Firearm simulation and gaming system and method for operatively interconnecting a firearm peripheral to a computer system

• US 20020012898A1
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rosa, Stephen P., Kendir, Tansel, Shechter, Motti
• Application Number:
  US09/761,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20020012898A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/21
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2633 using a TV type screen, e.g. a CRT, displaying a simulated target
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2655 in which the light beam is sent from the weapon to the target

Abstract

A firearm simulation system according to the present invention includes a laser transmitter assembly and a computer system coupled to a display for providing a virtual target. The laser assembly emits a beam of laser light from a firearm in the form of a cross-hair toward the virtual target. The display is surrounded by detector arrays each disposed along a corresponding display edge to sense the emitted cross-hair beam. The computer system receives signals from the detector arrays and indicates the location of a simulated projectile impact location on the display. Alternatively, reflective strips may be employed to reflect portions of the cross-hair beam, while a sensing device detects the beam reflections and transmits detection information to the computer system. The computer system may further include various gaming software and enable the simulated firearm to be operatively interconnected with the game to provide enhanced interaction.

Claims

1. A sensing device to detect an impact location of a laser beam on a target relative to an intended target site, wherein said laser beam is emitted by a laser transmitter assembly secured to a firearm and projecting the laser beam in a direction in which said firearm is aimed, said sensing device comprising:

a plurality of light processing elements disposed on said target outside the confines of said intended target site to receive portions of the laser beam projected toward said intended target site and to provide impact location information to a processor to facilitate determination of a laser beam impact location within said intended target site.

2. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of light processing elements includes an array of detectors disposed on said target outside the confines of said intended target site.

3. The sensing device of claim 2, wherein each detector in said array is positioned to detect the laser beam portions in a direction transverse to the direction in which the laser beam is projected by said laser transmitter assembly.

4. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein said light processing elements include strips of reflective material disposed on said target outside the confines of said intended target site to reflect the received laser beam portions, and said sensing device further includes a detector to scan said strips and detect the reflected laser beam portions.

5. A firearm simulation system comprising:

a target having an intended target site;

a laser transmitter assembly securable to a firearm, wherein said laser transmitter assembly projects a laser beam in a direction in which said firearm is aimed;

a sensing device to receive portions of the laser beam projected toward said intended target site, wherein said sensing device includes light processing elements disposed on said target and outside the confines of said intended target site; and

a processor in communication with said sensing device to receive impact location information from said sensing device and to determine an impact location of the laser beam within said intended target site.

6. The firearm simulation system of claim 5, wherein said light processing elements include at least one array of detectors disposed on said target outside the confines of said intended target site.

7. The firearm simulation system of claim 6, wherein each detector in said array is positioned to detect the laser beam portions in a direction transverse to the direction in which the laser beam is projected by said laser transmitter assembly.

8. The firearm simulation system of claim 6, wherein each detector array includes a filter to enhance the signal to noise ratio of the laser beam.

9. The firearm simulation system of claim 5, wherein said light processing elements include strips of reflective material disposed on said target outside the confines of said intended target site to reflect the received laser beam portions, and said sensing device includes a detector to scan said strips and detect the reflected laser beam portions.

10. The firearm simulation system of claim 9, wherein said processor is disposed within one of said detector and a computer system in communication with said detector.

11. The firearm simulation system of claim 5, wherein said laser transmitter assembly includes a lens to disperse and project the laser beam as a cross-hair image with end portions of cross hair image components received by said sensing device at said light processing elements.

12. The firearm simulation system of claim 11, wherein said lens further disperses the laser beam to project a range line image on said intended target site offset from a cross-hair image component at the impact location, wherein said offset is proportional to a distance between said firearm and said target, and wherein said sensing device detects portions of the range line image at said light processing elements to provide range information relating to said distance to said processor.

13. The firearm simulation system of claim 5, wherein said target includes a display device in communication with said processor and having a display screen to display a virtual target as said intended target site, wherein said light processing elements are disposed on said display device outside the confines of said display screen and said processor displays an impact location of said beam on said display screen in accordance with the impact location information provided by said sensing device.

14. The firearm simulation system of claim 13, further comprising:

a plurality of display devices in communication with said processor, wherein said virtual target is displayed on a display screen of each said display device.

15. The firearm simulation system of claim 5, further comprising:

a display device in communication with said processor and having a display screen to display indicia representing said intended target site, wherein said processor displays an icon on the indicia in accordance with the impact location information provided by said sensing device.

16. The firearm simulation system of claim 5, wherein said target includes an electronic display having electronic ink and displaying a virtual target as said intended target site, and said processor controls the electronic ink of said electronic display to display a simulated impact on said intended target site in accordance with the impact location information provided by said sensing device.

17. The firearm simulation system of claim 5, wherein said laser transmitter assembly projects the laser beam in at least one of a pulse mode and a continuous mode, wherein the pulse mode projects the laser beam for a first selected time interval in response to actuation of said firearm, and the continuous mode continuously projects the laser beam and is interrupted for a second selected time interval in response to actuation of said firearm.

18. A method of detecting a laser beam projected onto a target relative to an intended target site from a laser transmitter assembly secured to a firearm, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing light processing elements of a sensing device on said target and outside the confines of said intended target site;

(b) projecting the laser beam from said laser transmitter assembly in a direction toward said intended target site to simulate a projectile being fired from said firearm;

(c) detecting portions of the laser beam impacting said intended target site via said sensing device; and

(d) transferring impact location information from said sensing device to a processor to determine an impact location of the laser beam within said intended target site.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said light processing elements include at least one array of detectors, and step (c) further includes:

(c.1) detecting portions of the laser beam impacting said intended target site via said at least one array of detectors.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (c.1) further includes:

(c.1.1) detecting portions of the laser beam impacting said intended target site in a direction transverse to the direction in which the laser beam is projected.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said light processing elements include strips of reflective material disposed on said target outside the confines of said intended target site to reflect the laser beam portions projected toward said intended target site, and wherein said sensing device includes a detector, and step (c) further includes:

(c.1) detecting the laser beam portions reflected by said strips via said detector.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said laser transmitter assembly includes a lens to disperse the laser beam during projection from said laser transmitter assembly, and step (b) further includes:

(b.1) dispersing and projecting the laser beam as a cross-hair image;

step (c) further includes;

(c.1) detecting end portions of cross-hair image components via said sensing device; and

step (d) further includes;

(d.1) transferring said impact location information to said processor in accordance with the detection in step (c.1).

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

(e) determining an orientation of said firearm in accordance with a location of each detected cross-hair image component end portion.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein step (b.1) further includes:

(b.1.1) dispersing the laser beam and projecting a range line image on said intended target site offset from a cross-hair image component at the impact location, wherein said offset is proportional to a distance between said firearm and said target, and

said method further comprises;

(e) detecting portions of the range line image at said light processing elements with said sensing device; and

(f) transmitting range line location information to said processor to determine the distance between said firearm and said target.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein said intended target site includes a virtual target displayed on a display screen of a display device in communication with said processor, wherein said light processing elements are disposed on said display device outside the confines of said display screen, and said method further comprises:

(e) inserting an icon onto said intended target site in accordance with the impact location information provided to said processor from said sensing device.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein a display device displaying indicia representing said intended target site is in communication with said processor, and the method further comprises:

(e) inserting an icon within said indicia on said display device in accordance with the impact location information provided to said processor from said sensing device.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein said target includes an electronic display having electronic ink to display a virtual target as said intended target site, wherein said electronic display is in communication with said processor, and the method further comprises:

(e) displaying a simulated projectile impact within said virtual target on said electronic display in accordance with the impact location information provided from said sensing device.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein step (b) further includes:

(b.1) projecting the laser beam in one of a pulse mode and a continuous mode, wherein the pulse mode projects the laser beam for a first selected time interval in response to firearm actuation, and the continuous mode continuously projects the laser beam and is interrupted for a second time interval in response to firearm actuation.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising

(e) in response to said determination of an impact location, detecting portions of the laser beam impacting the intended target site for a selected time period;

and

(f) determining a barrel velocity of said firearm in accordance with the selected time period and a distance traversed by said detected impact locations within said selected time period.

30. A sensing device to detect an impact location of a laser beam on a target relative to an intended target site, said sensing device comprising:

light processing means disposed on said target outside the confines of said intended target site for receiving portions of the laser beam projected toward said intended target site and for providing impact location information to a processor to facilitate determination of a laser beam impact location within said intended target site; and

securing means for securing said light processing means to said target.

31. The sensing device of claim 30, wherein said light processing means includes detecting means for detecting the laser beam portions in a direction transverse to the direction in which the laser beam impacts said intended target site.

32. The sensing device of claim 30, wherein said light processing means includes reflecting means for reflecting the laser beam portions, and said sensing device includes detecting means for detecting the reflected laser beam portions.

33. A firearm simulation system comprising:

a target having an intended target site;

laser transmitting means secured to a firearm for projecting a laser beam in a direction in which said firearm is aimed;

sensing means for receiving portions of the laser beam projected toward said intended target site, wherein said sensing means includes light processing means disposed on said target outside the confines of said intended target site for manipulating said received laser beam portions;

processing means for processing impact location information received from said sensing means.

34. The firearm simulation system of claim 33, wherein said light processing means includes detecting means for detecting portions of the laser beam in a direction transverse to the direction in which the laser beam impacts said intended target site.

35. The firearm simulation system of claim 33, wherein said light processing means includes reflecting means for reflecting said received portions of the laser beam, and said sensing means includes detecting means for detecting the reflected laser beam portions.

36. The firearm simulation system of claim 33, wherein said laser transmitting means includes dispersing means for dispersing and projecting the laser beam as a cross-hair image with end portions of cross-hair image components detected by said sensing means at said light processing means.

37. The firearm simulation system of claim 36, wherein said dispersing means includes range means for dispersing the laser beam with a range line image on said intended target site offset from a cross-hair image component at the impact location, wherein said offset is proportional to a distance between said firearm and said target, and wherein said sensing means detects portions of the range line image at said light processing means to provide range information relating to said distance to said processing means.

38. The firearm simulation system of claim 33, further comprising:

displaying means for electronically displaying said intended target site as a virtual target, wherein said displaying means is in communication with said processing means and provides indicia over said virtual target corresponding to the laser beam impact location.

39. The firearm simulation system of claim 33, wherein said laser transmitting means includes pulse mode means for selectively projecting the laser beam for a first selected time interval in response to firearm actuation, and continuous mode means for selectively continuously projecting the laser beam and being interrupted for a second time interval in response to firearm actuation.

40. An interface device to operatively interconnect a firearm to a computer system, wherein said device detects an impact location of a laser beam on a computer system display device relative to an intended target site in the form of a computer generated virtual target, and said laser beam is emitted by a laser transmitter assembly secured to said firearm and projecting the laser beam in a direction in which said firearm is aimed, said interface device comprising:

a plurality of light processing elements disposed on said display device to receive portions of the laser beam projected toward said virtual target and to provide impact location information to said computer system to facilitate determination of a laser beam impact location within said virtual target.

41. The interface device of claim 40, wherein said plurality of light processing elements includes an array of detectors disposed on said display device.

42. The interface device of claim 40, wherein said light processing elements include strips of reflective material disposed on said display device to reflect the received laser beam portions, and said interface device further includes a detector to scan said strips and detect the reflected laser beam portions.

43. A method of interfacing a firearm to a computer system, wherein a laser transmitter assembly secured to said firearm projects a laser beam in a direction toward a computer system display device having an intended target site in the form of a computer generated virtual target, said method comprising the step of:

(a) operatively interconnecting said firearm to said computer system by receiving portions of the laser beam projected from said firearm toward said virtual target via a sensing device disposed on said display device and providing impact location information to said computer system to facilitate determination of a laser beam impact location within said virtual target.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said sensing device includes an array of detectors disposed on said display device, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) receiving portions of the laser beam projected from said firearm toward said virtual target via said array of detectors.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein said sensing device includes strips of reflective material disposed on said display device and a detector, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) reflecting said received portions of the laser beam via said strips disposed on said display device and scanning said strips via said detector to detect the reflected laser beam portions.

46. An interface device to operatively interconnect a firearm to a computer system, wherein said device detects an impact location of a laser beam on a computer system display device relative to an intended target site in the form of a computer generated virtual target, and said laser beam is emitted by a laser transmitter assembly secured to said firearm and projecting the laser beam in a direction in which said firearm is aimed, said interface device comprising:

light processing means disposed on said display device for receiving portions of the laser beam projected toward said virtual target and for providing impact location information to said computer system to facilitate determination of a laser beam impact location within said virtual target; and

securing means for securing said light processing means to said display device.

47. The interface device of claim 46, wherein said light processing means includes an array of detectors disposed on said display device.

48. The interface device of claim 46, wherein said light processing means includes reflecting means disposed on said display device for reflecting the received laser beam portions and detecting means for scanning said reflecting means and detecting the reflected laser beam portions.