Adaptive Gunsight Illumination for Variable Ambient Light
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional weapon sights face issues with inconsistent light intensity and color of the aiming indicium, which are inadequate in varying ambient light conditions, leading to reduced visibility in bright or dim light.
Innovation Solution
A weapon sight with a blade containing a light source, photosensor, microprocessor, and switch sequence pattern translator that adjusts light intensity and color automatically based on ambient light conditions or user input, using light pipes and tritium capsules for illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional light gathering elements are used to transmit ambient light, then the aiming indicium is visible in ambient light, but attenuation losses reduce light intensity especially in low ambient light conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple light sources (light emitting diodes and phosphorescent material) with light gathering fibers in a single weapon sight assembly. This merging allows the system to overcome attenuation losses by providing multiple illumination pathways, where the phosphorescent material stores and re-emits light, effectively compensating for energy loss in the optical fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces phosphorescent material as an intermediary between the light source and the optical fibers. This phosphorescent layer absorbs light from LEDs and re-emits it, creating a secondary light source that reduces the burden on the optical fibers and minimizes the impact of attenuation losses on the final aiming indicium brightness.
2Length of moving object
If the light gathering element is made longer to extend the sight, then the sight coverage is improved, but attenuation losses increase and reduce light intensity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses phosphorescent material to perform preliminary light storage and conversion before light transmission through the optical fibers. By pre-charging the phosphorescent material with light energy, the system ensures that even long optical fiber paths receive sufficient light intensity, as the phosphorescent material acts as a distributed light reservoir along the fiber length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the light transmission system by incorporating phosphorescent materials with specific emission characteristics. This allows the system to maintain light intensity over longer distances by transforming the light transmission mechanism from direct LED-to-fiber coupling to a phosphorescent-mediated process that is less sensitive to fiber length.
3Stability of the object's composition
If light intensity of aiming indicium is kept consistent regardless of ambient light, then the aiming indicium is always visible, but the light intensity is insufficient in bright ambient light and overly sufficient in dim light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates photosensors that detect ambient light conditions and provide feedback to a microprocessor. This feedback mechanism allows the system to dynamically adjust the intensity of LED light sources and phosphorescent excitation, ensuring the aiming indicium maintains optimal visibility across varying ambient light conditions without being consistently overbright or underbright.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the static light intensity system into a dynamic one by enabling real-time adjustment of LED brightness and phosphorescent excitation levels based on ambient light sensing. This dynamic adaptation allows the aiming indicium to automatically optimize its visibility for both bright and dim environments, resolving the contradiction between consistency and adaptability.
4Stability of the object's composition
If light color of aiming indicium is kept consistent regardless of ambient light, then the color remains stable, but the aiming indicium may be more visible in bright ambient light and less visible in dim ambient light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple light emitting diodes with different wavelengths (colors) and phosphorescent materials with specific emission spectra. The microprocessor selectively activates different LED-color combinations based on ambient light conditions detected by photosensors, allowing the aiming indicium to change color or wavelength to optimize visibility in both bright and dim environments while maintaining color stability within each mode.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The weapon sight provides adaptive light intensity and color adjustment, enhancing visibility in different ambient light conditions, ensuring clear aiming regardless of brightness or color.
Implementation Method 1
a light pipe disposed within the hollow interior of the blade adjacent the blade aperture
Implementation Method 2
a photosensor operable to generate a photosensor signal which varies based on sensed ambient light
Data Source
AI summary
A weapon sight comprising a light emission assembly including a blade having a viewable illuminated aiming indicium which varies in light intensity or light color automatically based on corresponding ambient light intensity or by manually selected switch sequence pattern.