Method to graphically represent weapon effectiveness footprint

• US 6,961,070 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2002
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Information Decision Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Information Decision Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Ebersole, John Franklin, Ebersole, John Franklin Jr., Madison, Richard Wade
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRISON, CHANTE E
• Application Number:
  US10/123,316
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 345/619, 345/622, 345/623, 345/440, 345/180, 345/810, 345/156, 345/419, 345/632, 345/629, 273/351, 273/358
• US Class Current: 345/632
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/14 Apparatus for signalling hits or scores to the shooter, e.g. manually operated, or for communication between target and shooter; Apparatus for recording hits or scores
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2012 Colour editing, changing, or manipulating; Use of colour codes

Abstract

The invention is a method for augmenting images with the predicted effectiveness of ordinance deployed or dropped at a specific aim point. The method uses JMEM data to calculate the predicted effectiveness of a selected weapon over an area surrounding the aimpoint and calculates the parameters for a graphical representation of the numerical results. Predicted effectiveness is displayed onto an overhead or perspective view image by overlaying with a series of ellipses, a variable color area, a variable transparency area, or some combination of the three.

Claims

1. A method of displaying to a user, on an image of a scene captured by a camera carried by an aircraft or associated with a simulator of such aircraft, a predicted effectiveness of a weapon that can be launched from the aircraft, if the weapon were to be launched from the aircraft toward a weapon aim point located in the scene, the method comprising:

providing to the user a menu of weapon types that can be carried by and launched from the aircraft;

determining the position and orientation of the camera with respect to the scene;

allowing the user to select a weapon type from the menu;

allowing the user to define weapon release conditions, including release altitude, target type, airspeed, dive angle, quantity of weapons, fuse type, release interval and weapon guidance type;

allowing the user to select a weapon aim point in the scene;

calculating, from at least the weapon type and the defined release conditions, a predicted effectiveness of the selected weapon type at the selected aim point;

determining, from the calculated predicted effectiveness, a weapon effectiveness footprint;

calculating, from the determined effectiveness footprint and the determined position and orientation of the camera with respect to the scene, the weapon effectiveness footprint with respect to the aim point;

blending the calculated weapon effectiveness footprint with the scene; and

displaying to the user the blended scene, including the calculated weapon effectiveness footprint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated weapon effectiveness footprint comprise a graphical representation of the determined weapon effectiveness footprint.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical representation comprises an intensity map.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the intensity map comprises one or more colors.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein intensity is indicated at least in part using different colors.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the intensity is indicated in part by fading between different colors.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the graphical representation further comprises a varied color opacity relative to the predicted effectiveness.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical representation comprises one or more contours.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the graphical representation comprises one or more contours representing constant predicted effectiveness.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the contours comprise ellipses.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising also displaying on the scene a representation of one or more targets.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising also displaying on the scene a representation of one or more friendly positions, using a representation that is distinct from the target representation, to allow the user to distinguish between friend and foe.

13. A method of displaying to a user, on an image of a scene captured by a camera carried by an aircraft or associated with a simulator of such aircraft, a predicted effectiveness of a weapon that can be launched from the aircraft, if the weapon were to be launched from the aircraft toward a weapon aim point located in the scene, the method comprising:

providing to the user a menu of weapon types that can be carried by and launched from the aircraft;

determining the position and orientation of the camera with respect to the scene;

allowing the user to select a weapon type from the menu;

allowing the user to define weapon release conditions, including release altitude, target type, airspeed, dive angle, quantity of weapons, fuse type, release interval and weapon guidance type;

allowing the user to select a weapon aim point in the scene;

calculating, from at least the weapon type, the target type, and the defined release conditions, a predicted effectiveness of the selected weapon type at the selected aim point;

determining, from the calculated predicted effectiveness, a weapon effectiveness footprint;

calculating, from the determined effectiveness footprint and the.determined position and orientation of the camera with respect to the scene, the weapon effectiveness footprint with respect to the aim point, wherein the calculated weapon effectiveness footprint comprise a graphical representation of the determined weapon effectiveness footprint;

blending the calculated graphical representation with the scene; and

displaying to the user the blended scene, including the calculated graphical representation, along with a representation of one or more targets.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the release conditions comprise release altitude, target type, airspeed, dive angle, quantity of weapons, fuse type, release interval and weapon guidance type.

15. A method of displaying to a user, on an image of a scene captured by a camera carried by an aircraft or associated with a simulator of such aircraft, a predicted effectiveness of a weapon that can be launched from the aircraft, if the weapon were to be launched from the aircraft toward a weapon aim point located in the scene, the method comprising:

providing to the user a menu of weapon types that can be carried by and launched from the aircraft;

determining the position and orientation of the camera with respect to the scene;

allowing the user to select a weapon type from the menu;

allowing the user to define weapon release conditions, including release altitude, target type, airspeed, dive angle, quantity of weapons, fuse type, release interval and weapon guidance type;

allowing the user to select a weapon aim point in the scene;

calculating, from at least the weapon type, the target type, and the defined release conditions, a predicted effectiveness of the selected weapon type at the selected aim point;

determining, from the calculated predicted effectiveness, a weapon effectiveness footprint;

calculating, from the determined effectiveness footprint and the determined position and orientation of the camera with respect to the scene, the weapon effectiveness footprint with respect to the aim point, wherein the calculated weapon effectiveness footprint comprise a graphical representation of the determined weapon effectiveness footprint, the graphical representation comprising elliptical contours representing constant predicted effectiveness;

blending the calculated elliptical contours with the scene; and

displaying to the user the blended scene, including the calculated elliptical contours, along with a representation of one or more targets.