Firearm Aiming System with Off-Line-of-Sight Laser Range Finder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Firearms have low effectiveness due to user movement, target movement, relative aiming issues, dynamic firearm conditions, and atmospheric factors, leading to frequent misses, including friendly fire incidents.
Innovation Solution
A firearm aiming system comprising a user display, electro-optic tracker, and laser range finder that can aim a pulsed laser beam off the line-of-sight to measure target range, using a two-dimensional tilting mirror or gimbal to track and reflect laser light, allowing for accurate targeting and range measurement even when the target is outside the user's direct line of sight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a remote target acquiring device is used to acquire targets outside the line of sight, then the targeting capability is improved, but the verification of line of sight firing becomes questionable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the remote target acquiring device with a line of sight verification device into an integrated system. The target acquiring device captures targets outside the direct line of sight, while the verification device independently confirms whether the target is visible and accessible for line of sight firing. This merging allows the system to maintain both extended targeting capability and reliable verification of firing conditions.
2Measurement precision
If the firearm requires barrel motion sensors for non-static targets, then the tracking accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical barrel motion sensors with an optical tracking system that uses image capture devices and processors to detect and track target motion. Instead of mechanically sensing barrel movement, the system captures sequential images of the target, analyzes the motion between frames, and calculates trajectory predictions. This substitution eliminates the need for additional mechanical sensors while maintaining or improving tracking accuracy for non-static targets.
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 system significantly improves firing accuracy by enabling precise targeting and range measurement, reducing misses and friendly fire incidents, and allowing for automatic or manual lock-on capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
an electro-optic tracker that receives an image of the target from an image sensor and tracks the target
Implementation Method 2
a laser range finder that can aim a pulsed laser beam
Implementation Method 3
measuring a range to the target, using the range finder
Implementation Method 4
using a two-dimensional tilting mirror or gimbal to track and reflect laser light
Data Source
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AI summary
An aiming system of an aimable device includes a user display, an imaging system, user controls, a tracker, and a range finder such as a LRF. The imaging system displays, on the user display, an indicator of the direction in which the device points. The user uses the user controls to lock on a target towards which the device points according to the indicator. Then the tracker tracks the target, and the range finder measures the range to the tracked target. The tracker aims the range finder at the target, or alternatively scans the target and its background, one-dimensionally or two- dimensionally.