System and Method of Locating Prey

• US 20140350849A1
• Filed: 08/06/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TrackingPoint, Inc. (Talon Precision Optics, LLC)
• Original Assignee: TrackingPoint, Inc. (Talon Precision Optics, LLC)
• Inventors: McHale, John Francis, Lupher, John Hancock
• Granted Patent: US 9,335,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/468
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/473 for lead-indicating or range-finding, e.g. for use with rifles or shotguns
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/065 Structural association of sighting-devices with laser telemeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors

Abstract

A method includes receiving location data corresponding to a physical location of a user at a computing device and receiving prey data corresponding to a relative position of an animal at the computing device from a gun scope. The method further includes determining a location of the animal relative to the computing device based on the location data and the prey data.

Claims

8. An apparatus comprising:

a rifle scope including;

an input to receive location data corresponding to a physical location of the rifle scope;

a laser range finder circuit to determine a range to a target relative to the optical device;

a plurality of sensors configured to determine orientation data corresponding to an orientation of the rifle scope; and

a processor coupled to the input, the laser range finder circuit, and the plurality of sensors, the processor to determine a physical location of the target relative to the rifle scope based on the range, the orientation data, and the location data.

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a circuit of an optical device, location data corresponding to a physical location of the optical device;

receiving, at the circuit, prey data corresponding to a position of an animal relative to the optical device; and

automatically determining, via the circuit, a location of the animal relative to the optical device based on the location data and the prey data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the prey data includes range data corresponding to a range from the optical device to the animal and directional data corresponding to a direction and orientation of the optical device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the orientation data includes incline data corresponding to an incline of the optical device when the range data was captured.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the animal comprises calculating a distance and direction of the animal relative to the physical location of the optical device based on the location data and the prey data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, via the circuit, a digital map representing the physical location of the optical device and the location of the animal; and

providing the digital map to a display of the optical device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the digital map comprises providing a display signal to one of a display of the optical device and a display of a computing device communicatively coupled to the optical device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the location data comprises:

retrieving global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates corresponding to the physical location of the optical device; and

when GPS data are not available, retrieving location data from a wireless communications network to determine the physical location of the optical device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a display coupled to the processor; and

wherein the processor is configured to generate a map including a first marker indicating the physical location of the target and to provide the map to the display.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the map further includes a second marker corresponding to the location of the rifle scope.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprises a transceiver coupled to the processor and configured to communicate with a computing device via a communications link.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the input is configured to receive the location data from the computing device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor transmits the map via the transceiver to the computing device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computing device comprises at least one of a smart phone, a laptop, a tablet computer, and an electronic global positioning satellite (GPS) device.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the input is coupled to a global positioning satellite (GPS) circuit to receive the location data.

16-1. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the orientation data comprises at least one of a directional parameter, an incline parameter, and a cant parameter of the rifle scope.

17. An apparatus comprising:

an optical device including;

a circuit configured to;

receive location data corresponding to a physical location of the optical device;

receive prey data corresponding to a location of a target relative to the optical device; and

automatically determine a physical location of the target relative to the optical device in response to the location data and the prey data.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the optical device further includes:

a display coupled to the circuit; and

wherein the circuit provides data to the display that includes a directional indicator representing the location of the target relative to the physical location of the optical device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the circuit is further configured to:

detect changes in the location data of the optical device over time; and

automatically update the directional indicator to reflect the changes.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the optical device includes a global positioning satellite (GPS) circuit coupled to the circuit;

and

wherein the circuit is configured to retrieve GPS coordinates from the GPS circuit to determine the location data.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the optical device comprises a transceiver coupled to the circuit and configured to communicate data related to at least one of the location data and the prey data to a computing device through a communications link.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the optical device further comprises:

a plurality of orientation sensors including;

a first sensor to determine cant data corresponding to the optical device;

a second sensor to determine incline data corresponding to the optical device; and

a third sensor to determine directional data corresponding to a viewing direction of the optical device; and

a range finder circuit to determine range data corresponding to a range to an object in the viewing direction of the optical device; and

wherein the prey data includes at least one of the cant data, the incline data, the directional data and the range data.