EP0623799A1 - Interactive video system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling and influencing running picture sequences or individual pictures and interactive video scenes and/or picture sequences faster than the reaction time (real time) which can be perceived by the human eye, preferably in a simulator or firing range. The picture, picture sequences or video scenes are influenced by light-optical means and/or mechanically, and the signals produced thereby are received and are used, with the aid of a computer having data compression hardware and software, to resolve new or changed pictures, picture sequences or video scenes in real time in accordance with a JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group) and MPEG (Motion Picture Expert Group) method which is known per se, a hard-disk memory (HDD) being used as the recording and playback equipment. The invention furthermore relates to a device for carrying out the method. In this case, at least one apparatus (W1,Wn) is used which is constructed as a hand-held firearm and is constructed such that it can be operated using suitable ammunition, each hand-held firearm having a sensor (S1,Sn) for recording a fired shot, which sensor transmits the received signals by means of a transmitter, which is installed in the hand-held firearm, or an electrical connecting cable (Tr1,Trn) to a receiver (R) which is connected to the input of the computer. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a method for controlling and influencing running image sequences or individual images and interactive video scenes and / or image sequences below the reaction time perceivable by the human eye (real time), preferably in a simulator or shooting range, and a device for performing the method.

The police and military shooting training usually takes place in a shooting range with protective walls, with a target in the form of a target or a standing picture being set up at the end of a shooting range. After each individual shot or a series of shots, the evaluation and notification of the number of hits or misses takes place. With such a device, practically only the handling of the weapon can be practiced, while the actual target practice in response to the object is far from practice, in particular police practice.

To improve the training, it is also known to move still images as targets along a spell. Even with such a device, the formation of the shooter's reaction speed cannot be significantly improved, since the movement sequences of the target images are uniform and therefore predictable.

In a further development of shooting training, it is known to play the shooter a sequence of events to which he has to react. The scene can be stopped after a shot is fired and the hit rate can be determined. The sequence scene remains unchanged.

The invention has for its object to provide means by means of which the running scene reacts to the action of the shooter in a period of time which is the natural Response time and the absorption capacity of the human eye corresponds.

This object is achieved according to the method according to the invention in that the images, image sequences or video scenes are influenced optically and / or mechanically and the signals caused thereby are recorded and in real time using a computer with data compression hardware and software according to known JPEG - (Joint Photographik Expert Group) and MPEG-Motion Picture Expert Group) are used to trigger new or changed images, image sequences or video scenes, whereby a hard disk memory (HDD) serves as a playback and recording device.

According to the invention, an image sequence or video scene is played back as a primary main film from an external video source, video recorder or video disc player, and secondary alternative scenes are triggered by the light-optical and / or mechanical signals via the JPEG or MPEG method from the hard disk of the computer or PC computer imported using a video switch and a drive control interface. As a result, the accumulating scene is only changed in real time on the basis of the reaction of the shooter in accordance with his hits or missed hits, the scene which is now automatically recorded being prepared and recorded as a "reaction scene", so that the impression of a real reaction is created.

In a further development of the invention, the primary main film is played with the aid of a CD-ROM player via the digital data of the CD-ROM as a playback / recording device which, if necessary, is mixed and played with the secondary reaction scenes stored on the fixed memory or hard disk memory.

Instead of a video recorder, a laser disc player LVP / LD can also be used as a playback or recording device according to the invention.

According to the invention, at least one apparatus designed as a handgun is used as a means for optically or mechanically influencing an image, an image sequence or a video scene, which is designed to be loadable with the appropriate ammunition, each handgun having a sensor for registering a fired shot which detects the shot Signals transmitted by means of a transmitter built into the handgun or an electrical connecting line to a receiver which is connected to the input of the computer. This allows several shooters to react to the scene being offered, whereby the sensor on each handgun can determine the time of firing very precisely and can be electronically assigned to the corresponding bullet.

In a further development of the invention, each handgun can be designed as a laser device for emitting laser flashes and can have a sensor for registering and signaling the transmitted light flash to the input of the computer.

Since the projectile speeds can be measured and are therefore fixed, the simultaneous use of multiple shooters can be used not only when using laser flashes, but also when using conventional ballistic projectiles.

The images, image sequences or video scenes are advantageously displayed on a reflection surface, and the signals caused by their light-optical and / or mechanical influence by the handguns are recorded by means of a video camera and the digital signals are fed to the computer for evaluation.

To make a bullet visible in the reflection surface, it is advantageous to arrange a headlight behind it, so that the bullet hole is visible as a light spot and can be recorded by the video camera. By using colored light, the light spot can also be displayed in color.

In a further modification of the invention, the video camera can also be designed as an infrared camera and the reflection surface can be irradiated with infrared light from the front in an invisible manner.

FIGUR 1

ein Schaltbild der Vorrichtung in schematischer Darstellung;

FIGUR 2

eine schematische Darstellung der Vorrichtung mit zwei Handfeuerwaffen, PC-Rechner und Projektionswand in funktioneller Verknüpfung, und

FIGUR 3

eine schematische Darstellung der Vorrichtung mit zwei Handfeuerwaffen, PC-Rechner und Standbild.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. Here show:

FIGURE 1

a circuit diagram of the device in a schematic representation;

FIGURE 2

a schematic representation of the device with two handguns, PC computer and projection screen in functional link, and

FIGURE 3

a schematic representation of the device with two handguns, PC computer and still image.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, an interactive video system (VR2) plays a scene via the video projector on the screen (G) via a video switch (A).

After hitting a projectile, it penetrates the canvas (G) and lets the light, which is generated by halogen headlights (H), exit through the shot hole.

Alternatively, a laser can be used instead of the real shot, which projects a light spot directly, which is equivalent to the light of the backlit shot hole.

The recording camera (E) now recognizes this light spot and emits the video information to a horizontal / vertical separator (F), which feeds this information to the computer (D).

The computer (D), which can also be designed as a PC, now compares the supplied horizontal / vertical information with the mask programmed for the image number and determines whether the rows and columns of the computer mask which are assigned to the corresponding images on the hard disk memory (HDD) are with the horizontal / vertical position or the coordinates of the shot hole or the laser light spot. A match is scored as a hit, a mismatch as a miss.

In the event of an evaluation as a hit, in which the horizontal and vertical coordinates of the shot hole match the mask, the computer (D) controls the video recorder (VR3) via the drive interface (B) and simultaneously switches its video signal through in video switching mode.

The drive control (B) was already in the pause position and was put on hold via the software shortly before the decision sequence was reached.

Since the video signal from the video recorder (VR2) was switched to the video recorder (VR3) and the video recorder (VR3) was in the pause position shortly before the switchover, the impression of a reaction of the image or the scene now arises, since the switchover for the human eye is not visible.

The video recorder (VR3) now continues the projection with the hit scene, for example in the one prepared Scene is played where the target object falls over. During this time, the video recorder (VR2) is already fast forward to the beginning of the next scene in order to wait for the switch back (VR3) to (VR2) in the pause position.

In the event of a miss, in which the horizontal and vertical coordinates H / V do not match the mask, the video recorder (VR2) is now switched to the video recorder (VR1), which thus plays back the scene of a hit, for example the target object shoots back. After the projection of the video recorder (VR1) has been carried out, the system switches back to the video recorder (VR2) already in the pause position, which then continues the projection.

This method can be expanded using a larger number of video recorders and the scenes can be designed accordingly.

The creation of interactive sequences using "n" video recorders primarily for shooting range simulation is thus as follows.

Via the input of the computer, video images or video films are digitally broken down and loaded in "real time" (25 images / sec) by compression hardware or a computer plug-in card onto the hard disk.

The software installed in the computer or already installed controls the overall process, which proceeds as follows:
When the start button is pressed, the film previously input via the computer runs through the decompression hardware and a VGA / TV converter via the video projector. The video projector projects the film onto the screen in front of which the shooter is standing.

The shooter now shoots at the target object appearing on the screen, the projectile penetrates the screen and releases the back light at the shot hole, generated by headlights H.

The shot recording camera (C1) now recognizes the light spot, which can optionally also be generated by a laser device, which generates a similar light spot, and supplies this information to the camera A / D converter. Here the position of the light spot is broken down into horizontal lines and vertical columns.

This information is then compared to the pixel grid of the screen holder and the corresponding pixels are determined. These pixels are now compared with the pixels of the hit mask belonging to the image and, if they match, are evaluated as hits.

The hit mask is a number of pixels which correspond in position and position to the target object of a video image and which are directly assigned to the respective video image.

All other pixels that are outside the hit mask are counted as non-hits if they match the light spot pixels.

Recording 1:

The shooter hits the target object on the screen, the shot camera recognizes the light spot and passes the columns and line data on to the mask comparison software. This now decides whether the light spot matches the pre-programmed pixels for hits.

Now the hard disk drive is controlled in such a way that the primary main film jumps to the alternative scene “hits”.

Since each video image has its own address, this can be done precisely in "real time" as defined above.

The scene "hit" is now played on the screen, for example the target object collapses, which was passed on from the hard disk to the video projector via the decompression hardware.

Since the track / track search time is only approx. 5 ms and can be reduced to 0.3 ms when using a cache controller, but 20 ms are available for a field, the picture / scene jump is not visible to the human eye, and it gives the impression that the film or the projection has reacted directly to the shooter's intervention. This function is defined as an interactive function.

Recording 2:

If the shooter does not hit the target object, the function sequence is generally identical to the function sequence "hit", except for the reaction of the mask comparison software, which now addresses and calls up the scene "no hit".

Here, the scene hit is played via the decompression hardware and the video projector.

Since the image access time is in the range of 5 ms or 0.3 ms when using a cache control, the image / scene jump is again not visible to the human eye, and the effect already described under the "hit" function occurs.

Recording 3:

If the shooter does not respond at all, the hard disk plays the film continuously via the decompression hardware, and the target object behaves passively, since only when the shooter reacts by activating the shot-recording camera, hits / no-hits are jumped into the corresponding reaction scenes.

So far it has not been possible to save video images or entire scenes to a hard disk in "real time" at reasonable or economical expense; this is illustrated by a rough calculation:

This problem has now been solved using a compression card developed by the applicant.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the device with two handguns W1 and Wn, a PC computer PC and a projection screen Z in a functional connection. The circuit corresponds to the representation according to FIG. 1. The designation Wn for the second handgun indicates that the number of handguns can be significantly higher. Every handgun is equipped with a sensor, which registers the time of the shot and feeds the resulting signal to a transmitter which forwards the signal to the receiver R. The signal can also be routed to the computer via an electrical line. The signals caused by the handguns W1 and Wn and recorded by the sensors S1 and Sn are fed to the computer PC, which immediately receives the signals from the video camera C1 via the shot results, which are evaluated in the computer and which then controls the scenes that are triggered from the hit evaluation, as described above.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the device with two handguns W1, Wn, a PC computer PC and a still picture T as a simplified embodiment of the invention. The handguns can be equipped as ballistic weapons or with a laser device. Their number can be considerably larger than two. The still picture T can be equipped with sensors which react to mechanical shocks, namely when a projectile has hit the still picture. For the reception and localization of laser flashes on the still image, a number of sensors can be arranged, each of which detects a specific area on the image, so that the hit quality can also be determined and fed to the computer PC, which reacts to the still image triggers.

Claims (9)

Method for controlling and influencing running image sequences or individual images and interactive video scenes and / or image sequences below the reaction time perceivable by the human eye (real time), preferably in a simulator or shooting range, characterized in that the images, image sequences or video scenes are light-optical and / or mechanically influenced and the signals caused thereby are recorded and with the help of a computer with data compression hardware and software in real time according to known JPEG (Joint Photographik Expert Group) and MPEG-Motion Picture Expert Group) methods for triggering new or changed images, image sequences or video scenes are used, with a hard disk memory (HDD) serving as a playback and recording device. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that an image sequence or video scene is played back as computer-controlled primary primary film from an external video source, video recorder or video disc player, and secondary alternative scenes triggered by the light-optical and / or mechanical signals via the JPEG or MPEG process from the hard disk of the computer or PC computer can be imported using a video switch and a drive control interface. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the primary main film is played back with the aid of a CD-ROM player via the digital data of the CD-ROM as a playback / recording device which, if required, is mixed with the secondary reaction scenes stored on the fixed memory or hard disk memory and be played. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that a laser disc player LVP / LD is used as a playback or recording device instead of a video recorder. Device for carrying out the method according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one apparatus (W1, Wn) which is designed as a handgun and which can be actuated with appropriate ammunition is used as the means for optically or mechanically influencing an image, an image sequence or a video scene is designed, each handgun has a sensor (S1, Sn) for registering a fired shot, which transmits the recorded signals by means of a transmitter built into the handgun or an electrical connection line (Tr1, Trn) to a receiver (R) which communicates with the Input of the computer is connected. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that each handgun (W1, Wn) is designed as a laser transmitter for emitting laser flashes and has a sensor (S1, Sn) for registration and signal transmission of the emitted light flash to the input of the computer. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the images, image sequences or video scenes can be displayed on a reflection surface (G, Z) and the signals caused by their light-optical and / or mechanical influence by the handguns (W1, Wn) by means of at least one Video camera (C1) recorded and the digital signals are fed to the computer (PC) for evaluation. Device according to claims 5 to 7, characterized in that a headlight (H) is arranged behind the reflecting surface (G, Z) to make a bullet visible. Device according to claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the video camera (C1) is designed as an infrared camera and the reflection surface (G, H) is irradiated with infrared light from the front.

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