Aiming system for weapon

• US 8,336,776 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2011
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trijicon, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trijicon, Inc.
• Inventors: Horvath, Anthony, Adkins, Aaron, Willard, Richard, Stoltz, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US13/112,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20120000979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 235/400, 235/404, 235/407, 235/411, 235/414, 235/417
• US Class Current: 235/407
• 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 1/473 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: F41G 3/142 based on observation of a first shoot; using a simulated shoot training F41G3/26

Abstract

An aiming system for use with a weapon is provided and may include a processor, at least one sensor in communication with the processor, and a memory in communication with the processor. The aiming system may also include a display in communication with the processor that displays a corrected-aiming point based on at least one simulated bullet trajectory and at least one simulated bullet impact location determined by the processor.

Claims

1. An aiming system for use with a weapon, the aiming system comprising:

a processor;

at least one sensor in communication with said processor;

a memory in communication with said processor; and

a display in communication with said processor and operable to display a corrected-aiming point based on at least one simulated bullet trajectory and at least one simulated bullet impact location determined by said processor, said processor using closed-loop control to generate said corrected-aiming point by iteratively generating said simulated bullet trajectory and said simulated bullet impact location until said simulated bullet impact location impacts a desired target at a desired location.

2. The aiming system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor includes a range sensor, a wind sensor, a tilt sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a yaw-rate gyroscope, and a digital compass.

3. The aiming system of claim 1, wherein said memory stores at least one of geometric data of at least one projectile, a relationship of mach number versus drag coefficient, weapon-type data, and projectile-type data.

4. The aiming system of claim 3, wherein said relationship is at least one of a plot of mach number versus drag coefficient and a look-up table of mach numbers and corresponding drag coefficients.

5. The aiming system of claim 1, wherein said display is one of a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, or a liquid-crystal display (LCD).

6. The aiming system of claim 1, wherein said display simultaneously displays at least two corrected-aiming points having at least one of a different shape, a different color, and a different configuration.

7. The aiming system of claim 1, wherein said processor is operable to generate a moving corrected-aiming point for a moving target based on said corrected-aiming point, said processor operable to simultaneously display said moving corrected-aiming point along with said corrected-aiming point.

8. A method comprising:

aligning a weapon with a desired target;

energizing an aiming system associated with said weapon;

determining a range to said target;

generating by a processor a number of simulated bullet trajectories;

generating by said processor a number of simulated bullet impact locations;

generating by said processor said simulated bullet trajectories and said simulated bullet impact locations using closed-loop control until an error between said simulated bullet impact location and said target is within a predetermined range; and

generating a corrected-aiming point if said error is within said predetermined range to aid a shooter in adjusting a position of said weapon to allow a projectile fired from said weapon to contact said target at a desired location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying said corrected-aiming point includes displaying said corrected-aiming point in a field-of-view of the shooter.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein generating said corrected-aiming point includes generating a static corrected-aiming point for a static target.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a moving corrected-aiming point for a moving target based on said static corrected-aiming point.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising simultaneously displaying said static corrected-aiming point and said moving corrected-aiming point.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying said static corrected-aiming point and said moving corrected-aiming point includes displaying two different indicia.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying said static corrected-aiming point and said moving corrected-aiming point includes displaying indicia of at least one of a different color and a different shape to aid the shooter in distinguishing between said static corrected-aiming point and said moving corrected-aiming point.

15. A method comprising:

aligning a weapon with a static target;

energizing an aiming system associated with said weapon;

determining a range to said static target;

generating by a processor a static corrected-aiming point to aid a shooter in adjusting a position of said weapon to allow a projectile fired from said weapon to contact said static target at a desired location;

detecting movement of said static target;

generating by said processor a moving corrected-aiming point based on said static corrected-aiming point to aid the shooter in adjusting a position of said weapon to allow a projective fired from said weapon to contact said moving target at a desired location; and

simultaneously displaying said static corrected-aiming point and said moving corrected-aiming point.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting movement of said target includes detecting movement of said weapon.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting movement of said weapon includes receiving information from a yaw-rate sensor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein generating said static corrected-aiming point includes determining a simulated bullet trajectory and a simulated bullet impact location.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein generating said static corrected-aiming point includes iteratively generating said simulated bullet trajectory and said simulated bullet impact location until said simulated bullet impact location impacts said static target at a desired location.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying said static corrected-aiming point and said moving corrected-aiming point includes displaying two different indicia.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying said static corrected-aiming point and said moving corrected-aiming point includes displaying indicia of at least one of a different color and a different shape to aid the shooter in distinguishing between said static corrected-aiming point and said moving corrected-aiming point.