Tactical operations system

Abstract

The invention relates to a tactical operations system. The tactical operations system includes a plurality of mobile image capturing devices in the form of an electronic camera integrated into the telescopic sight such that images captured by the camera correspond to a sight picture, including reticle, as viewed by a team member. The system includes a number of transmitters, each transmitter being associated and connected to one or more of the image capturing devices, and which transmits images captured by the mobile image capturing device and a remote operations center with a receiver and at least one display which receives images transmitted by the transmitters and displays the received images on at least one display.

Description

[0001] TACTICAL OPERATIONS SYSTEM

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention relates to a tactical operations system and more specifically, but not exclusively, to a tactical operations system for remote monitoring of tactical operations team members.

[0004] BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0005] Tactical operations is an umbrella term used to describe operations executed by military, police, or other security forces in exceptional circumstances. Such operations are typically carried out by a specialized team (such as special operations forces or S.W.A.T) in circumstances which go beyond the capabilities and / or duties of regular security forces (for example, hostage rescue and extraction).

[0006] Typically, tactical operations will be managed from a tactical operations center which receives information from the team members and other sources, makes decisions based on the available information, and provides feedback and orders to team members.

[0007] A problem with current tactical operations systems, is that information available to members of a tactical operations center is often limited and it is desirable to have real time visual information through video streaming from a situation as possible.

[0008] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0009] It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a tactical operations system which, at least partially, alleviates some of the problems associated with the prior art or provides a useful alternative thereto. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In accordance with the invention there is provided a tactical operations system comprising:

[0011] - a plurality of mobile image capturing devices, with each image capturing device associated with a tactical operations team member in the field who is responsible for coverage at the scene;

[0012] - a number of transmitters, each transmitter being associated and connected to one or more of the image capturing devices, and which transmits images captured by the mobile image capturing device;

[0013] - a remote operations center with a receiver and at least one display wherein the receiver receives images transmitted by the transmitters and displays the received images on at least one display.

[0014] Each mobile image capturing device may be an electronic camera.

[0015] Each camera may be associated with a sight of a weapon of the operations team member in the field.

[0016] The sight may be a telescopic sight.

[0017] The camera may be integrated into the telescopic sight such that images captured by the camera correspond to a sight picture, including reticle, as viewed by a team member in the field.

[0018] The telescopic sight may include an associated ballistics calculator. The ballistics calculator may be integrated into the telescopic sight. The telescopic sight may include night vision.

[0019] The telescopic sight may include a display for displaying a reticle and ballistics information to a team member in the field.

[0020] The ballistics calculator may adjust the reticle or orientation of the sight based on the ballistics calculation.

[0021] The ballistics calculation may take one or more of the following ballistic factors into account:

[0022] - ambient humidity;

[0023] - wind speed and direction; - ambient temperature;

[0024] - atmospheric pressure; and

[0025] - altitude;

[0026] - range to target;

[0027] - weapon type; - weapon ammunition type;

[0028] - caliber;

[0029] - projectile ballistic coefficient; and

[0030] - muzzle velocity. The ballistics calculator may include an interface for providing the ballistic factors. The interface may be integrated into the telescopic sight or may be provided by an external device such as a smartphone connected to the ballistics calculator.

[0031] The ballistics calculator may include sensors for automatically determining one or more of the ballistic factors.

[0032] The transmitter is connected to the telescopic sight wirelessly that receives ballistic information and live images captured by the telescopic sight. The live images will be prepared for transmission via cellular to the remote operation center.

[0033] The wireless connection between the transmitter and the telescopic sight may be based on an IEEE 802.11 standard. The wireless connection may be Wi-Fi™. The wireless connection may be Wi-Fi Direct™.

[0034] The secondary wireless connection may include a cellular modem such as GSM, GPRS, or other related technologies such as 4G, 5G, or LTE for establishing the connection to the operations center through a cellular or mobile data network.

[0035] The system may include an intermediate private access point network (private APN) wherein the secondary wireless connection connects to the private APN and the private APN bridges communication by cellular or mobile data network between a secure network of the operation center.

[0036] The transmitter may transmit the captured images using Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP).

[0037] The operations center may include a plurality of displays for displaying the images and ballistics information received from the telescopic sight. The operations center may include a user interface for selecting which team member’s information to display on each display and for switching between users.

[0038] A team member may be a sniper.

[0039] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention is described below, by way of a non-limiting example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0040] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a telescopic sight;

[0041] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of an operations team member (sniper) using a weapon with a telescopic sight;

[0042] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing multiple team members connecting to an operations center.

[0043] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] With reference to the drawings, in which like features are indicated by like numerals, a tactical operations system is generally indicated by reference numeral 1. The tactical operations system 1 include a plurality of mobile image capturing devices. The image capturing devices described herein are in the form of electronic cameras which are integrated into a telescopic sight 2. The camera is integrated into the telescopic sight 2 such that images captured by the camera correspond to a sight picture, including reticle and user interface if present, as viewed by a team member 3. The camera captures images in the form of video. The telescopic sight 2 includes controls 4, in the form of buttons and sliders, for navigating menus and other settings of a user interface of the telescopic sight 2. The telescopic sight 2 may also include a connector 5 for connecting to an external device and an expansion slot 6 for installing removable storage. The telescopic sight 2 may store video captured by the camera on the removable storage.

[0045] The telescopic sight 2 includes night vision and enhanced video capture in low light operations. The telescopic sight 2 also includes an associated ballistics calculator which is integrated into the telescopic sight 2 in the form of software running on one or more processors and memory associated with the telescopic sight 2. The controls 4 allow a team member 3 to interact with and use a user interface associated with the ballistics calculator. The telescopic sight 2 may also include a display for displaying a reticle and ballistics information to a team member 3 and the reticle or orientation of the sight 2 is adjustable by the software based on ballistics calculations. The ballistics calculations will take one or more ballistic factors into account such as ambient humidity, wind speed and direction, ambient temperature, atmospheric pressure, altitude, range to target, weapon type, weapon ammunition type, caliber, projectile ballistic coefficient; and / or muzzle velocity.

[0046] At least some of these ballistic factors may be input using the user interface of the telescopic sight 2. Alternatively, the ballistic factors may be preprogrammed to the telescopic sight 2 using an external device such as a smartphone or computer which is connected to the telescopic sight, and consequently to the ballistics calculator, through connector 5. The telescopic sight 2 and its associated ballistics calculator may include sensors for automatically determining one or more of the ballistic factors. For example, the telescopic sight may include a range finder for determining the range to a target and / or an ambient temperature and humidity sensor. The telescopic sight 2 may also broadcast the video wirelessly and the system 1 includes a plurality of transmitters 7 which wirelessly connects to the telescopic sight 2 and transmits the video received from the telescopic sight 2. In this example, the transmitters 7 connect to the telescopic sights 2 through Wi-Fi Direct ™ and includes a cellular modem for connecting to a cellular / mobile data network. In the example shown in figure 3, multiple transmitters 7 are shown which receives video from multiple team members 3. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that a single transmitter may be used which connects to the telescopic sights 2 of multiple team members 3. This may be useful where multiple team members are in close proximity to one another.

[0047] Each transmitter may connect to a private access point network (APN) over the cellular / mobile data network using known data transfer technologies such as GSM, GPRS, 4G, LTE, or 5G and such connection may be encrypted. The private APN Network allows the transmitted information to be received within a secure network of a remote operations center 8 through a virtual private network. The video may be transmit using the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP).

[0048] The remote operations center 8 includes a receiver 9 and at least one display 10 wherein the receiver receives images transmitted by the transmitters 7 and displays at least one of the received images on the display 10. The remote operations center 8 may also include multiple displays 10 for simultaneously showing the video received from all team members 3.

[0049] It is envisaged that the invention will provide a system which will be utilized by military and law enforcement for mass events or special operations to have real-time views of the telescopic sights and associated ballistics information from all team members . This will allow members of the remote operations center to make informed and fast decisions and provide orders to its team based thereon. The resultant efficiency and reaction time increase may be lifesaving in certain scenarios.

[0050] The invention is not limited to the precise details as described herein. For example, instead of using Wi-Fi Direct for connecting the transmitter to the camera of the telescopic sight another wireless or wired technology may be used to connect the telescopic sight to the transmitter.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A tactical operations system comprising:- a plurality of mobile image capturing devices, with each image capturing device associated with an operations team member;- a number of transmitters, each transmitter being associated and connected to one or more of the image capturing devices, which transmits images captured by the mobile image capturing device; and- a remote operations center with a receiver and at least one display wherein the receiver receives images transmitted by the transmitters and displays the received images on at least one display.

2. The tactical operations system of claim 1 wherein the mobile image capturing device is an electronic camera which is associated with a sight of a weapon of the operations team member.

3. The tactical operations system of claim 2 wherein the sight is a telescopic sight.

4. The tactical operations system of claim 3 wherein the camera is integrated into the telescopic sight such that images captured by the camera correspond to a sight picture, including reticle, as viewed by a team member.

5. The tactical operations system of claim 3 wherein the telescopic sight includes an associated ballistics calculator which is integrated into the telescopic sight for performing a ballistics calculation based on ballistic factors.

6. The tactical operations system of claim 3 wherein the telescopic sight includes night vision.The tactical operations system of claim 5 wherein the telescopic sight includes a display for displaying a reticle and ballistics information to a team member. The tactical operations system of claim 5 wherein the ballistics calculator adjusts the reticle of the sight based on the ballistics calculation. The tactical operations system of claim 5 wherein the ballistics calculation takes one or more ballistic factors into account, the ballistic factors being selected from a list comprising: ambient humidity; wind speed and direction; ambient temperature; atmospheric pressure; altitude; range to target; weapon type; weapon ammunition type; caliber; projectile ballistic coefficient; and muzzle velocity. The tactical operations system of claim 9 wherein the ballistics calculator includes one or more sensors for automatically determining one or more of the ballistic factors. The tactical operations system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is connected to the telescopic sight wirelessly and includes a secondary wireless connection for transmitting ballistic information and images captured by the telescopic sight to the operations center. The tactical operations system of claim 1 1 wherein the system includes an intermediate private access point wherein the secondary wireless connection connects to the private access point and the private access point bridges communication between a secure network of the operation center and the public network used by the secondary wireless connection. The tactical operations system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter transmits the captured images using Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP). The tactical operations system of claim 1 wherein the operations center includes a plurality of displays for displaying the images and ballistics information received from the telescopic sights.

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