System and method of marksmanship training utilizing an optical system

• US 10,625,147 B1
• Filed: 10/28/2019
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Opto Ballistics, LLC
• Original Assignee: George Carter
• Inventors: Carter, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Musselman, Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US16/665,911
• Time in Patent Office: 176 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0291 with a simulated projectile, e.g. an image on a screen
• 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: F41A 33/02 Light- or radiation-emitting guns ; Light- or radiation-sensitive guns; Cartridges carrying light emitting sources, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/04 Acoustical simulation of gun fire, e.g. by pyrotechnic means
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/06 Recoil simulators
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/26 Teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying shooting games A63F9/02; light- or radiation-emitting guns F41A33/02; targets therefor F41J; responders, transponders for radar, sonar, lidar G01S13/767, G01S15/74, G01S17/74
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2605 using a view recording device cosighted with the gun F41G3/2616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2611 coacting with a TV-monitor

Abstract

A shooting simulation system and method. The system includes a plurality of firearms. Each firearm is associated with a separate soldier having a man-worn computer, a location device for determining a location of the soldier, an optical system for capturing an image where the captured image provides information on a trajectory of a virtual bullet fired from a shooting firearm, and an orientation device for obtaining the orientation of the firearm when shooting the firearm. The optical system is aligned with a sight of the shooting firearm and captures the image when shooting the firearm. The system also includes a shooter/target location resolution module for identifying a valid target and a target image recognition module for determining an impact location where a virtual bullet from the shooting firearm would impact within the captured image and determining if an identified target from the captured image is a hit or a miss.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

actuating a trigger of a firearm to fire a simulated bullet at a target;

determining, using one or more computers, that the target is a valid target, wherein the one or more computers identify an indicia of the target to determine that the target is a valid target;

capturing an image when the trigger is actuated,

wherein the image is captured using a camera mounted on the firearm;

determining, using the one or more computers, a trajectory of the simulated bullet;

determining, using the one or more computers and based on the determined trajectory, an impact location where the simulated bullet would impact, wherein the one or more computers use the captured image to determine the impact location; and

determining, using the one or more computers and based on the determined impact location, a hit or miss of the simulated bullet on the target, wherein the one or more computers use the captured image to determine the hit or miss of the simulated bullet on the target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers use the captured image to determine the trajectory of the simulated bullet.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a heading of the firearm, wherein the heading of the firearm is detected using an orientation sensor mounted on the firearm.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more computers use the detected heading of the firearm to determine the trajectory of the simulated bullet.

5. The method of claim 3,

wherein the one or more computers use the detected heading of the firearm to determine that the target is a valid target.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a location of the firearm, wherein the location of the firearm is detected using a first location sensor associated with the firearm.

7. The method of claim 6,

wherein the one or more computers use the detected location of the firearm to determine that the target is a valid target.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting a location of the target, wherein the location of the target is detected using a second location sensor associated with the target.

9. The method of claim 8,

wherein the one or more computers use the detected location of the target to determine that the target is a valid target.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more computers use the detected location of the firearm to determine that the target is a valid target.

11. A system, comprising:

a firearm, the firearm comprising a trigger adapted to be actuated to fire a simulated bullet at a target;

a camera mounted on the firearm and adapted to capture an image when the trigger is actuated; and

one or more computers configured to;

determine that the target is a valid target,

wherein the one or more computers are adapted to identify an indicia of the target to determine that the target is a valid target;

determine a trajectory of the simulated bullet;

determine, based on the determined trajectory, an impact location where the simulated bullet would impact,

wherein the one or more computers are adapted to use the captured image to determine the impact location; and

determine, based on the determined impact location, a hit or miss of the simulated bullet on the target,

wherein the one or more computers are adapted to use the captured image to determine the hit or miss of the simulated bullet on the target.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more computers are adapted to use the captured image to determine the trajectory of the simulated bullet.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

an orientation sensor mounted on the firearm and adapted to detect a heading of the firearm.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more computers are adapted to use the detected heading of the firearm to determine the trajectory of the simulated bullet.

15. The system of claim 13,

wherein the one or more computers are adapted to use the detected heading of the firearm to determine that the target is a valid target.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a first location sensor associated with the firearm and adapted to detect a location of the firearm.

17. The system of claim 16,

wherein the one or more computers are adapted to use the detected location of the firearm to determine that the target is a valid target.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a second location sensor associate with the target and adapted to detect a location of the target.

19. The system of claim 18,

wherein the one or more computers are adapted to use the detected location of the target to determine that the target is a valid target.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more computers are adapted to use the detected location of the firearm to determine that the target is a valid target.