Pyrotechnic misfire detection techniques

Abstract

A pyrotechnic misfire detection system includes one or more sensors that may acquire sensor data indicative of a pyrotechnic ignition event at one or more launch devices and a controller. The controller may receive the sensor data from the one or more sensors, determine whether the sensor data corresponds to pyrotechnic launch instructions based on the sensor data, and determine that the one or more launch devices has misfired in response to the sensor data not corresponding to the pyrotechnic launch instructions.

1 . A pyrotechnic misfire detection system, comprising;
 one or more sensors configured to acquire sensor data indicative of a pyrotechnic ignition event at one or more launch devices; and   a controller configured to:
 receive the sensor data from the one or more sensors; 
 determine whether the sensor data corresponds to pyrotechnic launch instructions; and 
 determine that the one or more launch devices has misfired based on the sensor data not corresponding to the pyrotechnic launch instructions. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more launch devices are coupled to a plurality of launch tubes, each launch tube of the plurality of launch tubes comprising a pyrotechnic of a plurality of pyrotechnics. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein determining whether the sensor data corresponds to the pyrotechnic launch instructions comprises identifying a launch status of each respective pyrotechnic. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein determining that the one or more launch devices has misfired comprises identifying an individual launch tube of the plurality of launch tubes having a misfire launch status. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a vibration sensor coupled to each launch tube of the plurality of launch tubes. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one vibration sensor coupled to a launch device of the one or more launch devices. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the sensor data is indicative of vibration of the launch device concurrent with execution of the pyrotechnic launch instructions. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein a first vibration amplitude above a threshold is indicative of a successful fire event and wherein a second vibration amplitude below the threshold is indicative of the misfire. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising generating a notification indicative of the misfire. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the notification comprises a location or identity of a launch device, of the one or more launch devices, associated with the misfire. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a camera. 
     
     
         12 . A pyrotechnic misfire detection method comprising:
 receiving, at a pyrotechnic launch controller, pyrotechnic launch instructions;   initiating, via the pyrotechnic launch controller, a pyrotechnic display based on the pyrotechnic launch instructions;   receiving, via the pyrotechnic launch controller, sensor data indicative of a pyrotechnic misfire; and   generating, via the pyrotechnic launch controller, a notification of the misfire.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor data is, pressure sensor data, optical sensor data, or a combination thereof from a launch device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor data indicative of the pyrotechnic misfire comprises a vibration signal indicative of a misfire in one or more launch tubes of a launch device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the notification comprises a location or identity of a launch device associated with the misfire. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the notification comprises an activated indicator light on or near a launch device associated with the misfire. 
     
     
         17 . A pyrotechnic misfire detection system, comprising;
 one or more launch devices, comprising:
 at least one launch tube; and 
 ignition circuitry configured to launch a pyrotechnic from the at least one launch tube based on pyrotechnic launch instructions; 
   one or more sensors configured to acquire sensor data at the one or more launch devices; and   a controller configured to:
 transmit the pyrotechnic launch instructions to the one or more launch devices; 
 receive the sensor data from the one or more sensors; and 
 determine that the one or more launch devices has misfired based on the sensor data. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the one or more launch devices has misfired based on the sensor data being indicative of no pyrotechnic launch at a time range corresponding to an instructed pyrotechnic launch from the launch tube. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the sensor data comprises a deviation from a reference associated with a pyrotechnic launch. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 augment the pyrotechnic launch instructions to include instructions to launch one or more backup launch devices in response to the determination that the one or more launch devices has misfired; and   transmit the augmented pyrotechnic launch instructions to the one or more backup launch devices.