Shooting Simulator Target Positioning via Moving Light-Dark Boundary
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shooting simulators face challenges in accurately determining the position of multiple simulation weapons targeting a shared target area while maintaining operational safety and cost-effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The method involves simulation weapons that do not emit light, using optically passive devices to detect changes in brightness on the target area, allowing for simultaneous operation of multiple weapons with simple and inexpensive opto-electronic detection, and employing a computing device to determine the targeted point based on time variables associated with these changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple simulation weapons emit light beams to indicate targeting points, then the targeting positions can be visualized on the target surface, but the light points interfere with each other making it difficult to assign points to individual weapons
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light emission function from the simulation weapons and assigns it to a separate light source. The weapons now only contain opto-electronic detection devices that detect brightness changes caused by a moving light-dark boundary, eliminating light interference while preserving targeting position detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a moving light-dark boundary as an intermediary that passes through the targeting positions. This boundary acts as a mediator that carries timing information from the weapons to the detection system without requiring the weapons to emit their own light beams
2Measurement precision
If simulation weapons actively emit light beams, then targeting positions can be generated on the target surface, but operational safety is compromised due to potential eye damage from laser beams
Solution Approach 1:
The light emission function is extracted from the simulation weapons and assigned to a separate safe light source. The weapons now only contain detection devices that sense brightness changes, completely eliminating the harmful laser emission while maintaining targeting position visualization through the moving boundary technique
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive and potentially harmful laser emission systems with inexpensive opto-electronic detection devices that sense brightness changes. This substitution eliminates safety hazards while reducing system cost and complexity
3Measurement precision
If a camera system is used to capture and evaluate light points on the target surface, then targeting positions can be detected, but the system becomes complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical camera system with opto-electronic detection devices that directly sense brightness changes. This substitution eliminates the need for image capture, processing, and evaluation, dramatically simplifying the system while maintaining detection precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the image capture and evaluation functions from the system and replaces them with direct opto-electronic brightness detection. This removal of complex image processing subsystems simplifies the overall system architecture while preserving targeting position detection capability
4Productivity
If multiple simulation weapons operate simultaneously with active light emission, then more weapons can be used at once, but the system becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal detection system where a single opto-electronic detection device can serve multiple simulation weapons simultaneously. Each weapon uses the same simple brightness detection principle, allowing unlimited simultaneous operation without increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex multi-camera systems with simple opto-electronic detection devices that can handle multiple weapons simultaneously through brightness change detection. This substitution enables unlimited simultaneous weapon operation while keeping the system simple and inexpensive
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
This approach enables accurate and cost-effective simultaneous operation of multiple simulation weapons, improves operational safety by eliminating interference between light points, and allows for precise determination of the target point and time of activation.
Implementation Method 1
a generating device (24) for generating a light-dark boundary which moves across the target area (12)
Implementation Method 2
an opto-electronic detection device (20) for detecting changes in brightness which are generated by the moving light-dark boundary
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5a~5j
AI summary
Shooting simulator (10), which includes: a target area (12), a simulation weapon (18) and a computing device (28) with a microprocessor and a memory on which program code is stored that can run on the microprocessor.It is proposed that the shooting simulator (10) has a generation device (24) for generating a change in brightness on the target surface (12), preferably in a non-visible wavelength range, at different locations (22) on the target surface (12) at different times, that the simulation weapon (18) has an opto-electronic detection device (20) for detecting the change in brightness only at a location (22) on the target surface (12) targeted by the simulation weapon (18), and that the computing device (28) is configured and designed to determine a time parameter related to the detected change in brightness and to determine the position of the targeted location (22) on the basis of the determined time parameter.