Patent Application
20120171643
Live combat simulation systems using firearm-like devices emulating or simulating real-life firearms, such as in laser tag or combat games, allow individuals to participate in realistic combat simulations in a range of different indoor and outdoor environments without substantially endangering their own, and others', personal safety. Such systems can be used for military training, entertainment, sport, team building and/or morale building.
As an example, a system often used in military training is the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES), which is a modern realistic force-on-force training system. As a standard for direct-fire tactical engagement simulation, MILES is a system employed for training soldiers by the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Air Force and international forces such as the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps, Kuwait Land Forces and the UK Ministry of Defense.
A simulation system such as MILES allows gunners to fire infrared laser beams that simulate bullets from the same weapons and vehicles that they would use in actual combat. These simulated direct-fire events produce realistic audio/visual effects and casualties, identified as a “hit,” “miss” or “kill.” The events are then recorded, replayed and analyzed in detail during After Action Reviews, which give commanders and participants an opportunity to review their performance during the training exercise. Unique player ID codes and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology may be used to ensure accurate data collection, including casualty assessments and participant positioning.
In simulated firing with a laser, an optical transmitter mounted on a weapon emits a laser beam. The beam can be detected by one or more detectors mounted on one or more targets.
When an optical transmitter is mounted on a weapon, its firing direction must be aligned with the firing directing of the weapon. This can be accomplished by aiming the weapon with its regular sight at a target that is designed so as to be able to sense the simulated firing of the optical transmitter. The optical transmitter is fired, and the target is observed to determine the locations of the hits in relation to the aiming of the weapon. If deviations are present, the firing direction of the optical transmitter is adjusted by means of an adjusting device built into the optical transmitter until the weapon and the optical transmitter are jointly aligned. It may also be necessary to repeat the alignment process if the optical transmitter is jostled somewhat from its position, e.g. as a result of exposure to minor impacts. One problem with this alignment technique is that may require trial and error to achieve the proper alignment by observing through the site the location at which the target is hit each time the position of the optical transmitter is adjusted. Thus, while a satisfactory approach in principle, this alignment technique is cumbersome and time consuming to execute, and requires special equipment to render the invisible laser beam visible.
Alternatively, an alignment fixture or device may be used. In this alignment technique the optical transmitter mounted on the weapon transmits a simulation beam along a simulation axis as well as an alignment beam along an alignment axis that is parallel with the simulation axis. The weapon sight defines an aiming axis that indicates the direction in which a round will leave the weapon when live ammunition is fired. To enable alignment of the simulation axis of the optical transmitter with the aiming axis, an alignment device or fixture is mounted on the weapon in front of the optical transmitter. The alignment device includes an off-axis curved mirror that reflects the alignment beam and the image of a target back into the sight. The alignment beam and the target are thus visible through the sight, so that the alignment axis and the simulation axis can be collectively adjusted using appropriate means so that they coincide with the sight axis.
On problem with an alignment device of the type described above is that it requires a relatively bulky housing to contain both the mirror and the target. For instance, in one currently available alignment device the distance between the off-axis mirror and the target is approximately 1 meter. Thus, such an alignment device can be both cumbersome and expensive.
This Background is provided to introduce a brief context for the Summary and Detailed Description that follow. This Background is not intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter nor be viewed as limiting the claimed subject matter to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages or problems presented above.
A small form-factor alignment device is provided for a weapon that generates a simulation beam and an alignment beam that is used to properly align the simulation beam with the weapon's sight. The device is sufficiently small so that it can be easily secured to the weapon during the alignment process, after which it can be removed.
In one implementation, the device includes a housing that can be mounted on the weapon so that its optical receiving port intersects both the optical alignment beam generated by the optical transmitter and the sighting axis of the weapon's sight. The optical receiving port includes an optical arrangement for receiving the alignment beam and focusing it on a projection screen located inside the housing. An image of the alignment beam on the projection screen can be viewed through the sight by a user. In one particular implementation, the alignment beam is parallel to the simulation beam. Thus, by centering the alignment beam in the sight, the alignment beam, and hence the simulation beam, will be properly aligned.
a) and 6(b) show an example of the view that is observed when the user is looking through the sight before and after alignment, respectively.
The weapon 2 includes a sight 3 that defines a sighting axis 8. The sighting axis 8 defines the direction along which a shot will leave the weapon 2 when firing with live ammunition. The optical transmitter 1 emits a simulation beam 4 along a simulator axis. The simulation beam 4 may have a wavelength in the infrared range or in any other suitable range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The optical transmitter 1 also emits an alignment beam 7 along an alignment axis, which is parallel to the simulator axis. The alignment beam 7 has a wavelength within the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
In order to provide a realistic simulation exercise, the simulator axis of the simulation beam 4 needs to be brought into alignment with the sighting axis 8. With this configuration, a gunner can train using the weapon sight 3 as he or she would in combat. In accordance with the methods, devices and techniques described herein, alignment can be accomplished using an alignment device 9 such as shown in
As shown, the alignment device 9 is mounted on the barrel 6 of the weapon 2 in front of the optical transmitter 1 and intercepts the optical axis of the sighting axis 8 as well as the axes of the alignment and simulation beams. The alignment device 9 has mounting brackets 10 to releasably attach the alignment device 9 to the barrel 6 of the weapon 2.
Referring again to
The mounting brackets or clamps 10 are generally ruggedized structural members capable of withstanding shocks and vibrations while also being releasably attachable to the barrel 6 of the weapon 2. Moreover, because of the need for high precision in the alignment between the sight 3 and the optical transmitter 1, the mounting brackets or clamps 10 should tightly and rigidly secure the attachment device to the barrel 6 so that there is no relative movement between them. However, it is also advantageous if the mounting brackets 10 allow quick and easy installation and removal of the alignment device 9 from the weapon 2.
One example of how the mounting brackets 10 may secure the alignment device 9 to the barrel 6 of the weapon 2 is shown in
Of course, the particular mounting bracket shown in
a shows an example of the view that is observed when the user is looking through the sight 3. In this example the sight 3 includes a reticle on which cross-hairs or other alignment marks 30 are superimposed. The central point between the alignment marks 30 defines the sighting axis 8, which is the direction along which a shot will leave the weapon 2 when firing with live ammunition. Also visible when looking through the sight 3 is the image 32 of the alignment beam 7 received from the projection surface 23.
In order to align the alignment beam 7 (and in turn, the simulation beam 4) with the aiming axis of the weapon 2, the image 32 needs to be centrally located in the sight 3, which in this example is the point at which the alignment marks 30 would intersect one another. This is shown in
The particular projection surface 23 (see
In some implementations the optical transmitter 1 may be able to adjust the intensity of the alignment beam 7 so that it can be reduced to a safe level when seen by the viewer. For instance, the optical transmitter may include a user interface such as a simple switch or the like that can place the transmitter in an alignment mode of operation during which the intensity of the alignment beam is reduced.
In yet another implementation, the alignment beam 7 may be eliminated altogether, allowing the simulation beam 4 to serve the dual purpose of alignment and simulation. In this case the simulation beam 4 may have a wavelength in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Alternatively, if the wavelength of the simulation beam 4 is outside of the visible spectrum, a wavelength converter may be used to convert its wavelength so that it is translated into the visible portion of the spectrum. The wavelength converter may be located in the housing 22 of the alignment device at any point along the optical path traversed by the simulation beam 4 between the point where it enters the receiving port 24 and the point where it exits the receiving port 24 as it travels to the sight 3. For instance, the wavelength converter may be co-located with the projection surface 23. In some cases the wavelength converter itself may serve as the projection surface 23. One advantage of using a dual-purpose simulation beam 4 is that it is not necessary to be concerned about the alignment between the simulation beam 4 and the alignment beam 7, which, as noted above, is assumed to be parallel to one another in this particular example.
The alignment device housing 22 may or may not be light-tight. If, for instance, the reticle generates its own light in order to make the alignment marks visible, the housing 22 may be configured to prevent light from entering except through the receiving port 24. In other cases it may important to allow outside light to enter the housing 22 so that the viewer will be able to see the alignment marks superimposed on the image of the alignment beam 7 projected into the sight 3.
External light may be allowed to enter the housing 22 in any manner. For instance, all or part of the back wall 26 of the housing 22 may be formed from a translucent diffusing screen or other surface that allows a fraction of the ambient light to enter the housing 22 from behind the projection surface 23. In this way a viewer looking through the site will be able to view the alignment marks and the alignment beam as well as the projection surface 23, while sufficient contrast is provided by the diffusing screen so that the projection surface 23 remains visible to the viewer.
In those implementations in which light enters the alignment device, one or more apertures may be provided along one or more walls of the housing 22. In some cases the size of these apertures may be adjustable with the use of a shutter or the like. In this way the viewer can conveniently control the amount of light that enters the alignment device in order to better optimize the appearance of the alignment beam image in the sight 3. In addition to (or instead of) manual control of the aperture size, automatic control may be provided. For instance, a light sensor may be included in the housing 22 to measure the amount of light present. The measured value from the sensor can then be used by a controller to adjust the aperture size in order to maintain some desired light level in the housing 22. Such manual or automatic control of the aperture size can allow the alignment device to operate most effectively under different environmental conditions. For instance, the apertures may be adjusted to account for different amounts of sunlight that may be available when the alignment process is being performed.
While the embodiment of the alignment device shown in
As previously mentioned, the alignment device described above can be used even if the simulation beam and the alignment beam are not parallel to one another, provided that the two beams leave the optical transmitter in a fixed and known angular relationship to one another.
In some implementations it may desirable to improve the circular symmetry and size of the simulation beam generated by the laser emitter. This result may be achieved in a number of different ways. For example, an optical fiber (not shown) may be arranged in the beam path of the laser emitter 104 so that the beam is reflected a number of times inside the fiber, thereby achieving a more symmetrical distribution across the beam diameter. Alternatively, a beam-shaping optical component 106 may be arranged in the beam path from the laser emitter 104 with essentially positive refractive power containing at least one diffractive transmitting surface or aspherical refractive surface.
A beam splitter 109 receives the simulation beam from the laser emitter 104 (or the beam-shaping optical component 106, if employed). The beam splitter 109 has a beam-splitting layer 110 arranged so as to reflect a significant part of the simulation beam toward a projection lens 111. If employed, the beam-shaping optical component 106 is positioned so that the focal plane 113 of the projection lens 111 along this optical path, after reflection by the beam-splitting layer 110, lies at the point where the simulation beam from the beam-shaping optical component 106 has the desired symmetrical shape.
A visible light emitter 114, such as a light-emitting diode, is arranged to generate the alignment beam. As with the laser emitter 104, the circular symmetry of the alignment beam optionally may be improved with the use of an optical fiber or a beamshaping optical component 116, which is positioned relative to the focal plane of the projection lens 111 so that the alignment beam from the beam-shaping optical component 116 has the desired symmetrical shape. The beam splitter 109 receives the alignment beam from the visible light emitter 114 (or the beam-shaping optical component 106, if employed). A portion of the alignment beam passes through the beam-splitting layer 110, while a second part is reflected away from the optical system 112.
In the example shown in
In some cases the placement of the visible light emitter 114 and the laser emitter 104 may be reversed so that the beam-splitting layer 110 allows the simulation beam to pass through it in the direction toward the projection lens 111 and reflects the alignment beam toward the projection lens 111.
After energizing the visible light source, the method proceeds to block 230. At block 230, the user views the alignment beam through the sight of the weapon. If the alignment beam does not appear at the target point in the sight (e.g., at the center of the cross-hairs) the simulation beam is not properly aligned. Assuming that alignment is needed, at block 240 the user adjusts the alignment using the alignment mechanism on the mounting brackets of the optical transmitter. Depending on the nature of the mount, this may require the user to rotate one or more set screws, gears or the like in order to adjust both the azimuth and elevation axes. In other implementations the mount may be motorized so that the user can adjust the position and orientation of the optical transmitter using a user interface that serves as a beam steerer, such as a joystick or the like. After the alignment beam is properly aligned in the sight, the user can optionally de-energize the visible light source at block 250, both in order to conserve battery power, if used, and to provide a more realistic weapon simulation. Finally, in step 260 the alignment device is removed from the weapon, which is now ready for use in a simulation environment.
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
