneuvers of the operator and the environment, to calculate from this information the results of the action of the device following said maneuvers in or on the environment and to provide this environment with modifications based on said results.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the system
has an advantageously equipped instructor position
of a computer, which is adapted to introduce into the
computer means data representative of a situation
unpredictable or unexpected for the operator.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the computer means comprise a first means such as a microprocessor whose function is to acquire information relating to the maneuvers of the operator and to the environment and to determine the modifications to be made 8 l environment and a second calculating means such as microprocessGur intended to calculate the results of the action of the device to be operated on or in the environment, according to a predetermined algorithm.

For a vehicle driving simulator, in which at least the essential instruments and organs for controlling the vehicle are reproduced on a stationary driving station and the speed is simulated by a mobile decoration forming the environment, the system according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a set of digital and analog inputs to which are present in the form of digital and analog electrical signals the information representative of the states of said instruments and control members, that the first microprocessor is programmed to perform periodically the acquisition of this information, that the second calculating microprocessor is programmed to calculate according to the predetermined algorithm the speed of the vehicle on the road and in that the first microprscessor is adapted to drive the video-disc at the speed of rotation corresponding to the speed calculated by the calculating microprocessor,
According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention when the system constitutes a shooting simulator, it is characterized in that the computer means is adapted to determine, without emission of a projectile by the weapon, the position thereof relative to on the screen visualizing the landscape and the target, and to calculate from the information relating to this position the coordinates of the real impact that a projectile would have on the target.

 According to an advantageous characteristic of the shooting simulator system according to the present invention, the instructor station includes a computer having a database containing the digitized images of the targets, which is organized to allow the computer to transmit to the computer for each image of the video-disc presenting a target a description in digital form of this target, the computer means being suitable for assessing the position of the aforementioned calculated real impact with respect to the digital image of the target.

 According to yet another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the shooting simulator system comprises an image synthesizer such as a matrox card, which contains digitized images, and an image mixer making it possible to superimpose the images of the video disc. and the digital images obtained from the synthesizer, the computer means being adapted to control the synthesizer and the latter being adapted to display on the screen r, umerized images representing a target and / or impacts of a projectile.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the explanatory description which follows, made with reference to the appended schematic drawings given solely by way of example illustrating two embodiments of the invention, and in which
- Figure 1 shows in the form of a block diagram a first embodiment of the invention, namely a vehicle driving simulator system
FIG. 2 gives the block diagram of a second embodiment of the invention, namely a fire simulator system, and
FIG. 3 schematically shows an electronic arrangement allowing the determination of the position of an armor for the shooting simulator according to FIG. 2.

 FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment, by way of example, namely a vehicle driving simulator. The proposed simulator is an assembly reproducing at least the main functions necessary for driving the vehicle. The driver student exercises all manipulations of the machine under the control and / or with the intervention of an instructor or instructor or possibly alone.

 It must be imagined that the driver's cabin can be identical to that of a real vehicle. Thus the student has before him the dashboard bringing together all the usual instruments and control devices intended to ensure the smooth running of the vehicle, such as dials, indicators and manipulators. The cabin is fitted with a steering wheel, brake, accelerator and clutch pedals and levers, for example handbrake and gear change. In addition, the cabin can be installed on oleo-pneumatic equipment which gives it its longitudinal inclination, its lateral inclination, the sliding towards the objective and the vibrations.

The cabin and its equipment have not been shown in FIG. 1, because the representation does not appear necessary for the understanding of the invention. Indeed, what matters is that in the driving simulator according to the invention, the states of different instruments and
control devices are translated by any appropriate means into appropriate analog or digital electrical signals or values.

 We have therefore been satisfied in FIG. 1 to symbolize all the levers, levers and contacts necessary for the proper functioning of the vehicle by a block 1 of digital inputs; while a block 2 of analog inputs symbolizes the state of the steering column and brake, accelerator and clutch pedals Blocks 3 and 4 of digital outputs 3 and analog 4 are respectively representative of the various electric and pneumatic control elements, intended to proauire vehicle reactions such as vibrations, jolts, the hardness of the levers, and of the whole. dials located on the dashboard and the engine noise generator.

 In the example shown, the simulation of the motor is carried out using 3 microprocessors operating in parallel, namely a microprocessor 5 intended to interrogate digital 1 and analog inputs 2 and to supply control signals to digital outputs 3 and analog 4, unmi.croptocesseur 6 forming a calculation circuit and a microprocessor 7 forming a noise generator.

 The simulator system further comprises an external control station 9 intended for the instructor on monitor, which is advantageously equipped with a computer and is connected to the microprocessor 5, and a set for simulating the movement of the vehicle, formed by a reader device for laser video disc 10 capable of interacting with the instructor station 9, a video projector or television set 11 associated with the player 10 and a display screen (12).

The reader can operate at variable speed. The video devices to be read by the device 10 contain in the form of images the
information relating to the environment, that is to say the landscape and the road, in which the vehicle is traveling
The images can be real or digitized images.

 The functions of the various devices of the driving simulator system and the operation thereof will be described below.

 The student inside the driver's cabin operates the various instruments and controls as he would in a real vehicle. Digital and analog digital signals 1 corresponding to the states of these instruments and organs then appear at the digital 1 and analog 2 inputs.

The microprocessor 5 has a clock means
(not shown) which generates a periodic interruption, for example every 100 msec. The microprocessor interrogates the digital 1 and analog 2 inputs and takes information relating to the states of the instruments and organs of the driver's cabin. it should be noted that the microprocessor 5 also has the general information characteristic of the vehicle, such as for example the weight and dimensions of the vehicle and the volume of the fuel.

In addition, the computer 9 of the instructor station may include information relating to a specific or temporary state of the environment of the vehicle, such as the state of the road surface, the slope thereof and the state of charge of the vehicle. vehicle. the instructor can control the transfer of such data to the microprocessor.

 The latter transmits all the information acquired to the calculation microprocessor 6 which will carry out all of the calculations relating to the speed of rotation of the motor, the speed of rotation of a notional gearbox which: detects the change of speeds by means of proximity sensors, vehicle travel speed and vehicle position relative to the roadway.

At the end of, for example, approximately 20 m sec, the calculations are completed and the microprocessor 6 transmits the results to the microprocessor 5. The latter distributes the speed information to the laser video-disc, via the instructor station 9, which thus operates at variable speed, to the microprocessor of the noise generator 7 which restores the digitized noise of the truck at the right frequency, to the dashboard where the parameters will be displayed as in reality and to the vibration generator which acts on the cabin to make the sensations that one would have when touching the steering wheel or the gearbox lever in a vehicle alone. On the next ~ interrupt signal the program which has just been described consisting in acquiring data relating to the 3 states of the instruments and controls and the environment and to calculate from this information the vehicle's response to this data is restarted
On screen 12, the student sees the landscape that he would see scrolling if he was actually driving. The instructor has in his station 9 a dialogue console which allows him to initialize the system or intervene on the progress of a sequence. it also has another console which passes it the driving parameters such as speed, driving characteristics, brakes, and tools. In addition, the instructor station 9 can contain a whole directory of incidents simulating for example a breakdown on the injection system, 1 1 bursting or deflation of a tire, loss of hydraulic assistance for steering etc.

The computer 9 or the instructor through it can introduce the data relating to such an incident into the acquisition and calculation sequence of the microprocessors.

 IlreSsort ee lP dOscription which comes from the driving simulator that the particular combination of different microprocessors with a laser videodisk and the instructor station advantageously equipped with a computer allows to obtain a driving simulator which provokes reactions in response to different maneuvers of the student, which are identical to those of a real vehicle.

In other words, thanks to the video disc and its particular control system, the simulator according to the present invention is able to simulate even small variations in speed. The invention therefore provides an extremely sensitive driving simulator, and this in a manner identical to a real vehicle, to the manipulations and maneuvers of the student. The invention therefore provides a training system of maximum efficiency.

 Figure 2 shows, also schematically, a second embodiment of the invention, namely a shooting simulator. It can be seen that the latter resembles the driving simulator according to FIG. 1. The devices common to the two simulators have preserved in FIG. 2 their reference figures. It can be seen that the figures are distinguished only by the fact that in FIG. 2 the analog inputs have been deleted, that a mixing device 13 is interposed between the player of the video disc 10 and the video projector 11 and that an image synthesizer 14 advantageously produced in the form of a PIATROX card device have been added. The synthesizer is connected to the microprocessor 5, so that a dialogue can be established between them and to the image mixer 13.

 The video discs to be read by the laser reader 10 contain the images each identified by a number of the environment, that is to say of the landscape in which the target is located. This can already be present on the image of the videodisc or be provided by the MATROV 14 card in synthetic or digital form. The MATROX card includes synthetic images of the targets and advantageously also synthetic images making it possible to display on screen 12 images illustrating the nature of the impact of the projectile which was fired at the target, for example the explosion of the projectile. image mixer 12 superimposes the images coming from the video disc player 10 and the MATROX card 14.

It should be noted that the rEATRox card is synchronized to the top of synchronization of the video disc.

 In the shooting simulator, the computer of the instructor station 9 has a database which contains a description in X and Y coordinates of each target usable within the framework of the shooting simulator. These targets are presented in the form of digitized images. The data are organized so that the computer according to a predefined program is able to give a description in digitized form of the image of a target present in an image of the videodisc locatable by its number.

 Concerning the representation in digital form of the targets, it should be noted that a target can be constituted by a simple rectangular element or be made up of a certain number of such elements. Each rectangle is defined by the X @ Y coordinates of a vertex and the XY coordinates of the diagonally opposite vertex. Each coordinate can be defined by es.eEpie by a byte.

If the target comprises for example a maximum of 8 rectangular elements, the description of the target requires 32 bytes. According to the invention, advantageously 50 bytes are provided for the description. But, to save memory capacity, it is possible to change the position of the target only after scrolling a certain number of images, and this of course depending on the nature and speed of the target. Thus the 50 bytes of description of the target are associated only with a group of images. In the case of a tank as target we could change the position of the target only for example every 30 images.

 In the case of the shooting simulator according to FIG. 2, the digital input block 1 symbolizes the weapon or more exactly the weapons because the simulator allows the simultaneous instruction of several shooters. We could provide 4 or up to 16 weapons. It should be emphasized that the shooting simulator according to the invention does not require the emission of real projectiles. Thus it is possible to completely remove the ammunition. This objective is achieved thanks to an appropriate operation of the different devices of the simulator and an appropriate programming of these devices and thanks to a weapon electronics with which each weapon is equipped.

 The weapon electronics is adapted to produce each time a shooter actuates the trigger of a weapon a specific signal which defines the weapon used by a predetermined code. Several weapons can therefore be used and distinguished from each other. Thus an appropriate number of digital inputs is reserved in block 1 for each weapon.

The weapon electronics also comprises a photosensitive means such as a phototransistor (not shown) which has the function of contributing to the determination of the position of the weapon relative to the environment, that is to say with respect to the screen in the manner which will be described later in detail.

 As for the digital outputs 3 of the shooting simulator according to FIG. 2, they provide signals making it possible, for example, to memorize the goal shots as a function of the number of shots and this for each shooter.

 The operation of the shooting simulator will be described below. This description will reveal the party functions of the various systems and their cooperation.

 The pupil who has to learn how to handle a weapon sees scrolling on the screen 12 the images of the landscape and of the target projected by the projector 11. He handles the weapon of the simulator like a real weapon, with the only difference that the actuation of the trigger does not cause the emission of a projectile. Such a projectile is not necessary because the simulator is able to determine by calculation the point of impact qe would produce the projectile on the target.

 As in the case of driving simulators, the microprocessor 5 acquires the data relating to the environment. The microprocessor performs, by calculation, from this data, ballistic corrections according to a predetermined algorithm.

Be calculation requires knowledge of the position of the tree relative to the screen. This position is obtained by determining on the screen the point of impact in X and Y coordinates that would produce ui? laser beam emitted by the lamina Such a ray would establish a straight line in the axis of 1, weapon
Figure 3 illustrates how we determine the X, Y coordinates defining the position of the weapon
When the laser top of the reader 10 appears at the start of a frame, a time coepteir 15 advantageously associated with the microprocessor 5 and which is in the zero state at this instant begins to count the high frequency hog tops produced by a clock circuit 16.The period of these tops could be of the order of 50> nanosecondsj
The counter continues counting until it receives a blocking or stopping signal produced by the electronics of weapon 1 when the scanning spot of screen 12 passes to the aforementioned fictitious impact point of the laser ray.

This passage of the scanning spot is detected by the phototransistor of the weapon electronics. Given that the content of the counter 15 is proportional to the time that had elapsed since the appearance of the laser top, the microprocessor 5 can determine from this content the X and Y coordinates of the point of impact. To exclude an error, it is possible to program the microprocessor so that the coordinates X, Y are only taken for granted if there is a match in quantum coordinates in three consecutive images.

 The microprocessor 5 also receives as input data the nformaticrfi relative to the distance from the target.

We could also give him information concerning the wind and, if necessary, the speed of the target.

All this information comes from the computer station 9. In addition, the simulator includes in a memory the general characteristics of the various projectiles.

 The microprocessor 5 transmits the information acquired to the calculating microprocessor 6 which calculates from this information according to a predetermined algorithm the real impact in X 'and Y', that is to say it performs ballistic corrections The coordinates X ' , Y 'are transmitted to the microprocessor 5 which then makes a comparison between the position and the nature of the impact and the target. The functions to be accomplished for this purpose will be described below.

We first consider the case where the images on the video disc contain the target then represented naturally. The computer of station 9 which has a database containing images of the different targets in digitized form, as explained above, checks for each image identified by its number if there is a target in this image. If it does, it gives the appropriate information to the microprocessor 5 which determines1 based on the coordinates
X ', Y' received from the microprocessor 6 if there is an impact on the target, Depending on the result, the microprocessor 5 commands the matrox card to superimpose on the video image a second digitized video image which causes, as the case may be, example a white impact (target missed), a red yellow impact (target hit but not destroyed), a red, yellow or black impact (flame) in the case where the target is destroyed. The impacts are numbered according to the shooter. At the end of a shooting session, after memorizing all the impacts, the simulator system according to the invention makes it possible to replay the images or stop on each of the impacts then appearing on the 'screen
with the shooter's number. Three possibilities are open: either each impact appears on the screen (which is a drawback in the case of automatic weapon bursts, due to the large number of impacts due to each shooter; or a sort is made among the impacts of each shooter; or finally, we discriminate at the level of each impact.

 After the GU case, the target is on the image recorded on the videodisc, we now consider the case where the video images on the disc do not contain the targets. These can only be found on the matrox card in digitized form. It is then B'instructeurw from station 9, which commands the microprocessor 5 to control the matrox card so as to make the target appear on the video image, either by simple superposition or by replacing part of the video image.

 A particularity and an advantage of the shooting simulator according to the present invention lies in the fact that it easily allows a variation of the speed of the target, that is to say of the speed of the video disc. The speed variations can be programmed in the computer of the instructor station 9. However, the instructor can vary the speed himself. In this case, the computer at station 9 calculates the speed of the video disc according to the scrolling of the images on the disc. The information relating to the speed is then transmitted from the instructor station to the microprocessor 5.

 Another peculiarity of the shooting simulator according to the invention lies in the fact that it allows shooting at black targets or night shots. Indeed, if the weapon has not detected a target for 30 msec, that is to say on an image, it requests a reverse video setting, which transforms for a short period of time for example of 1/30 sec ., invisible to the naked eye, black dots to white dots and allows the system to determine the position of the weapon relative to the target.

 It appears from the description of the shooting simulator and the operation thereof, which has just been made, that this simulator constitutes a very effective training tool. Since the simulator is independent & projectile, the characteristics of which are introduced in addition, it allows the training of a wide variety of weapons. In this fact it also authorizes the extension to future projectiles or weapon systems. The contribution of the microprocessor-controlled videodisc allows a random presentation of the targets. The possibility of working the disc at variable speed allows you to modify the target's behavior and the shooter's reaction. In addition, at any time the history of the shooting sequence is available, therefore the possibility of an analysis of the shot (s) by time registration.

The system according to the present invention has great educational value insofar as it allows the instructor to create at his will different and unpredictable situations; this avoids the addiction of students.

 It should be noted that the training system according to the present invention is not limited to the driving simulator and to the shooting simulator which have only been described by way of example. The invention can be used after simple adaptation, without modification of the principle, for teaching the manipulation or the driving of numerous other devices such as for example in a ship, a crane or the like.

Claims (14)

 1. Simulator system for the training of an operator having to learn to operate a device in or in relation to an environment1 such as a vehicle on a road or a weapon to fire at a target or the like, of the type in which the environment - such as the landscapes, the road or the target is projected onto a display screen from an image medium, characterized in that the image medium is an advantageously laser videodisc, capable of rotating at a speed variable, which is controlled by computer means (5,6) adapted to periodically advantageously acquire the information relating to the maneuvers of the operator and the environment, to calculate from this information the results of the action of the device at the following said maneuvers in or on the environment and to make changes to this environment according to said results.  2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an external instructor station (9), equipped with a computer, which is adapted to introduce into the computer means (5, 6) data representative of an unpredictable or unexpected situation for the operator.  3. System according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the computer means (Si 6) comprise a first means such as a microprocessor (5) having for function 1 acquisition of information relating to the maneuvers of the operator and to the environment and to determine the modifications brought to the environment and a second calculating means such as a microprocessor (6) intended to calculate the results of the action of the device to be operated on or in the environment, according to an algorithm predetermined  4. System according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the computer means contain in a read-only memory device information relating to the general characteristics of the device to be operated and in that it is suitable for receiving data relating to a state or individual or temporary conditions of the device to be operated and / or of the environment.  5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the case of a vehicle driving simulator, in which at least the essential instruments and organs of the vehicle are reproduced in a stationary driving position and the speed is simulated by a mobile decoration representing the environment, it comprises a set of digital (i) and analog (2) inputs which are present in the form of digital and analog electrical signals the information representing the states of said instruments and organs of controls that a computer means, advantageously a microprocessor (5), is programmed to periodically acquire this information, that a computer means such as a microprocessor (6) is programmed to calculate according to an algorithm predetermines the speed of the vehicle on the road and that the microprocessor is adapted to drive the video disc at the appropriate speed corresponding to the speed calculated by the micr oprocessor (6).  6. System according to claim 5, characterized in that the calculating microprocessor (6) is programmed to calculate further from information relating to the eat.s of the aforementioned instruments and control members and to the environment such as the state of the roadway, all the exit information necessary for simulating the response of the vehicle to the maneuvers of the operator, such as for example the states of the dials located on the dashboard of the aforementioned control station, the engine noise, the vehicle vibrations and jolts and hardness of the controls.  7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a noise generating means advantageously formed by a microprocessor (7) controlled by the microprocessor (5).  8. System according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, in the case of a shooting simulator, the computer means are adapted to determine, without emission by the weapon of a projecti3e the position of that relative to the screen viewing the landscape and the target, and to calculate from information relating to this position the coordinates of the real impact that a projectile would produce on the target.  9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the computer means comprise a first means such as a microprocessor (5) programmed for the acquisition of data relating to the armeles that the position of the weapon, and the environment, such as the distance and, where appropriate, the speed of the target, and for providing information relating to the results of the shots and a second means such as a calculation microprocessor (6) intended to calculate the ballistic corrections to from the coordinates of the weapon positions to determine the coordinates of the real impact.  10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the means for determining the position of the weapon essentially comprise an electronic arrangement provided in the weapon and provided with a photosensitive element such as a phototransistor, capable of producing an electrical signal when the scanning spot of the video screen passes at the point of the screen situated in the axis of the weapon, a means counter (15) of the time elapsing since the appearance of the spot at the start of a frame or of frame synchronization until the instant of signal production by the phototransistor, which the microprocessor (5) determines from the content of the counter (15) the X and Y coordinates of said point of passage of said scanning spot, and in this that the microprocessor (6) calculates from the coordinates of the crossing point according to a predetermined algorithm the coordinates of the aforementioned real impact,  11. System according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a noise generator advantageously formed by a microprocessor (7) adapted to produce noises such as detonation noises, the microprocessor (7) being controlled by the microprocessor (5).  12. System according to one of claims 8 to 11, actérs in that the external instructor station (9) comprises a computer having a database containing digitized images of the targets, which is organized to allow the computer to transmit by computer means (5) for each image of the videodisc presenting a target, a description in digitized form of this target, and in which the computer means (5) is adapted to assess the position of the aforementioned calculated real impact with respect to the digitized image of the target.  13. System according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that it comprises an image synthesizer (14), such as a matrox card, which contains digitized images, and an image mixer (13 ) allowing to superimpose the images of the videodisc and the digitized images coming from the synthesizer (14), and in that the computer means (5) is adapted to control the synthesizer.  14. System according to claim 13, characterized in that the image synthesizer (13) is adapted to make appear on the screen (12) digitized images representing a target and or impacts of a projectile.