Firearm laser training system and method facilitating firearm training with various targets and visual feedback of simulated projectile impact locations

• US 6,616,452 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eotech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Beamhit, LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clark, John, Kendir, Tansel, Shechter, Motti
• Primary Examiner(s): Esquivel, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US09/878,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20020051953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 434/19, 434/20, 434/21, 434/22, 434/23, 463/51
• US Class Current: 434/19
• 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: F41G 3/2627 Cooperating with a motion picture projector
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2655 in which the light beam is sent from the weapon to the target

Abstract

A firearm laser training system of the present invention includes a target having a plurality of zones, a laser transmitter assembly for projecting a laser beam, a sensing device and a processor. The sensing device scans the target to produce target images to detect laser beam or simulated projectile impact locations. The processor receives impact location information from the sensing device and processes the received information to evaluate user performance and to display evaluation information and an image of the target including indicia corresponding to the detected impact locations.

Claims

1. A firearm laser training system enabling a user to project a laser beam toward a target to simulate firearm operation comprising:

a target including a plurality of zones, each zone representing an intended target site and associated with a score value;

a sensing device to scan said target to produce scanned images of said target including impact locations of said laser beam on said target; and

a processor to receive from said sensing device information associated with said impact locations detected by said sensing device, wherein said processor includes an evaluation module to process said received information to evaluate user performance and to display information relating to said evaluation, and wherein said evaluation module includes a scoring module to determine impact scores for said user performance with each impact score associated with a detected impact location and based on said score value of said zone containing that detected impact location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said impact location information includes coordinates of detected impact locations within said scanned target images.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said impact location information includes said scanned target images, and said evaluation module further includes a coordinate module to determine coordinates of detected impact locations within said scanned target images.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said coordinate module includes a detection module to identify said detected impact locations within said scanned target images based on scanned image pixel values exceeding a threshold.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor further includes a calibration module to correlate a target space associated with said target with a target space associated with said scanned target images.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensing device includes a calibration module to correlate a target space associated with said target with a target space associated with said scanned target images.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said evaluation module further includes a display module to display an image of said target with indicia indicating said detected impact locations on said target.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said scoring module includes a session scoring module to determine a session score for a user by combining impact scores of detected impact locations.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said scoring module accesses a target file associated with said target including score values associated with each of said zones and said processor stores a plurality of target files associated with a plurality of targets that are accessible to said scoring module.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensing device includes a camera.

11. A firearm laser training system enabling a user to project a laser beam toward a target to simulate firearm operation comprising:

a target including a plurality of zones, each zone representing an intended target site;

a sensing device to scan said target to produce scanned images of said target including impact locations of said laser beam on said target; and

a processor to receive from said sensing device information associated with said impact locations detected by said sensing device, wherein said impact location information includes said scanned target images and said processor includes an evaluation module to process said received information to evaluate user performance and to display information relating to said evaluation, and wherein said evaluation module includes;

a detection module to identify said detected impact locations within said scanned target images based on scanned image pixel values exceeding a threshold; and

a threshold module to automatically adjust said threshold in response to measured light conditions of a surrounding environment.

12. A firearm laser training system enabling a user to project a laser beam toward a target to simulate firearm operation comprising:

a target including a plurality of zones, each zone representing an intended target site;

a sensing device to scan said target to produce scanned images of said target including impact locations of said laser beam on said target; and

a processor to receive from said sensing device information associated with said impact locations detected by said sensing device, wherein said processor includes;

an evaluation module to process said received information to evaluate user performance and to display information relating to said evaluation; and

a calibration module to correlate a target space associated with said target with a target space associated with said scanned target images, wherein said calibration module includes an overlay module to display an overlay on an image of said target to facilitate alignment of said target spaces of said target and said scanned target images.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said calibration module further includes an alignment module to automatically align said overlay with said target image in accordance with target boundary locations indicated by said user on said target image.

14. A firearm laser training system enabling a user to project a laser beam toward a target to simulate firearm operation comprising:

a target including a plurality of zones, each zone representing an intended target site;

a sensing device to scan said target to produce scanned images of said target including impact locations of said laser beam on said target;

a processor to receive from said sensing device information associated with said impact locations detected by said sensing device, wherein said processor includes an evaluation module to process said received information to evaluate user performance and to display information relating to said evaluation; and

a case to secure and transport at least said target and said sensing device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said case includes an upper member pivotally attached to a lower member, said upper member including a target retaining section to secure said target during system operation.

16. In a firearm simulation system enabling a user to project a laser beam toward a target and including a sensing device and a processor, wherein said target includes a plurality of zones, each zone representing an intended target site and associated with a score value, a method of simulating firearm operation comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a laser beam on said target producing impact locations thereon;

(b) scanning said target with said sensing device to produce scanned images of said target including impact locations of said laser beam on said target;

(c) transmitting from said sensing device to said processor information associated with said impact locations detected by said sensing device; and

(d) processing said transmitted impact location information to evaluate user performance and to display information relating to said evaluation, wherein impact scores for said user performance are determined with each impact score associated with a detected impact location and based on said score value of said zone containing that detected impact location.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein step (b) includes:

(b.1) determining coordinates of said detected impact locations within said scanned target images;

and step (c) includes;

(c.1) transmitting said coordinates from said sensing device to said processor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein step (c) includes:

(c.1) transmitting said scanned target images to said processor; and

step (d) includes;

(d.1) processing said scanned target images with said processor to determine coordinates of said detected impact locations within said scanned target images.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein step (d.1) includes:

(d.1.1) identifying said detected impact locations within said scanned target images based on scanned image pixel values exceeding a threshold.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein step (b) includes:

(b.1) correlating a target space associated with said target with a target space associated with said scanned target images.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein step (d) includes:

(d.1) displaying an image of said target with indicia indicating said detected impact locations on said target.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein step (d) includes:

(d.1) accessing a target file associated with said target, wherein said target file includes score values associated with each of said zones to determine said impact scores; and

(d.2) determining a session score for a user by combining impact scores of detected impact locations.

23. In a firearm simulation system enabling a user to project a laser beam toward a target and including a sensing device and a processor, wherein said target includes a plurality of zones, each zone representing an intended target site, a method of simulating firearm operation comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a laser beam on said target producing impact locations thereon;

(b) scanning said target with said sensing device to produce scanned images of said target including impact locations of said laser beam on said target, wherein step (b) includes;

(b.1) correlating a target space associated with said target with a target space associated with said scanned target images, wherein step (b.1) includes;

(b.1.1) displaying an overlay on an image of said target to facilitate alignment of said target spaces of said target and said scanned target images;

(c) transmitting from said sensing device to said processor information associated with said impact locations detected by said sensing device; and

(d) processing said transmitted impact location information to evaluate user performance and to display information relating to said evaluation.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein step (b.1.1) includes:

(b.1.1.1) automatically aligning said overlay with said target image in accordance with target boundary locations indicated by said user on said target image.

25. A firearm laser training system enabling a user to project a laser beam toward a target to simulate firearm operation comprising:

target means for receiving said projected laser beam, said target means including a plurality of zones each associated with a score value;

sensing means for scanning said target means to produce images of said target means including impact locations of said laser beam on said target means; and

processing means for receiving from said sensing means information associated with said impact locations detected by said sensing means, wherein said processing means includes evaluating means for processing said received information to evaluate user performance and for displaying information relating to said evaluation, and wherein said evaluating means includes scoring means for determining impact scores for said user performance with each impact score associated with a detected impact location and based on said score value of said zone containing that detected impact location.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said impact location information includes coordinates of detected impact locations within said scanned images of said target means.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said impact location information includes said scanned images of said target means, and said evaluating means further includes coordinate means for determining coordinates of detected impact locations within said scanned images of said target means.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said coordinate means includes detection means for identifying said detected impact locations within said scanned images of said target means based on scanned image pixel values exceeding a threshold.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein said processing means further includes calibration means for correlating a target space associated with said target means with a target space associated with said scanned images of said target means.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein said sensing means includes calibration means to correlate a target space associated with said target means with a target space associated with said scanned images of said target means.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein said evaluating means further includes display means for displaying an image of said target means with indicia indicating said detected impact locations on said target means.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein said scoring means accesses a file associated with said target means including score values associated with each of said zones to determine said impact scores and includes session scoring means for determining a session score for a user by combining impact scores of detected impact locations.

33. A firearm laser training system enabling a user to project a laser beam toward a target to simulate firearm operation comprising:

target means for receiving said projected laser beam, said target means including a plurality of zones;

sensing means for scanning said target means to produce images of said target means including impact locations of said laser beam on said target means; and

processing means for receiving from said sensing means information associated with said impact locations detected by said sensing means, wherein said impact location information includes said scanned images of said target means and said processing means includes evaluating means for processing said received information to evaluate user performance and for displaying information relating to said evaluation, wherein said evaluating means includes;

detection means for identifying said detected impact locations within said scanned images of said target means based on scanned image pixel values exceeding a threshold; and

threshold means for automatically adjusting said threshold in response to measured light conditions of a surrounding environment.

34. A firearm laser training system enabling a user to project a laser beam toward a target to simulate firearm operation comprising:

target means for receiving said projected laser beam, said target means including a plurality of zones;

sensing means for scanning said target means to produce images of said target means including impact locations of said laser beam on said target means;

processing means for receiving from said sensing means information associated with said impact locations detected by said sensing means, wherein said processing means includes evaluating means for processing said received information to evaluate user performance and for displaying information relating to said evaluation; and

storage means for securing and transporting at least said target means and said sensing means.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said storage means includes support means for securing said target means during system operation.

36. In a firearm simulation system enabling a user to project a laser beam toward a target and including a sensing device and a processor, wherein said target includes a plurality of zones, each zone representing an intended target site, a method of simulating firearm operation comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a laser beam on said target producing impact locations thereon;

(b) scanning said target with said sensing device to produce scanned images of said target including impact locations of said laser beam on said target;

(c) transmitting from said sensing device to said processor information associated with said impact locations detected by said sensing device, wherein said impact location information includes said scanned target images; and

(d) processing said transmitted impact location information to evaluate user performance and to display information relating to said evaluation, wherein step (d) further includes;

(d.1) identifying said detected impact locations within said scanned target images based on scanned image pixel values exceeding a threshold; and

(d.2) automatically adjusting said threshold in response to measured light conditions of a surrounding environment.