System and method for calculating a projectile impact coordinates

• US 8,360,776 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laser Shot, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Laser Shot, Inc.
• Inventors: Manard, Paige, Doty, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): GEBREMICHAEL, BRUK A
• Application Number:
  US11/931,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20080213732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,917 Days
• Field of Search: 434 16- 17, 434/19, 434/20, 434/21, 434/23, 434/18, 434/11, 434/12, 434/24, 434/28
• US Class Current: 434/23
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/00 Adaptations for training adaptations of barrels for recoil reinforcement F41A21/26; Gun simulators teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26 ; shooting games A63F9/02; military simulation G09B9/003
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/08 Infrared hit-indicating systems
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/10 Cinematographic hit-indicating systems cinematographic targets F41J9/14
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 9/14 Cinematographic targets, e.g. moving-picture targets F41G3/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A training system and method to calculate actual coordinates of a projectile impact at one or more screens has been disclosed. A projectile is launched at a screen. One or more targets are projected onto the screen. A calibrated sensor is directed at the screen surface. The sensor continually captures thermal images of a screen surface. The sensor comprises software to detect and isolate thermal images of the projectile impacting the screen. These impact images are transmitted to a computer connected to the sensor. A computer comprises software to calculate the actual impact coordinates relative to a projected target. The calculated coordinates are digitally sent to feedback devices for display purposes. The system further comprises virtual training scenarios that are triggered upon notification of actual impact coordinates. These training scenarios simulate real life situations.

Claims

1. A system for projecting coordinates of a physical projectile impact from a real physical space into a three dimensional virtual space, the system comprising:

a. an elastomeric screen dimensioned and configured to receive a physical projectile travelling through the physical space;

b. a projector adapted to visually project a three dimensional virtual space image comprising a target onto the elastomeric screen, the three dimensional virtual space image further comprising images simulating a three axis view from the point of view of a viewer outside the screen;

c. a camera directed at the screen, the camera adapted to substantially continually capture a thermal image of the elastomeric screen;

d. at least one computer operatively in communication with the camera, the at least one computer comprising an image processor adapted to receive images captured by the camera; and

e. software operatively resident in the at least one computer, the software comprising;

i. a simulator adapted to create the projectable virtual space image;

ii. a physical impact coordinate calculator adapted to use the images received from the camera to determine a physical impact point of the physical projectile with the elastomeric screen;

iii. an environmental factoring module adapted to calculate an effect of a predetermined set of environmental characteristics on an object located within the virtual space in real time;

iv. a virtual impact coordinate calculator adapted to use the physical impact point, the calculated environmental effects, and one or more physical characteristics of the physical projectile within the physical space to translate the physical projectile into a virtual projectile within the three dimensional virtual space and to calculate a virtual impact point for the virtual projectile relative to the projected target in real time; and

v. an illustrator dimensioned and configured to create a digital illustration of the virtual projectile as the physical projectile transits from physical space into the three dimensional virtual space, including computing an effect of a virtual object in the three dimensional virtual space on the virtual projectile as it moves through the three dimensional virtual space.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the simulator creates a human perceptible illusion that the target appears to move within the simulated three dimensional virtual space.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the target further comprises a plurality of targets, a predetermined number of which move independently of the movement of other targets within the simulated three dimensional virtual space.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is a thermal camera.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera operates at a capture rate exceeding 500 frames per second.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the projectable three dimensional virtual image comprises photographic images and simulated photographic images.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined set of environmental characteristics comprise at least one of wind, distance, air density, object density, or gravity.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the illustrator further comprises a module adapted to project an image suitable for aiming the projectile at a location in the simulated three dimensional virtual space where the virtual projectile is likely to strike the target within the simulated three dimensional virtual space.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a. a motion detector; and

b. a motion detection software module in communication with the motion detector and the virtual impact coordinate calculator, wherein;

i. the motion detection software module is adapted to determine a position of a projectile releasing device at the instant that the projectile releasing device fires the physical projectile; and

ii. the virtual impact coordinate calculator is further adapted to use the detected position of the projectile releasing device while calculating the virtual impact point relative to the projected target in real time.

10. A method for determining the position of a physical projectile impact into a simulated environment, the method comprising:

a. using a camera to capture a baseline thermal image of an elastomeric display screen using a predetermined set of coordinates of the screen;

b. projecting a simulated three dimensional image onto the screen, the simulated three dimensional image illustrating a simulated three axis view of a virtual space from the point of view of a viewer outside the screen and comprising an image of a target;

c. receiving, by the elastomeric display screen, a physical projectile launched at the target projected onto the screen;

d. using the camera to detect a heat signature left by the physical projectile impacting the screen;

e. calculating a set of actual pixel coordinates of the physical projectile impact using the heat signature;

f. calculating a first predetermined set of environmental characteristics that can affect the traveling of a simulated projectile into the simulated three dimensional virtual space;

g. determining a simulated projectile path during translation of the physical projectile to a simulated projectile within the simulated three dimensional virtual space using the physical projectile impact point in physical space, the first predetermined set of environmental characteristics, and a second predetermined set of physical characteristics of the physical projectile from physical space; and

h. determining a virtual impact point of the simulated projectile within the simulated three dimensional virtual space based upon the determined simulated projectile path.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising calibrating the camera to compensate for lens distortion.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining a virtual impact point comprises determining a zone of probable impact of the simulated projectile with the target within the simulated three dimensional virtual space using the first predetermined set of environmental characteristics, the second predetermined set of physical characteristics of the physical projectile, and a third predetermined set of simulated characteristics of the target within the simulated virtual space, and further comprising:

projecting a visual representation of the zone of probable impact onto the screen.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first predetermined set of environmental characteristics comprises at least one of wind, distance, air density, object density, or gravity.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein a predetermined number of objects within the simulated three dimensional virtual space are influenced in real time by the first predetermined set of environmental characteristics.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

a. receiving, by the screen, a plurality of projectiles, each launched from a respective independent source; and

b. projecting a respective simulated projectile path through the simulated three dimensional virtual space onto the screen based upon the determined projectile path for each of the plurality of projectiles.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein projecting a simulated image comprises projecting a simulating image comprising a plurality of targets, and further comprising:

providing independent movement of a predetermined plurality of the targets within the three dimensional simulated virtual space.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the independent movement is random.

18. A system comprising:

a screen configured to receive a physical projectile travelling through a physical space;

a projector adapted to project a three dimensional virtual space image comprising a target onto the screen, the three dimensional virtual space image further comprising images simulating a three axis view from the point of view of a viewer outside the screen;

a camera configured to capture a thermal image of the screen; and

at least one computer in communication with the camera and the projector, the at least one computer configured to execute software to;

generate the three dimensional virtual space image projected by the projector;

determine, based upon data received from the camera, coordinates for a physical impact of the physical projectile with the screen;

determine one or more physical characteristics associated with the travel of the physical projectile through the physical space; and

translate, based at least in part upon the physical impact coordinates and the one or more physical characteristics, the physical projectile from the physical space into a virtual projectile in a virtual space associated with the three dimensional virtual space image; and

determine, based at least in part upon the one or more physical characteristics and one or more simulated characteristics associated with the target, movement of the virtual projectile within the three dimensional virtual space and a virtual impact point of the virtual projectile within the three dimensional virtual space.