Field of view system and method

• US 8,739,672 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Kelly, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAYES, BRET C
• Application Number:
  US13/473,381
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 89/11.1, 235/400, 235/404
• US Class Current: 89/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/02 using an independent line of sight
• 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 9/00 Systems for controlling missiles or projectiles, not provided for elsewhere

Abstract

Systems and methods for coordinating fields of view are provided. Sensor data may be generated regarding movement in one or more planes and used as boundaries for the field of view. A geographic location may also be associated with the field of view. Fields of view from two or more geographic locations may be aggregated to determine a collective field of view. The collective field of view may be provided to an electronic display. In some cases, the field of view may be a field of fire associated with a ballistic weapon.

Claims

1. A method of determining a field of view, comprising:

receiving sensor data regarding a field of view, the sensor data comprising measurements indicative of one or more boundaries for the field of view;

determining a geographic location at which the sensor data was generated;

analyzing the sensor data and the geographic location to determine the field of view;

aggregating fields of view from two or more geographic locations into a collective field of view;

providing the collective field of view to an electronic display, the collective field of view is a collective field of fire for two or more weapons; and

generating an alert based in part on whether a geographic location associated with a first field of fire is located within a second field of fire.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more boundaries for the field of view comprise azimuth measurements within a first plane.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more boundaries for the field of view comprise tilt measurements within a second plane.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location is determined using a satellite-based positioning system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more boundaries for the field of view comprise range measurements from a range sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the sensor data with a weapon;

retrieving weapon data from a memory, the weapon data comprising range data and ballistics data for the weapon; and

using the weapon data to determine the first field of fire or the second field of fire.

7. A method of determining a collective field of view using sensor data, the method comprising:

aggregating fields of view from two or more geographic locations into a collective field of view;

providing the collective field of view to an electronic display, wherein the collective field of view is a collective field of fire for two or more weapons; and

generating an alert based in part on whether a geographic location associated with a first field of fire is located within a second field of fire.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein one or more boundaries for each field of view comprise azimuth measurements within a first plane.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more boundaries for each field of view comprise tilt measurements within a second plane.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the geographic location is determined using a satellite-based positioning system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more boundaries for each field of view comprise range measurements from a range sensor.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the alert is provided to a mobile device at the geographic location.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein, the alert is provided to a mobile device associated with the second field of fire.

14. A method, comprising:

using sensor data to determine at least two fields of view;

aggregating the fields of view into a collective field of view;

providing the collective field of view to an electronic display, wherein the collective field of view is a collective field of fire for two or more weapons; and

generating an alert based in part on whether a geographic location associated with a first field of fire is located within a second field of fire.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more boundaries for each field of view comprise azimuth measurements within a first plane.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more boundaries for each field of view comprise tilt measurements within a second plane.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the geographic location is determined using a satellite-based positioning system.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more boundaries for each field of view comprise range measurements from a range sensor.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the alert is provided to a mobile device in the second field of fire.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the alert is an audio alert.