Target locating device and methods

• US 9,939,252 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jancic, Dale, Rakowski, Christopher, Spencer, Donald, Morin, Steven Earnest
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Tom Y
• Application Number:
  US15/164,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20160341543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/02 using an independent line of sight
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/06 with rangefinder rangefinders per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/165 using a TV-monitor
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/18 Auxiliary target devices adapted for indirect laying of fire
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/026 by measuring distance between sensor and object G01B11/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/56 Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses, e.g. vibratory angular rate sensors based on Coriolis forces
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/06 Use of electric means to obtain final indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors

Abstract

A target location device has a video camera, a range finder, a self location module and an inertial measurement unit. The device provides a video display including video output of the camera and an object marker such as a cross-hair overlayed on the video output for aiming the camera on a reference point or on a target in the video output. The range finder determines a distance from the device to the target. The self location module identifies the geographic location of the device. The inertial measurement unit includes at least one gyro for providing outputs corresponding to the location of the reference point and the target. Video stabilization may be use to allow accurate placement of the object marker on the target or reference point. Automatic range finder firing and gyroscope error compensation are also provided.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a gyroscope;

a controller coupled to the gyroscope and configured to;

receive a reference point gyroscope output from the gyroscope corresponding to a position of a reference point;

receive a target gyroscope output from the gyroscope corresponding to a position of a target;

receive an updated reference point gyroscope output from the gyroscope corresponding to the position of the reference point;

calculate a gyroscope error based on the reference point gyroscope output and the updated reference point gyroscope output;

reset the gyroscope based on the calculated gyroscope error to compensate for drift; and

wherein the controller is further configured to calculate a geographic position of the target based at least in part on the calculated gyroscope error.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a video camera;

a display for providing a video output of the video camera and a cursor overlayed on the video output for aiming the video camera on the reference point and on the target in the video output by positioning the cursor on the reference point and the target, respectively;

a range finder for determining a target distance from the device to the target when the video camera is aimed at the target; and

a self location module configured to determine a geographic location of the device.

3. The device of claim 2, the device further comprising at least one video processor for providing stabilization of the video output to facilitate the positioning of the cursor on the reference point and on the target.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is configured for automatically firing the range finder for determining the target distance when the video camera is aimed at the target.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the display further comprises a list of known reference points overlayed on the video output, each of the known reference points having a known geographic location stored in a memory of the device, and wherein the device comprises a user control for selecting one of the known reference points as the reference point.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is configured to mark the reference point with a reference point marker, the reference point marker being overlayed on the reference point.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the device is configured for automatically calculating an updated gyroscope output corresponding to a position of the reference point when the cursor is placed on the reference point marker.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the device is configured for automatically firing the range finder for determining a reference point distance from the device to the reference point when the cursor is placed on the reference point marker.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is configured to mark the target with a target marker, the target marker being overlayed on the target.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the device is configured for automatically calculating an updated gyroscope output corresponding to a position of the target when the cursor is placed on the target marker.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the device is configured for automatically firing the range finder for determining the target distance from the device to the target when the cursor is placed on the target marker.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a plurality of instructions encoded thereon that when executed by at least one processor cause a process to locate a target to be carried out, the process comprising:

receiving a reference point gyroscope output from a gyroscope corresponding to a position of a reference point;

receiving a target gyroscope output from the gyroscope corresponding to a position of the target;

receiving an updated reference point gyroscope output from the gyroscope corresponding to the position of the reference point;

calculating a gyroscope error based on the reference point gyroscope output and the updated reference point gyroscope output;

resetting the gyroscope based on the calculated gyroscope error to compensate for drift; and

calculating a geographic position of the target based at least in part on the calculated gyroscope error.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising:

causing a video output of a video camera to be displayed on a display with an overlay;

the overlay comprising a cursor for aiming the video camera on the reference point and on the target in the video output by positioning the cursor on the reference point and the target, respectively; and

marking the reference point with a reference point marker overlayed on the video output, and in response to the cursor being positioned adjacent the reference point marker, acquiring the updated reference point gyroscope output.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising stabilizing the video output to facilitate positioning of the cursor on the reference point or the target.

15. A computer-implemented method of determining a geographic position of a target in a target location device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a controller, a reference point gyroscope output from a gyroscope corresponding to a position of a reference point;

receiving, by the controller, a target gyroscope output from the gyroscope corresponding to a position of the target;

receiving, by the controller, an updated reference point gyroscope output from the gyroscope corresponding to the position of the reference point;

calculating, by the controller, a gyroscope error in response to the reference point gyroscope output and the updated reference point gyroscope output;

resetting, by the controller, the gyroscope based on the calculated gyroscope error to compensate for drift; and

calculating, by the controller, a geographic position of the target based at least in part on the calculated gyroscope error.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

causing to be displayed, by the controller, a video output of a video camera on a display with an overlay;

the overlay comprising a cursor for aiming the video camera on the reference point and on the target in the video output by positioning the cursor on the reference point and the target, respectively; and

marking the reference point with a reference point marker overlayed on the video output, and in response to the cursor being positioned adjacent the reference point marker, acquiring the updated reference point gyroscope output.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising stabilizing, by the controller, the video output to facilitate positioning of the cursor on the reference point or the target.