Vehicle crew training system for ground and air vehicles
View Patent ↗A computer based simulation system for virtual training for vehicle crews is disclosed. The Vehicle Crew Training System (VCTS) simulates crew positions for different military ground and air vehicles. Two or more crewman modules are networked together to support a partial or full vehicle crew. The crewman modules are self-contained devices that are modular in hardware and software design, easily reconfigurable, and require minimal facility space, allowing use in restricted environments such as trailers. The VCTS is modular at the crew position level; crewman modules are added or deleted as required to meet a particular training need.
1. A computer-based simulation system for training vehicle crew members for operation of a virtual vehicle, the simulation system comprising:
a plurality of self-contained crewman modules of the virtual vehicle, configured to be connected to one another by a network, wherein each module comprises:
a self-contained physical structure configured to provide a position for only an individual crew member, dedicated to a simulation of a single distinct crew station of the virtual vehicle, and configured to operate while geographically separated from at least one other of the plurality of self-contained crewman modules of the virtual vehicle; and
a mechanical mockup within the self-contained physical structure, configured to dedicate the module to the simulation of the single distinct crew station,
wherein the self-contained crewman modules are modular and reconfigurable in hardware and software design for simulation of different vehicle crew stations, the hardware modularity including modularity of the mechanical mockup.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the self-contained crewman modules comprise at least one air vehicle crewman module and at least one around vehicle crewman module.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the air vehicle crewman module comprises an opening permitting a trainee to lean out of the opening to interact with a virtual environment from a vantage point outside of the virtual vehicle.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of self-contained crewman modules are connected by a network.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of self-contained crewman modules represent a partial vehicle crew.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the self-contained crewman module is configured to present a virtual environment to a trainee at one of a plurality of levels of fidelity, the plurality of levels of fidelity representing varying amounts of functional realism of vehicle or weapon controls in the virtual vehicle.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the simulation system supports virtual dismounting of a trainee from the virtual vehicle, such that the trainee may virtually exit the virtual vehicle while maintaining the ability to interact with a virtual environment from the vantage point of a dismounted position.
8. A method of simulation training for vehicle crew members in a virtual vehicle, the method comprising:
networking a plurality of self-contained crewman modules of the virtual vehicle;
simulating a single distinct crew station that provides a position for only an individual crew-member of the virtual vehicle within each of the plurality of self-contained crewman modules while operating geographically separated from at least one other self-contained crewman module of the virtual vehicle; and
reconfigure, using modular hardware and software, to provide for simulation of a different crew station, the hardware modularity including modularity of a mechanical mockup.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the reconfiguring is for simulation of a single distinct crew station of a different vehicle.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the virtual vehicle comprises a virtual air vehicle.
11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
virtual dismounting of a crew member in response to the crew member exiting the module, such that the crew member may virtually exit the virtual vehicle while maintaining the ability to interact with the virtual environment from the vantage point of a dismounted position.
12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
presenting the virtual environment to the crew member at one of a plurality of levels of fidelity, the plurality of levels of fidelity representing varying amounts of functional realism of vehicle or weapon controls in the virtual vehicle.
13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
providing a crew member, in response to the crew member leaning out of an opening in a respective one of the modules, the ability to interact with a virtual environment from a vantage point outside of the virtual vehicle.
14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
virtually dismounting of a trainee from the virtual vehicle, such that the trainee may virtually exit the virtual vehicle while maintaining the ability to interact with a virtual environment from the vantage point of a dismounted position.