Weapon aiming system

• US 5,456,157 A
• Filed: 12/02/1992
• Issued: 10/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Computing Devices Canada Ltd. (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Wardell, Mark, Lougheed, James H., Sheney, Daniel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BENTLEY, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US07/984,692
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 42/103, 89/41.05, 89/41.18, 89/134, 358/108, 364/423, 348/143, 348/155, 348/158, 348/169
• US Class Current: 89/134
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/08 for inhibiting firing in a specified direction, e.g. at a friendly person or at a protected area F41A27/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/06 with rangefinder rangefinders per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/08 with means for compensating for speed, direction, temperature, pressure, or humidity of the atmosphere measuring G01
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/165 using a TV-monitor
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 5/06 using electric means for remote control

Abstract

A machine gun unit comprises a machine gun mounted to a support by a mounting permitting pivoting movement of the machine gun relative to the support in azimuth and/or elevation. Angle encoders provide position signals representing angular displacement of the machine gun relative to the support. An aiming system comprises a sensor, for example a CCD sensor, which provides a video signal representing a field of view for the aiming system, a display device for displaying the field of view, a manual input interface, a graphics artifact generator, and a digital signal processor (DSP). The DSP monitors the outputs of the angle encoders and controls the graphics artifact generator to combine the output of the graphics artifact generator with the output of the CCD sensor for display by the display device. Various graphics artifacts can be provided. Masks may be provided for delimiting field of fire. A cursor may be repositioned to reflect superelevation requirements. Target motion and opposing fire can be detected and highlighted. Tracers can be simulated. The weapon can also be used for surveillance, either alone or as part of a weapon system comprising a plurality of the weapons and a central command post.

Claims

1. A weapon unit comprising:

a support;

a gun mounted to the support by a mounting permitting pivotal movement of the gun relative to the support in at least one of azimuth and elevation;

angular position sensing means for detecting said pivotal movement and providing an angular position signal representing angular displacement of the gun relative to the support;

sensor means for providing a scene signal comprising a series of frames each representing a field of view of the sensor means, and a frame synchronization signal;

input means for inputting a signal other than the angular position signal;

display means for displaying an image of the field of view frame by frame;

artifact memory means for storing data corresponding to a said frame;

video generation means for generating, from the data stored in the artifact memory, a graphics artifact signal;

means for combining the scene signal and the graphics artifact signal and supplying the combined signals to the display means to superimpose the graphics artifact on the image of the scene displayed; and

signal processor means for repeatedly writing into said memory data words each representing one of a plurality of pixels which, when displayed by said display means, form a graphics artifact, the signal processor means being responsive to the angular position signal, to the frame synchronization signal, and to the other signal to modify the stored data words to effect changes in the graphics artifact relative to the scene in direct dependence upon the angular displacement of the gun relative to the support, wherein each data word representing a graphics artifact pixel has a bit having a predetermined state different from that of other words in the memory, the video generation means detecting the state of such bit and controlling the combining means to substitute graphics artifact pixels for scene pixels in dependence upon said state.

2. A machine gun unit comprising a machine gun mounted to a support by a mounting permitting pivoting movement of the machine gun relative to the support in at least one of azimuth and elevation, position sensing means for providing position signals representing angular displacement of the machine gun relative to the support, and an aiming system comprising a sensor means for providing a scene signal representing a field of view for the aiming system, display means for displaying the field of view, input means, graphics artifact generation means, and signal processing means;

the signal processing means being responsive to the position sensing means and the input means for controlling the graphics artifact generation means to combine the output of the graphics artifact generation means with the output of the sensor means for display by the display means, the signal processing means and graphics artifact generation means being operable to generate graphics artifacts delimiting a boundary of an area of the field of view, and the signal processing means is operable in response to limit signals input via said input means to record selected values of said position signals for either or both of azimuth and elevation to define said boundary and, subsequently, in dependence upon said position signals, to control said graphics artifact generation means to adjust the position of said delimiting graphics artifacts relative to the displayed field of view to reflect subsequent movement of the machine gun relative to the support.

3. A machine gun mounted upon a support means by means of a mounting permitting pivoting of the machine gun relative to the support means in at least one of azimuth and elevation;

position sensing means for providing position signals representing one or both of the azimuthal and elevational angular displacement of the weapon;

sensor means for providing a signal representing a field of view of the sensor means;

graphics artifact generation means for providing signals representing graphics artifacts comprising at least one mask delimiting an area of the field of view;

display means responsive to the sensor means and the graphics artifact generation means for displaying a combined image of the field of view and the graphics artifacts;

user-operable input means; and

signal processing means operable initially in response to the user-operable input means and the position sensing means to store specific values of said position signal as boundaries of said area and subsequently to compare instant values of the position signal with said specific values and, in dependence upon such comparison, control the graphics artifact generation means to display with the displayed field of view at least a portion of a said mask.