Projectile targeting analysis

• US 20070238073A1
• Filed: 04/05/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Portoghese, Rocco, Purvis, James, Purvis, Edward, Hebb, Richard
• Application Number:
  US11/398,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20070238073A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/21
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2605 using a view recording device cosighted with the gun F41G3/2616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2661 in which the light beam is sent from the target to the weapon F41G3/2638 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/323 for checking the angle between the muzzle axis of the gun and a reference axis, e.g. the axis of the associated sighting device testing alignment of axes in general G01B11/27
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/163 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to determining aimpoint relative to a target located within a firing range. The target can be either fixed or moving, and if the target is moving then it can be mounted on tracks or controlled by servomechanisms. In addition to aimpoint, predicted projectile effects and personnel performance can be calculated for evaluation and for training. The firing range is mapped so that placement of infrared emitters is associated with specific targets. Placement of the emitter external to the target perimeter produces accurate results so long as the emitter is within the field of view of a camera mounted upon the projectile launcher. The invention results in large firing ranges with the ability to place targets wherever desired without decreasing aimpoint measurement accuracy.

Claims

1. A system for determining a location vector for an aimpoint relative to a target located within a firing range, comprising:

a. the target having a perimeter further defining a centroid for locating the target;

b. an near infrared emitter, placed within the firing range, the emitter being further placed outside the perimeter of the target and the emitter being associated with the centroid for determining the angular offset between the target and the emitter;

c. an emitter controller for wirelessly controlling the illumination sequence of the emitter;

d. a projectile launcher for testing;

e. a digital camera having a lens, the camera adjustably mounted on the projectile launcher for alignment of the camera optical axis with the projectile launcher site line, the camera field of view encompassing the emitter, and the camera being mapped to derive the angular offset between the image formed by the emitter emission from the target centroid position;

f. a sensor responsive to the projectile launcher for detecting triggering events when the projectile launcher is fired;

g. communication means for transferring information between the computer and each of the sensors, emitter, camera; and

h. a system computer for receiving inputs from the emitter, the camera and the sensor for controlling the emitter controller, and for determining the aimpoint vector at the triggering event.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a microphone.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the camera includes of an array of photonic detectors sensitive to near infrared light.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the camera further includes a filter for blocking non near infrared light and permitting near infrared light to pass through the filter.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the near infrared emitter comprises a halogen lamp and a filter for blocking non near infrared light.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication means comprises relay radios.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the field of coverage is between 10 meters and 100.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the emitter is located between 50 meters and 1000 meters from the camera lens plane.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer includes a computer program for calculating the fall of the shot.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the computer program calculates the aerodynamic effects of air velocity upon the fall of the shot.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the computer includes a computer program for calculating the effects of the projectile launcher burst.

12. The system of claim 1 including a video recording means controlled by the system computer for capturing visual and projectile launcher event information.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the visual and projectile launcher event information is captured within the audio portion of the recording;

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the video recording means comprises a digital videocassette recorder.

15. A system for determining a location vector for an aimpoint relative to a moving target located within a firing range, comprising:

a. the moving target having a perimeter further defining a centroid for locating the target;

b. an near infrared emitter, placed within the firing range, the emitter being further placed outside the perimeter of the moving target and the emitter being associated with the centroid for determining the angular offset between the target and the emitter;

c. an emitter controller for wirelessly controlling the illumination sequence of the emitter;

d. a projectile launcher for testing;

e. a digital camera having a lens, the camera adjustably mounted on the projectile launcher for alignment of the camera optical axis with the projectile launcher site line, the camera field of view encompassing the emitter, and the camera being mapped to derive the angular offset between the image formed by the emitter emission from the target centroid position;

f. a sensor responsive to the projectile launcher for detecting triggering events when the projectile launcher is fired;

g. a downrange controller for controlling the position of the moving target, wherein the computer is responsive to output from the downrange controller for determining the aimpoint vector at the triggering event;

h. communication means for transferring information between the computer and each of the sensors, emitter, camera; and

i. a system computer for receiving inputs from the emitter, the camera, the downrange controller and the sensor for controlling the emitter controller, and for determining the aimpoint vector at the triggering event.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the moving target is movably mounted on tracks.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the downrange controller is provided with capacity to store up to 60 seconds of motion.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the sensor comprises a microphone.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the camera includes of an array of photonic detectors sensitive to near infrared light.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the camera further includes a filter for blocking non near infrared light and permitting near infrared light to pass through the filter.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein the near infrared emitter comprises a halogen lamp and a filter for blocking non near infrared light.

22. The system of claim 15 wherein the communication means comprises relay radios.

23. The system of claim 15 wherein the field of coverage is between 10 meters and 100.

24. The system of claim 15 wherein the emitter is located between 50 meters and 1000 meters from the camera lens plane.

25. The system of claim 15 wherein the computer includes a computer program for calculating the fall of the shot.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the computer program calculates the aerodynamic effects of air velocity upon the fall of the shot.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the computer includes a computer program for calculating the effects of the projectile launcher burst.

28. The system of claim 15 including a video recording means controlled by the system computer for capturing visual and projectile launcher event information.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the visual and projectile launcher event information is captured within the audio portion of the recording;

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the video recording means comprises a digital videocassette recorder.

31. A method for determining projectile launcher aimpoint comprising:

a. selecting the location of a shooter at a firing line;

b. surveying a firing range for determining the location of target and emitter coordinates;

c. calculating the centroid of a target having a defined perimeter, the target being placed within the firing range;

d. placing emitters on the firing range externally to the target perimeter;

e. associating the target with the emitter

f. mounting a camera sensitive to near infrared light to the projectile launcher

g. calibrating the optical axis of a camera with the boresight of the projectile launcher;

h. mapping the camera with the target and emitter position

i. providing equipment means for controlling the emitter and for determining and recording the predicted aimpoint at a triggering event

j. determining the projectile launcher aimpoint at the triggering event

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the following when the target is a moving target:

a. providing a downrange controller for controlling the position of the moving target, wherein the computer is responsive to output from the downrange controller for determining the aimpoint vector at the triggering event.

33. The method of claim 31 further comprising determining the fall of the shot.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising determining projectile launcher burst effects.

35. The method of claim 31 further comprising recording the projectile launcher aimpoint determination data on the equipment means and providing performance feedback to personnel.

36. The method of claim 31 further comprising preparing an evaluation report for a projectile from data captured by the equipment means.

37. A system for determining the contemporaneous position of a moving target comprising, a movable platform, the target mounted on the platform, an emitter mounted on the platform, the emitter being in fixed relationship to the target, a reflector mounted on the platform the emitter being in fixed relationship to the emitter, a rangefinder and a downrange controller receiving range information from the rangefinder wherein the position of the reflector is determined by the rangefinder and the position of the target centroid being determined by the target position relative to the emitter.