FIREARM AIMING SYSTEM WITH RANGE FINDER, AND METHOD OF ACQUIRING A TARGET

• US 20150108215A1
• Filed: 02/17/2013
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Shooter Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Smart Shooter Ltd.
• Inventors: EHRLICH, Avshalom
• Granted Patent: US 9,127,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/404
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/58 Electric firing mechanisms F41A17/10, F41A17/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/04 for dispersing fire from a battery ; for controlling spread of shots; for coordinating fire from spaced weapons
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/06 with rangefinder rangefinders per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/12 with means for compensating for muzzle velocity or powder temperature with means for compensating for gun vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/165 using a TV-monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4802 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section

Abstract

An aiming system of an aimable device includes a user display, an imaging system, user controls, a tracker, and a range finder such as a LRF. The imaging system displays, on the user display, an indicator of the direction in which the device points. The user uses the user controls to lock on a target towards which the device points according to the indicator. Then the tracker tracks the target, and the range finder measures the range to the tracked target. The tracker aims the range finder at the target, or alternatively scans the target and its background, one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally.

Claims

1. An aiming system, for an aimable device, comprising:

(a) a user display;

(b) an imaging system that is adapted to display, on said user display, an indicator of a direction in which the device is pointing;

(c) user controls for locking on a target towards which the device is pointing according to said indicator;

(d) a tracker for tracking said target subsequent to said locking on said target; and

(e) a range finder for measuring a range to said target as said target is tracked by said tracker.

2. The aiming system of claim 1, wherein said range finder includes a laser range finder.

3. The aiming system of claim 2, wherein said laser range finder includes:

(i) a laser;

(ii) a mirror that is controlled by said tracker so as to reflect light from said laser towards said target; and

(iii) a receiver of said light as reflected from said target.

4. The aiming system of claim 2, wherein said laser range finder includes:

(i) a laser;

(ii) a receiver; and

(iii) a gimbal that is controlled by said tracker so as to point said laser and said receiver towards said target so that light from said laser that is reflected by said target is received by said receiver.

5. The aiming system of claim 2, wherein said tracker is operative to aim said range finder at said target.

6. The aiming system of claim 2, wherein said tracker is operative to scan said target with said laser range finder, thereby measuring both said range to said target and a range to a background of said target.

7. The aiming system of claim 6, wherein said scan is a one-dimensional scan.

8. The aiming system of claim 6, wherein said scan is a two-dimensional scan.

9. The aiming system of claim 1, wherein said range finder includes a source of structured light.

10. The aiming system of claim 1, wherein said user controls are adapted to allow locking on said target automatically.

11. The aiming system of claim 1, wherein said user controls are adapted to allow locking on said target manually.

12. The aiming system of claim 1, wherein said user controls include a target lock-on mechanism including an element selected from the group consisting of a trigger, a button and a touch screen.

13. The aiming system of claim 1, wherein said imaging system is further adapted to detect said target based on target features.

14. The aiming system of claim 13, wherein said imaging system detects said target via edge detection.

15. The aiming system of claim 13, wherein said imaging system is adapted to highlight said target on said user display.

16. The aiming system of claim 13, wherein said target features include at least one feature selected from the group consisting of a movement of said target, a shape of said target, an associated muzzle flash, a range to said target, an infrared signature of said target and change detection.

17. A method of acquiring a target, comprising the steps of:

(a) aiming an aimable device that includes;

(i) a user display,

(ii) a tracker, and

(iii) a range finder,

so that an indicator, in said user display, that indicates a direction in which said device is pointing, is sufficiently close to the target;

(b) locking said tracker on the target;

(c) using said tracker to aim said range finder at the target; and

(d) measuring a range to the target, using said range finder.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

(d) computing geographic coordinates of the target based on said measured range; and

(e) transmitting said geographic coordinates to a remote location.