Device and Method for Registering a Hit on a Target

Abstract

The invention relates to a device, system and method for registering a hit on a target and in particular to an improved device, system and method for registering the hit quickly to reduce feedback delay time. A device according to an embodiment comprises: a position storage unit for storing a known position of at least one target; a positioning unit comprising a laser range finder for aiming a weapon or weapon simulator at a weapon aim position; a determining unit for determining whether, when engaging the target, the weapon aim position and the stored position match; and a hit registering unit for registering, based on the determination,

Claims

1. A device for registering a hit on a target, the device comprising: a position storage unit for storing a known position of at least one target; a positioning unit comprising a laser range finder for aiming a weapon or weapon simulator at a weapon aim position; a determining unit for determining whether, when engaging the target, the weapon aim position and the stored position match; and a hit registering unit for registering, based on the determination, a hit on the target.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: a rotary encoder attached to the laser range finder, for setting a direction of the laser range finder.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: a damage estimation unit for estimating damage to the target based on distance to the target and/or location of the hit on the target.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: a target identification storage unit for storing identification information of the target.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein when the determining unit determines that, when engaging the target, the weapon was not pointed at a target, the determining unit is configured to determine whether the weapon was pointed at an object other than a target.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the known position of the at least one target stored in the position storage unit is based on a global positioning system (GPS) signal received from the at least one target.

7. A system comprising: the device according to claim 1; and a GPS transmitter for transmitting a GPS signal indicating the position of the target.

8. A method for registering a hit on a target, the method comprising: aiming, by a laser range finder, a weapon or weapon simulator at a weapon aim position; determining whether, when engaging a target, the weapon aim position matches a known position of the target; and registering, based on the determination, a hit on the target.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: setting a direction of the laser range finder by a rotary encoder attached to the laser range finder.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: estimating damage to the target based on distance to the target and/or location of the hit on the target.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: storing identification information of the target in a target identification storage unit.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: when it is determined that, when engaging the target, the weapon was not pointed at a target, further determining whether the weapon was pointed at an object other than a target.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the known position of the one or more targets stored in the position storage unit is based on a global positioning system (GPS) signal received from the one or more targets.

14. A program which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to execute a process including the method according to of claim 8.

Description

[0029] The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a hit registering device according to an embodiment;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart showing a method for registering a hit according to an embodiment;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a system according to an embodiment;

[0033] FIG. 4 is shows a hit registering device according to another embodiment; and

[0034] FIG. 5 is shows a hit registering device according to still another embodiment.

[0035] The invention relates to improvements for systems used in a warfare simulation or other training environments to ensure accuracy of the exercise and provide suitable feedback to the personnel involved.

[0036] In such a training environment, there are typically two or more opposing sides, wherein each side will attempt to fire their available weapons at the members (or vehicles) of the other side, the targets. The invention provides a device which allows a participant in the wargames, which may for example be a person firing a weapon, a shooter, or an observer, to obtain clear and concise information about the performance of each of the participants in the exercise, the shooters. In particular, it can be efficiently assessed whether a shooter achieves a hit on a particular target. A hit is an accurate shot/firing of a weapon or weapon simulator on a target. More specifically, a hit is when the weapon or weapon simulator is aimed and positioned such that the weapon, if fired, would hit the target. In the training environment, weapons may be weapon simulators, for example which behave in a similar manner to real weapons, but do not fire live ammunition or other projectiles. Weapon simulators include a trigger to determine when the shooter fires the weapon simulator.

[0037] According to an embodiment there is provided a device 10 for registering a hit on a target. The device 10 includes a position storage unit (a position storage) 100, a positioning unit (a positioner) 140, a determining unit (a determiner) 120 and a hit registering unit (a hit register) 160. The positioning unit 140 includes a laser range finder 141. This embodiment is shown for example in FIG. 1. A further embodiment including a GPS transmitter 25, as shown in FIG. 3, for transmitting a position of a target. The GPS transmitter 25 may be included in a target 20 or may be separate from the target 20. A second GPS transmitter (not shown) may be included in the weapon or laser range finder 141 for transmitting the location of the weapon or laser range finder, respectively.

[0038] The position storage unit 100 stores position(s) of at least one (one or more) targets 20. These positions are therefore known positions. The position storage unit 100 may for example have the positions of the targets 20 stored before an exercise is commenced if the targets 20 are not expected to move during the exercise or may receive updates periodically of the positions, if the targets 20 move. The position storage unit 100 may include a radar receiver or a global positioning system (GPS) signal receiver 101. The GPS signal receiver 101 may receive a signal transmitted from a target 20 including information indicating its position.

[0039] The positioning unit 140 includes a laser range finder (LRF) 141 which aims a weapon or weapon simulator at a weapon aim position and which may be used to detect the distance between the LRF 141 and whatever it is aimed at, for example a target 20. The use of an LRF 141 increases the distance measurement accuracy to the target 20 and makes it possible to more reliably determine whether a target 20 is out of range or not. The positioning unit 140 is operated by the shooter and may be aimed manually using line of sight or with the assistance of a targeting means.

[0040] The determining unit 120 determines whether, at a time a weapon is fired, the weapon was pointed at a target 20 of the one or more targets 20. The determining unit 120 determines this by comparing the known position of the target 20 with the weapon aim position. If the determining unit 120 determines that, when firing at the target 20, the weapon is pointed at the target 20, the hit registering unit 160 registers a hit on the target 20. If the determining unit 120 determines that, when firing at the target 20, the weapon is not pointed at the target 20, the hit registering unit 160 does not register a hit on the target 20.

[0041] Based on the determination by the determining unit 120, the hit registering unit 160 either registers a hit or not. The hit registering unit 160 may optionally have an output unit 161 for outputting whether a hit is registered or not. The output unit 161 may for example be a display or speaker.

[0042] The LRF 141 may be attached to a rotary encoder 142 detecting an angle of rotation of the LRF 141, an elevation detector 143 detecting the angle of elevation of the LRF 141 and/or a time determining unit 144 for determining the time at which the weapon is fired. Using a rotary encoder 142 for example allows the LRF 141 to be mounted on a rotating platform wherein the rotary encoder 142 moves the rotating platform to the desired position. An elevation detector 143 provides greater accuracy when firing slower moving projectiles, which will travel along a parabolic path to the target 20. A time determining unit 144 may for example be a clock or a timer, which is programmed as a general purpose clock giving actual local time as a reference or as a timer showing how long since the exercise began it took to hit the target. FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment including these features.

[0043] In an embodiment, the device 10 includes the weapon to be fired (not shown in the figures). Alternatively, the weapon may be separate from the device 10.

[0044] Thus, according to an embodiment, the invention includes an improved warfare simulation whereby a hit (an accurate shot on target) is registered upon receipt of a signal originating from a weapon indicating that it was aimed at a target and subsequently fired. This is in contrast to a system whereby a hit is registered upon receipt of a signal generated by the target itself when a sensor mounted on the target detects that a weapon was aimed at it and fired.

[0045] Following one or more hits, when the damage reaches a certain level the target can be told to stop taking part in the warfare simulation via a radio link. The damage can be modified depending on the training scenario and, as the range to the target is known, the damage can be proportional to how far away the target is depending on the weapon's maximum effective range. In a device or system having multiple weapons, when a hit is registered, it is determined by the hit registering unit 160 which weapon was fired.

[0046] There is further provided a method for registering a hit on a target. The method comprises a step of aiming, by a laser range finder, a weapon or weapon simulator at a weapon aim position S101. The method further involves determining whether, when engaging a target, the weapon aim position matches a known position of the target S102, and finally registering, based on the determination, a hit on the target S103 and S104. FIG. 2 shows a flowchart including the steps of this method.

[0047] FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment including a damage estimator 180 which estimates damage to the target based on distance to the target and/or location of the hit on the target. The device 10 may further include a target identification storage unit 190 which stores identification information of the targets 20.