Small arms laser training device

• US 4,352,665 A
• Filed: 01/12/1981
• Issued: 10/05/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cerberonics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cerberonics Incorporated
• Inventors: Dotson, Edsel E., Kimble, Joe W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Greib, William H.
• Application Number:
  US06/224,068
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 434/21, 434/22, 273/310, 273/311, 273/312
• US Class Current: 434/22
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/02 Light- or radiation-emitting guns ; Light- or radiation-sensitive guns; Cartridges carrying light emitting sources, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2655 in which the light beam is sent from the weapon to the target
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2672 using PRF adapted receiver

Abstract

A weapon training simulation system comprising a firearm with a variable data transmission system mounted therein. The system includes at least one sensor to detect detonation of a blank round in the firearm, a variable data transmitter enabled by said sensor to transmit a signal comprising a weapon identification and, optionally, a direct hit/near miss selection, a power amplifier to amplify said signal, and a laser to project said amplified signal along the boresight of said firearm. The laser is mounted in the barrel of the firearm, and the other electronic components may be advantageously mounted in the handgrip or stock thereof. The system may include a firing counter to disable the transmitter once a number of transmissions equal to the number of rounds in a full load has been made. The system may also include a detector to disable the transmitter in the event that exterior sensors worn by the firearm user report that the user has been struck by laser light from a substantially identical system.

Claims

1. A laser weapons simulation and training system comprising a firearm, said firearm being capable of firing a load comprising a plurality of blank rounds;

a data transmission system including in combination;

sensor means, said sensor means being configured to detect when each of said rounds is fired;

clock means, said clock means providing an output signal of constant frequency, said clock means being activated by said sensor means;

first counter means, the output of said clock means being coupled to the input of said first counter means;

data selector means, said data selector means having a plurality of selector inputs coupled to outputs of said first counter means, and having a plurality of single-bit data inputs, comprising a data word, said data inputs being selected for serial transmission by said data selector means, a portion of said data word of fixed value in order to indicate the identity of the system, and another portion of said data word being of variable value;

data variance means, said data variance means having an input coupled to an output of said first counter means, said data variance means having at least one single-bit output coupled to at least one of said variable value inputs of said first data selector means, said data variance means varying said variable value inputs in order to provide an output signal from said first data selector means capable of distinguishing between a direct hit and a near miss when a round is fired;

second counter means, the input of said second counter means being coupled to an output of said data variance means in order to count the number of rounds expended by operation of the system, an output of said second counter means being coupled to a reset input of said clock means in order to disable said clock means when said load is completely expended;

gain controlled power amplifier means, said gain controlled power amplifier means having a data input and a power control input, said data input being coupled to said data output of said first data selector means, said power control input being coupled to an output of said data variance means for increasing the power of said gain controlled power amplifier means when said signal indicates a near miss; and

modulated laser output means, said modulated laser output means being coupled to the output of said gain controlled power amplifier means for transmission of a data-modulated laser light signal;

said modulated laser output means being mounted within a barrel of said firearm to project said laser light signal along the boresight of said firearm; and

said data transmission system being mounted within said firearm.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor means comprises:

an optical sensor means, said optical sensor means being adapted to detect the flash of light produced when a blank round is detonated; and

accelerometer means, said accelerometer means being adapted to detect reaction motion of said weapon when a round is detonated;

said optical sensor means and said accelerometer means being coupled to said clock means to enable said clock means only when both said optical sensor means and said acceleromator means detect gunfire.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, including a first AND gate and detection means, said output of said clock means being coupled to said input of said first counter means through said first AND gate, a second input of said first AND gate being coupled to an output of said detection means, said detection means being adapted to disable said system in the event that a user of said system is struck by laser transmissions from a substantially identical system.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said detection means comprises a radio receiver.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data variance means comprises in combination:

third counter means, the input of said third counter means being coupled to an output of said first counter means so that said third counter means will count the number of transmissions of said plurality of data inputs of said first data selector means;

second data selector means, the selector inputs of said second data selector means being coupled to at least a pair of outputs of said third counter means, said second data selector means having a plurality of selectable inputs, at least two of said inputs being alternately coupled by said second data selector means to at least one of said data inputs of said first data selector means in order to transmit a predetermined number of data words indicating a direct hit followed by a predetermined number of data words indicating a near miss.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an output of said data variance means is coupled to a gain control input of said gain controlled power amplifier means to increase the output level of said laser means during transmissions of data words indicating a near miss.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, including key switch means, said key switch means being adapted to reset said second counter means to compliment reloading of said weapon with blank rounds.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, including mode select switch means, said mode select switch means being adapted to couple the output of said first clock means to the input of said second counter means, said mode select switch means also being adapted to couple an output of said second counter means to said data input of said gain control power amplifier;

said system further including connectable switch means for continuous output of said system in order to produce a boresight signal when said mode select switch means is operated to couple said first clock means to said second counter means, and said second counter means to said gain controlled power amplifier.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said laser means is located within the barrel of said weapon and includes battery means, said battery means providing power to said system and being located in the butt of said weapon.

10. A laser weapon simulation training system comprising a firearm weapon, said weapon being loadable with a plurality of blank rounds;

sensor means, said sensor means being adapted to detect the trigger pull of said weapon;

clock means connected to said weapon, said clock means being adapted to produce a signal of constant frequency, counter means, an input of said counter means being coupled to the output of said clock means;

data selector means, said data selector means being adapted to repeatedly output a signal identifying said firearm weapon, the input of said data selector means being coupled to the output of said counter means;

power amplifier means, the input of said power amplifier means being coupled to the output of said data selector means; and

modulated laser light means, said modulated laser light means being coupled to the output of said power amplifier means.

11. Apparatus of claim 10 wherein said sensor means comprises a mechanical switch.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 including a set-reset flipflop, the set input of said set-reset flipflop being coupled to the output of said sensor means, the reset input of said set-reset flipflop being coupled to a high order output bit of said data selector means, and the output of said set-reset flipflop being coupled to the reset input of said counter means.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said counter means and said data selector means comprise:

a decade counter, the input of said decade counter being coupled to the output of said clock means, said decade counter having a plurality of single-bit outputs, each of a predetermined portion of said outputs being coupled through a diode to an input of a multiple-input NOR gate.

14. A laser weapon simulation training system, said system including a firearm, said firearm including a barrel and handgrip each being adapted to enclose a plurality of components, said firearm being adapted to fire a plurality of blank rounds;

sensor means, said sensor means being placed within said firearm and being adapted to detect the detonation of each said blank rounds by said firearm;

variable data transmitter means, said variable data transmitter means being placed within said handgrip and being coupled to said sensor means so as to transmit a signal which varies from hit data to near miss data when each said blank rounds are detonated;

power amplifier means, said power amplifier means being placed within said handgrip and being coupled to said variable data transmitter means so as to amplify said signal; and

laser output means, said laser output means being placed within said barrel and aligned to project laser light along a major axis of said barrel, said laser output means being coupled to said power amplifier means so that said signal modulates said laser light.

15. A laser weapon simulation training system comprising a handgun including a barrel and handgrip, and being adapted to fire a plurality of blank rounds;

sensor means comprising optical sensor means and accelerometer means, said optical sensor means being mounted on the exterior of said barrel and said accelerometer means being placed within said handgun, said sensor means being adapted to detect the detonation of each blank round fired by said handgun;

variable data transmitter means placed within said handgrip coupled to said sensor means so as to transmit a signal beginning as hit data and changing to near miss data when each said blank rounds are detonated;

power amplifier means placed within said handgrip coupled to said variable data transmitter means so as to amplify said signal; and

laser means positioned within said barrel and aligned to project laser light along the longitudinal axis of said barrel, said laser means being coupled to said power amplifier means so that said signal modulates said laser light.

16. A laser weapon as claimed in claim 15, wherein said handgun is a pistol.