Method of calibrating a laser sensor stimulator

• US 10,271,402 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Department of The Air Force (U.S. Department Of Defense)
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Cain, Anthony M., Hugh, Danny J., Thomas, Donald R., Davidson, Shawn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ratcliffe, Luke D
• Application Number:
  US15/686,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20180007761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/00 Supporting, suspending, or attaching arrangements for lighting devices F21V17/00, F21V19/00 take precedence; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q, stands for supporting apparatus or articles in general F16M11/00; Hand grips
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/00 Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 23/00 Butts; Butt plates; Stocks handles for carrying smallarms F41C33/08
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/00 Sighting devices for indirect laying of fire F41G3/16; bombsights F41G3/24 ; structurally associated with laser telemeters F41G3/065; mounting tubular or beam shaped aiming devices on firearms F41G11/001
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/32 Night sights, e.g. luminescent optical aspects of sighting devices G02B23/00, G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/54 Devices for testing or checking ; Tools for adjustment of sights
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/145 using a target illuminator
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/02 Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/00 Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4804 Auxiliary means for detecting or identifying lidar signals or the like, e.g. laser illuminators

Abstract

A laser sensor stimulator integrates laser units, an inertial measurement unit, a control unit, and ergonomic, modular design with GPS data feeds into a portable system that can be used to test energy sensors and warning devices and includes a user interface facilitates tracking and acquisition of items of interest by the laser sensor stimulator.

Claims

1. A method of stimulating and calibrating a laser sensor or laser warning device comprising:

aiming the at least one laser unit at a user defined point, a practice target, or other item of known GPS coordinates;

receiving range data corresponding to the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates by the at least one laser unit;

processing the range data to create a user interface that displays the the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates to enable an operator to identify and engage the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates;

selecting a calibration function that sets an inertial measurement unit so the precise orientation of the at least one laser unit is set;

determining an orientation of the at least one laser unit with the inertial measurement unit and locking out operation of the at least one laser unit if the at least one laser unit is aimed at an item of interest within a predefined safety zone;

activating the at least one laser unit to emit laser energy; and

displaying results of the lasing activity on the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface displays the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates in a scope view including an azimuth of orientation of the at least one laser unit, and the field of view of the laser unit and a perspective view that displays the elevation of the laser unit and the field of view of the at least one laser unit.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining a time-stamped log of the operations of the at least one laser unit.

4. A method of stimulating and calibrating a laser sensor or laser warning device comprising:

aiming the at least one laser unit at a user defined point, a practice target, or other item of known GPS coordinates;

receiving range data corresponding to the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates by the at least one laser unit;

processing the range data to create a user interface that displays the the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates to enable an operator to identify and engage the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates;

selecting a calibration function that sets an inertial measurement unit so the precise orientation of the at least one laser unit is set;

determining an orientation of the at least one laser unit with the inertial measurement unit and locking out operation of the at least one laser unit if the at least one laser unit is aimed outside of a predefined permissible azimuth;

activating the at least one laser unit to emit laser energy; and

displaying results of the lasing activity on the user interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user interface displays the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates in a scope view including an azimuth of orientation of the at least one laser unit, and the field of view of the laser unit and a perspective view that displays the elevation of the laser unit and the field of view of the at least one laser unit.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of maintaining a time-stamped log of the operations of the at least one laser unit.

7. A method of stimulating and calibrating a laser sensor or laser warning device comprising:

aiming at least one laser unit at a user defined point, a practice target, or other item of known GPS coordinates;

receiving range data corresponding to the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates by the at least one laser unit;

processing the range data to create a user interface that displays the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates to enable an operator to identify and engage the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates;

selecting a calibration function that sets an inertial measurement unit so the precise orientation of the at least one laser unit is set;

determining an orientation of the at least one laser unit with the inertial measurement unit;

activating the at least one laser unit to emit laser energy;

displaying the results of the lasing activity on the user interface.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

locking out operation of the at least one laser unit if the at least one laser unit is aimed at an item of interest within a predefined safety zone.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

locking out operation of the at least one laser unit if the at least one laser unit is aimed outside of a predefined permissible azimuth.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the user interface displays the user defined point, the practice target, or the other item of known GPS coordinates in a scope view including an azimuth of orientation of the at least one laser unit, and the field of view of the laser unit and a perspective view that displays the elevation of the laser unit and the field of view of the at least one laser unit.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of maintaining a time-stamped log of the operations of the at least one laser unit.