Modular weapon video display system

• US 8,297,173 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Original Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Inventors: Teetzel, James W., Goupil, Dominic R., Harris, Justin D., Davis, Linwood B., Carter, Marvin S., Ahlberg, Ferdinand N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morehead, III, John H
• Application Number:
  US11/972,481
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 89/410.5, 89/411.7, 421/11, 421/15, 421/19, 421/20, 421/22, 421/41
• US Class Current: 89/41.17
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/165 using a TV-monitor

Abstract

An improved modular video display system for a weapon having a video display module that can accommodate multiple camera inputs. The video display module contains a video control panel and human-viewable display screen, which enables the operator to switch between viewing and controlling a thermal sight and a left and right rotating camera. The video display module and cameras are powered by a power supply, which is electrically coupled to the weapons accessory devices, once each device is mounted on the modular rails. The cameras are connected to the video display module and the weapons operator may select either a thermal display using the thermal sight or an image display of the left or right using the left and right rotating camera. The control panel enables the operator to personalize the display screen in order to best suit their current situational needs with controls for camera select, reticle style, reticle color, reticle intensity, bore sight keys, black hot/white hot image select, digital zoom, and display brightness. In conjunction with the modular video display system additional accessory devices may be used, such as laser sights, spotting scopes, and handgrip units.

Claims

1. A modular video display system for mounting on a weapon of a type having a barrel and a mounting rail system, said modular video display system comprising:

a first camera for generating a first video signal;

a first fastener connected to said first camera, said first fastener for removably attaching said first camera to a first position on said mounting rail system;

said first camera having an optical axis which is parallel to the barrel of the weapon when the first camera is attached to the first position on the mounting rail system;

a second camera for generating a second video signal;

a second fastener connected to said second camera, said second fastener for removably attaching said second camera to a second position on said mounting rail system, the second position being different from the first position;

said second camera having an optical axis and being pivotable between a first pivoted position and a second pivoted position, wherein the optical axis of the second camera extends in a first direction which is generally perpendicular to the barrel of the weapon when the second camera is attached to the weapon and pivoted to the first pivoted position and a second direction which is opposite the first direction when the second camera is attached to the weapon and pivoted to the second pivoted position;

a display module removably attachable to the weapon and including a video display screen, said display module adapted to selectively receive the first video signal via a first transmission link between the first camera and the video display module and the second video signal via a second transmission link between the second camera and the video display module for display on the video display screen;

a third fastener connected to said display module, said third fastener for removably attaching said display module to a third position on said mounting rail system which is different from the first position and the second position; and

a power supply electrically coupled to said first camera, said second camera, and said display module.

2. The modular video display system of claim 1, wherein said first camera is selected from a thermal sight and a visible light-sensitive camera.

3. The modular video display system of claim 2, wherein said visible light-sensitive camera is selected from a low lux camera to allow for imaging in low light conditions and a daytime camera to allow for imaging in daylight conditions.

4. The modular video display system of claim 1, wherein said first camera is a thermal sight and said second camera is a visible light-sensitive camera.

5. The modular video display system of claim 4, wherein second camera is selected from a low lux camera to allow for imaging in low light conditions and a daytime camera.

6. The modular video display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a video recorder for recording one or both of said first video signal and said second video signal.

7. The modular video display system of claim 1, further comprising:

said display module including a display control panel for controlling operation of the display module.

8. The modular weapon video display system of claim 7, wherein said video display module includes a housing having said video control panel therein and further wherein said video display screen is pivotable about a pivot axis between a first, closed position and a second, viewable position.

9. The modular weapon video display system of claim 8, wherein the display screen is powered off automatically when the display screen is moved to the closed position.

10. The modular video display system of claim 7, further comprising any one or more of:

a reticle style button on said display control panel for selecting a type of reticle to be displayed on the video display screen;

a reticle color select button on said display control panel for selecting the colors of the reticle to be displayed on the video display screen;

a reticle intensity select button for selecting the intensity of the reticle to be displayed on the video display screen;

a bore sight keypad, for adjustment of a screen portion of the reticle to be displayed on the video display screen;

a black hot and white hot image select button for inverting a thermal image displayed on the video display screen;

a digital zoom button for enlarging video image displayed on the video display screen; and

one or more display brightness control buttons for controlling the brightness of the video display screen.

11. The modular video display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a photo sensor located on said display module for sensing ambient light; and

display brightness control circuitry to automatically adjust the video display screen brightness based on sensed ambient light.

12. The modular video display system of claim 11, further comprising:

one or more display brightness control buttons operatively coupled to said display brightness control circuit to selectively adjust the brightness of the video display; and

said one or more display brightness control buttons overriding the video display screen brightness adjusted in response to ambient light sensed by the photo sensor.

13. The modular video display system of claim 1, further comprising:

said power supply module including a self-contained housing shell and an electrical connector on an exterior surface of the housing shell, said electrical connector removably attachable to a mating electrical connector on said display module.

14. The modular weapon video display system of claim 1, wherein said mounting rail system includes a plurality of elongate accessory mounting rails attached to a chassis of said weapon.

15. The modular weapon video display system of claim 14, wherein said power supply module is electrically connected to one of said elongate accessory mounting rails.

16. The modular weapon video display system of claim 15, wherein said first camera, said second camera, and said display module are each electrically connected to one of said plurality of elongate accessory mounting rails and wherein at least one of said first camera, said second camera, and said display module receive power through said mounting rail system.

17. The modular weapon video display system of claim 1, wherein said second camera is located at a fore-end portion of the weapon, thereby enabling an operator to look around corners and over obstacles while remaining covered.