[0001] U.S. military sniper teams generally consist of a shooter and an observer (or spotter).
The observer uses a non-electronic glass optics-based spotting scope to observe a
target, determine distance, and estimate wind speed and direction before a shot is
fired. The spotter conveys this information to the shooter for point of aim adjustments
prior to shooting. Distance is estimated manually.
[0002] After the shooter fires, the spotter tries to observe the actual path of the bullet
(trace) to the intended target (point of impact) through the spotting scope. The spotter
then attempts to determine if the target was hit based on the observed trace trajectory.
If the target was not hit, the spotter determines where the bullet crossed the plane
of the target and suggests an aiming correction to the shooter. Observing target can
only be performed during daylight and the trace is extremely difficult to observe
even under ideal daylight conditions. Trace observations are also subject to very
large errors. Also, if no spotter is present, then observation of the trace trajectory
is not possible.
[0003] Therefore, there exists a need for an improved spotter scope.
[0004] The present invention provides systems and methods for automatically generating an
aim point correction for sniper operations. The present invention reduces spotter/sniper
workload and improves trace spotting analysis.
[0005] An example system includes a scope, a video capture component, an output device,
and a processor in signal communication with the video capture component and the output
device. The video capture component captures video of a bullet from when the bullet
left a weapon to at least when the bullet crossed a previously determined target range.
The processor determines from the captured video where the bullet was located relative
to an intended target when the bullet was at the target range, generates a new aim
point if the bullet was determined to have missed an intended hit point, and outputs
the generated new aim point to the output device.
[0006] In one aspect of the invention, the intended hit point is the intended target.
[0007] In another aspect of the invention, the video capture component includes a digital
video camera and/or an infrared video camera.
IN THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail
below with reference to the following drawings:
[0009] FIGURE 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example spotter scope formed in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0010] FIGURE 2 illustrates a block diagram of components of the scope shown in FIGURE 1;
[0011] FIGURE 3 is a flow diagram of an example process performed by the scope of FIGURES
1 and 2;
[0012] FIGURE 4 is an example image viewable by a user of the scope; and
[0013] FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a sniper's gun-mounted scope.
[0014] FIGURE 1 shows an example spotter scope 20 formed in accordance with an embodiment
of the present invention. The scope 20 may be hand-held or mounted to a support device,
such as a tripod 40. The scope 20 includes a housing 24 with a scope lens 34, a video
lens 36, and an infrared lens 38 located at a first end of the housing 24. At a second
end of the housing 24 are eye pieces 28 that correspond to the lenses 34-38, user
interface controls 30, and a display device 32.
[0015] As shown in FIGURE 2, the scope 20 includes a processor 60 that is in data communication
with user interface controls 30, the display device 32, and an output device 42. An
example of the output device 42 is a digital micro mirror device (DMD) that is controlled
by a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chip for presenting images in the field of view
through the scope lens 34 and via an associated eye piece.
[0016] In one embodiment, the processor 60 includes video capture components 80, video processing
components 82, and a targeting component 88. The video capture components 80 includes
a digital video camera associated with the video lens 36 and an infrared video capture
component associated with the infrared lens 38. The video capture components 80 capture
video images of a trajectory of a bullet expelled by a nearby weapon. The captured
video is sent to the video processing components 82 for analysis. In a daytime situation,
the video captured by the digital video camera is processed to determine trajectory
of the bullet and at night the video captured by the infrared camera is used to determine
bullet trajectory. Daytime video capture with the digital video camera can be augmented
by the infrared camera where conditions warrant. Once the trajectory has been determined
from one or both of the generated video images, the processing component 82 determines
where the bullet was most likely to have crossed the plane of the intended target.
If the processing component 82 determines that the trajectory of the bullet shows
that the bullet did not hit the intended target, then the targeting component 88 determines
an aiming correction location. The processing component 82 and the targeting component
88 includes a display component for generating an image of the location of where the
bullet crossed the target plane (processing component 82) and an image for a new aiming
point (targeting component 88). The images are sent to the display device 32 and/or
the output device 44 for presentation within the field of view of the scope, other
video capture devices may be used.
[0017] The processor 60 may output the captured video to the display device 32. Also, the
display device 32 may present scope status information, activateable user controls
(e.g., touch screen control buttons), previously stored information, or information
received (wirelessly or via wire) from another system.
[0018] FIGURE 3 is a flow diagram of an example process 120 performed by the components
of the scope 20. First, at a block 126, one of the video capture components 80 records
video at some point prior to firing of the weapon that is in close proximity to the
scope 20. The video capture components 80 may be activated manually by the user interacting
with the user interface controls 30 or the display device 32, by activation of a remote
control that is in wired or wireless signal communication with the processor 60. In
one embodiment, the remote control device may be a voice capturing device and the
processor 60 includes a voice processing component (not shown) that interprets voice
signals sent to it via the remote control. Activation or deactivation of the capturing
of video images can be performed automatically, for example, by sensing activation
of the weapon and by deactivating after a predefined period of time from when the
weapon was activated. Next, at a block 128 image analysis of the captured video is
automatically performed in order to determine trajectory of the bullet. At a block
132, the processor 60 automatically determines the point where the bullet crossed
the intended target based on the determined trajectory, the frame rate of the captured
video, a predicted range of the intended target, and a determination of when the bullet
left the weapon or when the trigger was pulled. The determination of when the bullet
left the weapon or trigger activation may be based on a sensed event, such as sound
or shock as sensed by a sensing device (not shown).
[0019] At block 134, processor 60 outputs a dot, such as a red dot, to represent the determined
point where the bullet crossed the intended target. The outputted dot is presented
on the output device 42. If, at the decision block 136, it was determined that the
bullet did hit the target, then the process is done,
See block 138. However, if the bullet did not hit the target as determined at the decision
block 136, the processor 60, at a block 140, determines an aiming correction point
based on the point determined at the block 32 and the previous aiming point. At a
block 42, a corrected pipper location or aim point location is generated and displayed
and outputted by the output device 142 or the display device 32. The determination
by the processor 60 of whether the bullet hit the target is based on comparing the
point determined at the block 132 to a stored image that is sized according to the
determined predicted range of the target.
[0020] FIGURE 4 illustrates an image 160 that a viewer sees through the scope 20. A center
pipper 166 in this example is located at the center of the intended target. After
the weapon has been fired and the analysis has been performed at blocks 128 and 132,
the point 168 is displayed to one viewing the image 160 in order to show where the
point is that was determined at the block 132. After the correction determination
is made at the block 140, a new pipper 170 is generated and outputted according to
the block 142. The point 168 and pipper 170 are presented within the scope by a DMD
and DSP chip.
[0021] The corrected pipper location, such as the pipper 170 of FIGURE 4, is conveyed to
the sniper. The sniper viewing the target through gun-mounted scope 180 adjusts their
targeting in order to match the new aim location, .See aim point 188. If it is determined
that the new aim location is outside of the MILDOT settings of a typical scope, then
the sniper will activate a dial 190 in order to adjust the targeting aim point according
to the new aim point.
[0022] In one embodiment, the range of the target is predicted manually by the spotter or
shooter or automatically by the processor 60. The spotter or shooter determines range
by known techniques and enters the determined range into the processor 60 using the
user interface controls 30 or the display device 32. The processor 60 automatically
determines range by using image analysis of a center portion of an image recorded
by one of the video capture components 80 after the user has placed the crosshair
on the intended target and instructed the processor 60 to calculate range. The processor
60 performs image matching that matches a prestored target object (upper body human
form) to a similar object in the captured image. After a match has been determined,
range is determined by determining a width and/or a height dimensions of the matched
object in the captured image and comparing that to predefined width and height dimensions
for a typical or predefined target.
1. A method for automatically generating an aim point correction, the method comprising:
capturing video of a bullet from when the bullet left a weapon to at least when the
bullet crossed a previously determined target range;
automatically determining from the captured video where the bullet was located relative
to an intended target when the bullet was at the target range;
automatically generating a new aim point if the bullet was determined to have missed
an intended hit point; and
outputting the generated new aim point.
2. The method of Claim 1, wherein the intended hit point is the intended target and wherein
capturing includes capturing daytime video images.
3. The method of Claim 1, wherein capturing includes capturing infrared video images.
4. The method of Claim 1, further comprising automatically determining range of the target.
5. The method of Claim 1, wherein outputting includes displaying the generated new aim
point in a field of view of a scope.
6. A system for automatically generating an aim point correction, the system comprising:
a scope;
a video capture component configured to capture video of a bullet from
when the bullet left a weapon to at least when the bullet crossed a previously determined
target range;
an output device;
a processor in signal communication with the video capture component and the output
device, the processor comprising:
a first component configured to determine from the captured video where the bullet
was located relative to an intended target when the bullet was at the target range;
a second component configured to generate a new aim point if the bullet was determined
to have missed an intended hit point; and
a third component configured to output the generated new aim point to the output device.
7. The system of Claim 6, wherein the intended hit point is the intended target and wherein
the video capture component includes a digital video camera.
8. The system of Claim 6, wherein the video capture component includes an infrared video
camera.
9. The system of Claim 6, wherein the processor comprises a fourth component configured
to determine range of the target.
10. The system of Claim 6, wherein the output device includes a component for outputting
the generated new aim point in a field of view of the scope.