Apparatus and method for calculating aiming point information

• US 8,230,635 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2010
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HVRT Corp
• Original Assignee: Horus Vision LLC (Horus Vision Reticle Technologies)
• Inventors: Sammut, Dennis J., Buell, Dickinson, Chao, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): CLEMENT, MICHELLE RENEE
• Application Number:
  US12/979,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20110089238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 421/22, 421/30, 421/42, 421/19, 421/33, 421/44, 89/411.7
• US Class Current: 42/122
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/38 Telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance telescopic sights in general G02B; Supports or mountings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/387 Mounting telescopic sights on smallarms
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/473 for lead-indicating or range-finding, e.g. for use with rifles or shotguns
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/06 with rangefinder rangefinders per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/08 with means for compensating for speed, direction, temperature, pressure, or humidity of the atmosphere measuring G01
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/14 Viewfinders for photographic apparatus G03B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/32 Fiducial marks and measuring scales within the optical system

Abstract

The present invention relates to target acquisition and related devices, and more particularly to telescopic gunsights and associated equipment used to achieve shooting accuracy at, for example, close ranges, medium ranges and extreme ranges.

Claims

1. A method for using a ballistics calculator system, comprising:

A) providing a ballistics calculator system comprising;

1) a processor, said processor comprising;

a ballistics computer program on a computer readable medium for analyzing information to accurately aim a firearm at a target using a target acquisition device with a reticle, said program using information regarding the target acquisition device and reticle being used, wherein said type of target acquisition device and reticle comprises;

a) a reticle, comprising;

i) a simultaneously visible primary vertical cross-hair and a simultaneously visible primary horizontal cross-hair;

ii) a plurality of simultaneously visible secondary horizontal cross-hairs intersecting at predetermined distances said simultaneously visible primary vertical cross-hair wherein said primary vertical cross hair and said secondary horizontal cross-hairs are selected from the group consisting of etched cross-hairs, engraved cross-hairs, and printed cross-hairs; and

iii) a plurality of simultaneously visible secondary vertical cross-hairs intersecting at predetermined distances at least some of said secondary horizontal cross-hairs wherein said secondary vertical cross-hairs are selected from the group consisting of etched cross-hairs, engraved cross-hairs, and printed cross-hairs; and

b) an output using an intersection of a least one of said secondary horizontal cross-hairs and at least one of said secondary vertical cross-hairs to identify an aiming point for hitting the target; and

2) a database on a computer readable medium; and

B) inputting acquired information and/or information stored on said database regarding one or more of external conditions, the firearm being used, the projectile being used, the target acquisition device and reticle being used, the shooter, the target, and the relation of the shooter to the target;

C) selecting one or more aiming points on said ballistics calculator system; and

D) using the aiming point information displayed by the said ballistics calculator system to aim the firearm so as to hit the target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said database comprises information regarding one or more of external conditions, the firearm being used, the projectile being used, the target acquisition device and reticle being used, the shooter, the target, and the relation of the shooter to the target.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said database comprises information used as a reference for target range information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said database comprises munitions data and specific performance characteristics.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said database comprises multiple shooting solutions.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said database comprises multiple aiming dots.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said database comprises a database of images.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said database of images comprises one or more images of one or more targets, one or more target representations, one or more faces, one or more compound layouts, one or more common objects seen from multiple perspectives, and one or more landscapes.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising comparing one or more acquired images with one or more images in said database.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said comparing identifies said target.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said ballistics calculating system further comprises an object recognition system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said object recognition system calculates a range for a selected object.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said inputting comprises a voice recognition system comprising a microphone and software on a computer readable medium configured to convert spoken word to data for input.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the functions of said processor are performed without user intervention through the use of expert system rules or artificial intelligence.