CAMERA DEVICE TO CAPTURE AND GENERATE TARGET LEAD AND SHOOTING TECHNIQUE DATA AND IMAGES

• US 20130169820A1
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Alexander Stewart
• Original Assignee: David Alexander Stewart
• Inventors: Stewart, David Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,908,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/169
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/473 for lead-indicating or range-finding, e.g. for use with rifles or shotguns
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2605 using a view recording device cosighted with the gun F41G3/2616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules

Abstract

This invention relates to processes for the capturing of the images of a target, and/or the shooter, at the time around the discharge of a gun, bow, or shooting device and the display of the images prior to discharge, around point of discharge, and post discharge in a manner that allows the shooter to analyze the images and data. More particularly, the present invention relates to the process in shooting where a moving target must be led in order that the projectile (or projectiles) arrives on target after the point in time where the shoot decision is made and the projectile reaches the target area. This invention will aid the shooter by letting them see images and sight pictures of successful and unsuccessful shots and how much lead, if any, they had given the targets at the point in time they decided to shoot. It also allows for the shooters technique to be recorded and analyzed.

Claims

1. A camera device comprising:

(a) a camera mounted on sum shooting device; and

(b) the camera is not dependant on the shooting device targeting system; and

(c) a reticule and/or indicator generating system to add a reticule, or graticule, or indicator, to indicate aim point of the camera and/or shooting device; and

(d) an alignment system that allows the aim point reticule or camera aim point to be approximately aligned to, and/or calibrated to, the aim point of the shooting device; and

(e) an internal or external discharge sensor and/or trigger that senses the discharge of the shooting device.

2. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device has system of recording a video stream comprising distinct times:

(1) a recording of a time prior to shooting device discharge in the range of 0 to the maximum time allowed by available memory; and

(2) a recording of a time around shooting device discharge in the range of 0 to the maximum time allowed by available memory; and

(3) a recording of a time after shooting device discharge in the range of 0 to the maximum time allowed by available memory.

3. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device records the video with still images or slow motion added at selectable points in time. The selectable points in time include, but are not limited to:

(1) the point in time that is calculated to be the point in time where the shooter decided to discharge the shooting device, the associated image is commonly referred to as the sight picture.

(2) the point in time that is calculated to be the point in time where the shooter pulled the trigger, or discharged, the shooting device, the associated image is commonly referred to as the image at discharge time.

(3) the point in time that is calculated to be the point in time where the projectile strikes the target, the associated image is commonly referred to as the impact picture.

4. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device has a reticule and/or indicator generating system to add a reticule, or graticule, or indicator, to indicate aim point of the camera and/or shooting device. The reticule and/or indicator generating system can be independent and separate from the sighting system or targeting scope of the shooting device. The reticule and/or indicator generating system can enable the shooter to estimate the lead given to a moving target, and can establish a sight picture for both stationary and moving targets.

5. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device overwrites memory while in a recording loop but retains the data associated with a shooting device discharge. The memory would be saved, flagged, or designated not to be overwritten, when it contained the data associated with a shooting device discharge. This would result in two “

virtual”

areas of memory. The first area for continuous overwrite with newest data and the second identified as not to be overwritten.

6. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device can display shooting device discharge data that allows the analysis of the sight picture, target lead, or shooting technique. The shooting device discharge data and associated images could allow for the shooter to calculate the lead given to a moving target in both the case where the target was hit and where the target was missed, and also to calculate the shooting device alignment relative to a target in both the case where the target was correctly aimed at and where the target was incorrectly aimed at.

7. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device point of aim can be aligned with the shooting device point of aim utilizing optical or laser alignment techniques. Optical alignment techniques include, but are not limited to, bore sighting, using shooting devices fixed sights, using shooting device scope, using a camera generated graticule or overlay. The optical alignment techniques allow the user to reference and calibrate the camera point of aim and shooting device point of aim. Laser alignment techniques include, but are not limited to, laser bore sighting, using a laser integral to the camera device, using a laser external to the camera device. The laser alignment techniques allow the user to reference and calibrate the camera point of aim and shooting device point of aim.

8. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device has an integrated laser for alignment and/or calibration of the point of aim indicator and/or reticule generating system.

9. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device has a light or infrared source for field of view illumination, which may be controlled by the discharge sensor.

10. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device has optional mounting hardware allowing the camera device to be mounted on a shooting device such as a shotgun, pistol, revolver, rifle, bow, or crossbow, in any orientation that allows the shooter to capture shooting event data both towards the target and towards the shooter. When orientated towards the shooter, the shooting device discharge data and associated images could allow for the shooter to see the shooting technique, such as shooters head position, eye position, arm position, body position and body movement, in the shooting scenario. In the case the camera device is bi-directional and has two separate image sensors, it allows the recording or display of the field of view towards the target and the field of view towards the shooter and/or shooting device.

11. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device has an internal or external discharge sensor that may comprise one, or any combination, of the following:

(1) an accelerometer

(2) a vibration sensor

(3) a microphone

(4) a muzzle flash sensor

(5) an optical sensor

(6) a mechanical mechanism attached to the shooting device trigger mechanism

(7) an electrical switching mechanism connected to the shooting device trigger mechanism.

12. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device has the ability to always display images in a chosen orientation. This can be achieved with either:

(1) an orientation sensor allowing the camera device to record images where the bottom of the image is downwards in alignment with gravitational pull. In the case where the camera is on its side the display images would be similar to as if the camera was in a more normal gravity downwards orientation.

(2) the image processing capability to allow the camera device to record images where the image horizon is maintained approximately horizontal. In the case where the camera is on its side the display images of an outdoor scene would be similar to as if the camera was in a more normal gravity downwards orientation with the outdoor scene having an approximately horizontal horizon.

13. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the point of aim reticule is variable in design to allow for the reticule to represent the characteristics of the projectile or projectiles. These characteristics include, but are not limited to, the spread of multiple projectiles, the drop of a projectile, the strike zone of projectiles, and the flight path errors of projectiles. In the case of a shotgun the shooter can select a reticule or indicator that represents the projectile characteristics of the shotgun. A skeet shooter could select a choke setting of Improved Cylinder (IC). A trap shooter could select a choke setting of Full (F). In the case of a bow the shooter could select an arrow speed of 300 fps. In the case of a rifle the shooter could select a bullet weight of 150 grains.

14. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the point of aim reticule and/or indicator can be referenced to the shooting device prior to the shooters decision to shoot and referenced to the image data at some point after the shooters decision to shoot. The image processing capability allows the reticule and/or indicator to transition to being fixed in space relative to the background image or image reference point. This allows the display of one, or two, or multiple reticules and/or indicators. The first continues to indicate the position of the point of aim of the shooting device;

the second indicates the point in space where the projectile is anticipated to travel towards. In the case of a skeet shooter, the point of aim reticule and/or indicator can be displayed on the images and then at/or after the point in time the shooter decides to shoot a second reticule and/or indicator is added to the image but is no longer representing the point of aim of the shooting device, instead this second reticule and/or indicator represents the point in space that the projectile is traveling towards.

15. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device has an optimal focal length which matches the distance at which the target is expected to be struck with the projectile. This optimal focal length can be pre-set, or selected by the user, and prevents the camera device from focusing on the foreground or background instead of the target at impact.

16. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device is mounted on a bow as a stabilizer. The camera can be moved toward or away from the bow riser to create different moments of force to allow the camera to become a customizable stabilizer weight at a variable distance from the riser.

17. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the camera device goes into a low power sleep mode after a selectable time and is woken up by either a bump, a shake, closing the action of a double barrel shotgun, closing the action of a semi-automatic long gun, pumping the action of a long gun, or some other operation that can be sensed to wake up the camera prior to the shooting device being discharged.

18. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein camera mounting hardware has a geometry that cause the camera to be orientated so that the playback video has the correct orientation. The geometry of the mounting hardware and camera device housing ensure that the camera is not mounted in any other orientation than the correct orientation where the camera images are correctly aligned to the shooters observed images. This may be accomplished with mounting hardware that has ridges that fit into grooves in the camera assembly and are offset from 180 degrees to ensure that the camera assembly can only be mounted in one vertical orientation in the mounting brackets for correctly orientated video playback.

19. A reticule or point of aim indicator generating system wherein the point of aim reticule and/or indicator can be referenced to the shooting device prior to the shooters decision to shoot and referenced to the image data at some point after the shooters decision to shoot. The image processing capability allows the reticule and/or indicator to transition to being fixed in space relative to the background image or image reference point. This allows the display of one or two reticules and/or indicators. The first continues to indicate the position of the point of aim of the shooting device;

the second indicates the point in space where the projectile is anticipated to travel towards. In the case of a skeet shooter, the point of aim reticule and/or indicator can be displayed on the images and then at/or after the point in time the shooter decides to shoot a second reticule and/or indicator is added to the image but is no longer representing the point of aim of the shooting device, instead this second reticule and/or indicator represents the point in space that the projectile is traveling towards.

20. A point of aim compensation and correction system, wherein a camera device has optional laser or optical alignment capabilities that allow for the offset of the point of aim reticule and/or indicator and the shooting device point of aim to be reduced and/or compensated for (brought into alignment) by programming a correction into the camera unit or the display unit. The measured offset data is processed by the camera unit, or the display unit, to allow the point of aim reticule and/or indicator to be brought into reasonably close alignment with the shooting device point of aim. Optical alignment techniques include, but are not limited to, bore sighting, using shooting devices fixed sights, using shooting device scope, using a camera generated graticule or overlay. Laser alignment techniques include, but are not limited to, laser bore sighting, using a laser integral to the camera device, using a laser external to the camera device.