Weapon sight having analog on-target indicators

• US 7,171,776 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Staley, John R. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone; Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAYES, BRET C
• Application Number:
  US11/022,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20060010761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 421/11, 421/30, 421/31, 421/32, 421/40, 421/42
• US Class Current: 42/142
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/35 for illuminating the target , e.g. flash lights
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/48 for firing grenades from rifles

Abstract

A device has structure that can support the device on a weapon, and a range portion that specifies a range to a target. A sensor portion provides sensor information representing an orientation of the device, and an electronic control portion is responsive to sensor information from the sensor portion and a range from the range portion for calculating how to hit the target with a munition. The device includes a sight that facilitates weapon orientation in preparation to fire the munition, the sight having an analog indicator that is disposed within its field of view and that is responsive to the electronic control portion for indicating how to orient the weapon so that the munition will hit the target.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a device that includes:

structure configured to support said device on a weapon;

a range portion that specifies a range to a target;

a sensor portion that provides sensor information representing an orientation of said device;

an electronic control portion that is operatively coupled to said range portion and said sensor portion, and that is responsive to sensor information from said sensor portion and a range from said range portion for calculating how to hit the target with a munition; and

a sight that facilitates weapon orientation in preparation to fire the munition, said sight having an analog indicator disposed within its field of view and being responsive to said electronic control portion for indicating how to orient the weapon so that the munition will hit the target.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said analog indicator includes a plurality of light-emitting elements that are selectively actuated by said electronic control portion.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said light emitting elements include three said elements arranged along a line as a center element between two further elements, said center element being actuated to indicate said device has a desired orientation that would cause the munition to hit the target, and one of said further elements being actuated to indicate said device has an orientation offset from the desired orientation by a selected amount in a direction parallel to the line.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when said device is offset from the desired orientation in a direction transverse to the line, the actuated element is caused to blink.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sight includes an electronic display, said electronic control portion causing an electronically generated reticle and an electronically generated symbol to be presented on said display, said symbol being representative of a target and being part of said analog indicator.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said electronic control portion causes said symbol to move relative to said reticle as the orientation of said device is changed.

7. A method of operating a weapon-mountable device having a range portion that specifies a range to a target, a sensor portion that provides sensor information representing an orientation of said device, an electronic control portion, and a sight that facilitates weapon orientation in preparation to fire a munition, comprising:

causing said electronic control portion to be responsive to sensor information from said sensor portion and a range from said range portion for calculating how to hit the target with a munition; and

causing an analog indicator that is part of said sight and disposed within the field of view of said sight to be responsive to said electronic control portion for indicating how to orient the weapon so the munition will hit the target.

8. A method according to claim 7, including configuring said analog indicator to have a plurality of light-emitting elements that are selectively actuated by said electronic control portion.

9. A method according to claim 8, including:

configuring said light emitting elements so that three said elements are arranged along a line as a center element between two further elements;

actuating said center element to indicate said device has a desired orientation that would cause the munition to hit the target; and

actuating one of the further elements to indicate said device has an orientation offset from the desired orientation by a selected amount in a direction parallel to the line.

10. A method according to claim 9, including causing the actuated element to blink when said device is offset from the desired orientation in a direction transverse to the line.

11. A method according to claim 7, including:

configuring said sight to have an electronic display; and

causing a reticle and a symbol generated electronically by said electronic control portion to be presented on said display, said symbol being representative of a target and being part of said analog indicator.

12. A method according to claim 11, including causing said symbol to be moved on said display by said electronic control portion in relation to said reticle as the orientation of said device is changed.

13. An apparatus comprising a device that includes:

support means for supporting said device on a weapon;

range means for specifying a range to a target;

sensor means for providing sensor information that represents an orientation of said device;

electronic control means operatively coupled to said range means and said sensor means, and responsive to sensor information from said sensor means and a range from said range means for calculating how to hit the target with a munition; and

sight means for facilitating weapon orientation in preparation to fire the munition, said sight means including analog indicator means disposed within a field of view of said sight means and responsive to said electronic control means for indicating how to orient the weapon so that the munition will hit the target.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said analog indicator means includes a plurality of light-emitting elements that are selectively actuated by said electronic control means.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein said light emitting elements include three said elements arranged along a line as a center element between two further elements;

and

wherein said electronic control means includes element control means for causing said center element to be actuated to indicate said device has a desired orientation that would cause the munition to hit the target, and for causing one of said further elements to be actuated to indicate said device has an orientation that is offset from the desired orientation by a selected amount in a direction parallel to the line.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said element control means includes means for causing the actuated element to blink when said device is offset from the desired orientation in a direction transverse to the line.

17. An apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein said sight means includes an electronic display;

and

wherein said electronic control means includes image generating means for causing an electronically generated reticle and an electronically generated symbol to be presented on said display, said symbol being representative of a target and being part of said analog indicator.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said image generating means causes said symbol to move relative to said reticle as the orientation of said device is changed.