EP2518432A1 - Firearm targeting device, firearm and method for aligning a firearm - Google Patents

Abstract

The firearms target device has an image capturing device (10), a distance measuring device (12), and inertial measurement unit along with a control computer and an image display device. A projectile has a leading barrel (20) and a target device (1), where the control computer is designed for displaying one of the images of the image capturing device received from image capturing device of a target object at an image display device. The image of the target object is covered with a sighting mark. An independent claim is also included for a method for aligning a fire arm equipped with a firearm-target device.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a firearm aiming device. It further relates to a firearm with a projectile leading barrel and such a target device. Finally, the patent application also relates to a method for aligning a firearm equipped with the firearm aiming device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional firearms require the shooter to aim the firearm at the target, either via the sight and sight, or by means of an optical sighting device, such as a riflescope. In particular, for projectiles with large mass and relatively low projectile velocity, as is the case for example with rifle grenades or bazooka, when sighting the curvature of the ballistic missile trajectory must be considered. For this purpose, in the state of the art, mechanical guide sights are used for adjusting the height in conjunction with visor computers. However, these means are generally heavy and bulky, so they can be carried by a mobile shooter only under unnecessarily high march load.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a firearm aiming device and a firearm having this aiming device, by which for the shooter of a ballistic projectile the aiming process is facilitated and accelerated.

The aiming device of the object is achieved by a firearm aiming device with the features of claim 1. This firearm aiming device according to the invention is provided with an image detecting device, a distance measuring device, an inertial measuring unit, a control computer and an image display device.

ADVANTAGES

Such a trained firearm target device according to the invention makes it possible to assist the shooter in the form of a target assistant in reliable sighting of a target object to find the optimal launching angle for a given ammunition, so for a given projectile, and for a determined distance. By providing an image capture device designed, for example, as a high-resolution digital camera and an image display device connected thereto, the shooter can keep the target in the field of view from the start of the target process until the shot is fired. If the camera is provided with a zoom device, the shooter can even aim precisely at the target object and thereby precisely determine the impact point of the projectile.

An advantage of this firearms targeting device also that it has no mechanically movable elements and thus reacts almost instantaneously to movements of the shooter. By using electronic assemblies, the firearm aiming device can be made small and lightweight. It is therefore particularly suitable for mobile use with ground troops.

The directed to the firearm part of the object is achieved by the firearm specified in claim 2.

In this firearm having a projectile barrel and a firearm aiming apparatus according to the present invention, the control computer is configured to display an image of a target object picked up by the image capturing means on the image reproducing apparatus such that the image of the target object is then coincident with a sighting mark, when the elevation angle of the barrel axis corresponds to the pitch angle of the projectile trajectory to the target object calculated by the control computer in accordance with the direction to the target object and the distance to the target object determined by the rangefinder and taking into account weapon and projectile parameters. The projectile trajectory is calculated by the control computer after the distance to the targeted target object has been determined by means of the distance measuring device and the direction to the target object has been determined.

This firearm according to the invention, which is provided with a target device according to the invention, allows a fast and precise sighting of a target object and an alignment of the barrel of the firearm, taking into account the expected ballistic trajectory of the projectile. But not only this substantially vertical orientation of the firearm, but also a tracking of a moving target in the horizontal direction by means of this firearm according to the invention quickly and easily possible, without thereby diminishing the target precision.

The optical axis of the distance measuring device preferably runs parallel to the running axis. This makes it possible to align the barrel of the firearm already in the removal measurement directly on the target, so that when no ballistic correction is required, can be fired immediately to the target.

In a further preferred embodiment, the optical axis of the image capture device is inclined downwards with respect to the barrel axis. This ensures that when aligning the barrel of the firearm up, so if the bullet on a significantly curved ballistic trajectory flies, the image capture device, so for example, the digital video camera, is always directed to a large section of the ground between the shooter and the target area, so that the shooter can observe this floor area on the image display device even when the firearm is tilted upwards.

1. a) Anzeigen einer Visiermarkierung auf der Bildwiedergabeeinrichtung derart, dass die Visiermarkierung einen Bereich des von der Bilderfassungseinrichtung erfassten Bildes markiert, der in linearer Verlängerung der optischen Achse der Entfernungsmesseinrichtung liegt, so dass die Visierlinie und die optische Achse der Entfernungsmesseinrichtung parallel verlaufen;
2. b) Anvisieren eines Zielobjekts derart, dass sich das auf der Bildwiedergabeeinrichtung angezeigte Bild des Zielobjekts mit der Visiermarkierung überdeckt;
3. c) Ermitteln der Entfernung zum anvisierten Zielobjekt mittels der Entfemungsmesseinrichtung;
4. d) Bestimmen des dem Ziel-Höhenwinkel entsprechenden Neigungswinkels der Zielvorrichtung mittels der Inertialmesseinheit im Augenblick der Entfernungsermittlung nach Schritt c);
5. e) Berechnen des erforderlichen Schusswinkels im Steuerungscomputer auf der Grundlage der im Schritt c) ermittelten Entfernung und des im Schritt d) ermittelten Ziel-Höhenwinkels sowie in einer Speichereinrichtung des Steuerungscomputers abgespeicherten Waffen- und Geschossparametern;
6. f) Veränderung der Darstellung auf der Bildwiedergabeeinrichtung derart, dass die Visiermarkierung verlagert wird und mit einem Bildausschnitt in Überdeckung gerät, der einem in der ermittelten Entfernung und der Zielrichtung liegenden Punkt der berechneten Geschossflugbahn entspricht; und
7. g) Nachführen der Schusswaffe bis die im Schritt f) verlagert dargestellte Visiermarkierung in Überdeckung mit dem angezeigten Bild des Zielobjekts gerät.

The invention is further directed to a method for aligning a firearm equipped with the firearm aiming device according to the invention, the method being characterized by the following steps:

1. a) displaying a sighting mark on the image display device in such a way that the sighting mark marks a region of the image captured by the image acquisition device, which lies in linear extension of the optical axis of the distance measuring device, so that the sighting line and the optical axis of the distance measuring device are parallel;
2. b) targeting a target object such that the image of the target object displayed on the image display device overlaps the sighting mark;
3. c) determining the distance to the targeted object by means of the distance measuring device;
4. d) determining the inclination angle of the target device corresponding to the target elevation angle by means of the inertial measurement unit at the moment of the distance determination after step c);
5. e) calculating the required firing angle in the control computer on the basis of the distance determined in step c) and the target elevation angle determined in step d) as well as weapon and projectile parameters stored in a memory device of the control computer;
6. f) changing the representation on the image display device in such a way that the sighting mark is displaced and overlapped with an image detail which corresponds to a point of the calculated projectile trajectory lying in the determined distance and the target direction; and
7. g) tracking the firearm until the sighting mark shown displaced in step f) overlaps the displayed image of the target object.

By this method according to the invention, the shooter is guided through the sighting process, the control computer of the firearm aiming device according to the invention, with a process program running thereon, forming a target assistant for the shooter. By means of these procedural steps, the shooter is intuitively guided through the entire aiming process until he has precisely targeted the target and can fire the weapon.

Preferably, the displacement of the overlap of the sighting mark with the image separation in step f) takes place in such a way that the image detail recorded by the image capture device and reproduced on the image reproduction device is displaced. After the distance from the shooter to the target object has been determined and the ballistic trajectory of the projectile has been determined from this distance and the weapon and bullet parameters as well as the directional position of the target object, the shooter is intuitively stimulated by moving the image section to align the firearm in this way to incline upward, for example, that the originally targeted target object remains in the sighting mark fixed on the image display device.

Alternatively or additionally, the displacement of the overlap of the sighting mark with the image detail in step f) can also take place in such a way that the sighting mark displayed on the image reproduction device is displaced. In this variant, the shooter is intuitively stimulated by the automatic shifting of the sighting mark, to change the orientation of the weapon in such a way that the sighting mark remains in registration with the image of the target object displayed on the image display device or recovers in overlap.

Also possible is a combination of the displacement of the reproduced image detail and a shift of the sighting mark on the image display device.

It is particularly advantageous if the control computer displays at least one directional symbol in the image displayed on the image display device, which indicates to the shooter in which direction he has to move the firearm in order to bring back the originally targeted target object after the displacement in step d) to overlap the visor mark. This display of a directional symbol accelerates the reaction of the shooter and may be particularly advantageous if due to a very dark image or strong sunlight on the image display device, the recognizability of the target object on the image display device is difficult.

It is also advantageous if at least one symbol is displayed by the control computer in the image displayed on the image display device, which gives the shooter an indication of how he has to rotate the firearm around the barrel axis so that the calculated projectile trajectory hits the targeted target object. This twist indicator is useful if the shooter does not keep the firearm precisely aligned in the vertical direction. He is prompted by this twist display to bring about the optimal vertical alignment of the firearm before triggering the firearm.

Finally, it is also advantageous if the control computer displays at least one optical signal in the image displayed on the image display device and / or emits an acoustic signal when the projectile trajectory calculated by the control computer strikes the target object. If such an optical or acoustic signal is perceived by the shooter, he knows that he can press the trigger of the firearm at this moment to hit the target precisely.

Preferred embodiments of the invention with additional design details and other advantages are described and explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Schusswaffe;

Fig. 2

den schematischen Aufbau der erfindungsgemäßen Zielvorrichtung;

Fig. 3A

eine erste Positionierung der erfindungsgemäßen Zielvorrichtung zur Entfernungsmessung;

Fig. 3B

eine zweite Positionierung der erfindungsgemäßen Zielvorrichtung nach erfolgter Elevationswinkel-Korrektur;

Fig. 4

eine schematische Darstellung eines Bildsensors einer Bilderfassungseinrichtung;

Fig. 5

eine Darstellung des Visierfensters bei der Positionierung nach Fig. 3A;

Fig. 6

eine Darstellung des Visierfensters bei der Positionierung gemäß Fig. 3B; und

Fig. 7

ein Flussdiagramm eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens zum Ausrichten der in Fig. 1 gezeigten Schusswaffe.

It shows:

Fig. 1

a side view of a firearm according to the invention;

Fig. 2

the schematic structure of the target device according to the invention;

Fig. 3A

a first positioning of the target device for distance measurement according to the invention;

Fig. 3B

a second positioning of the target device according to the invention after elevation angle correction;

Fig. 4

a schematic representation of an image sensor of an image capture device;

Fig. 5

a representation of the visor window in positioning after Fig. 3A ;

Fig. 6

a representation of the visor window in the positioning according to Fig. 3B ; and

Fig. 7

a flow chart of a method according to the invention for aligning the in Fig. 1 shown firearm.

PRESENTATION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In Fig. 1 a firearm aiming device 1 according to the invention is shown, which is mounted on the barrel 20 of a firearm 2. The firearm 2 is formed in the example shown by a grenade gun, the barrel 20 a pitcher tube for a ballistic projectile, such as a rifle grenade (not shown), forms. The barrel 20 has a barrel axis 22, which is also referred to below as the thrower axis.

The components of the firearm aiming device 1 are shown schematically in FIG Fig. 2 shown. The firearm aiming device 1 is provided with an image capture device 10, which is shown in the example shown as a high-resolution video camera, a distance measuring device 12, which is formed in the example shown by a laser rangefinder, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 14, a control computer 16 and a Image reproduction device 18. The image acquisition device 10, the distance measuring device 12, the inertial measurement unit 14 and the image reproduction device 18 are connected via corresponding data lines 11, 13, 15, 17 to the control computer 16 for data transmission. Also, the trigger lever 24 of the firearm 2 is connected via a data line 19 to the control computer 16.

The components of the firearms targeting device 1 listed above are - except for the image display device 18 - accommodated in a housing 1 ', which can be mounted on the frame of the firearm 2. The orientation of the removal measuring device 12 is such that the axis 12 'of the removal measuring device 12 runs parallel to the running axis 22. On the other hand, the optical axis 10 'of the image sensing device 10 is oriented so as to be inclined downward with respect to the optical axis 12' of the distance measuring device 12 and the running axis 22, as in FIG Fig. 1 can be seen.

The image reproduction device 18 can be mounted on the housing 1 'attachable or on the housing 1' attachable display, for example a Transflexive display, or the image display device 18 may be a mounted on the helmet of the shooter display, which is connected via cable or wirelessly connected to the firearm targeting device.

Fig. 3A shows a first position of the attached to the firearm 2 firearms target device 1, which is symbolized here only by the image capture device 10 shown as a camera. The firearm aiming device 1 is directed with its sight line V, which corresponds to the axis 12 'of the distance measuring device 12, to a target object Z, which is shown in the example as a vehicle. In Fig. 3A It can also be seen that the optical axis 10 'of the image capture device 10, which bisects the angle of view α of the image capture device 10, is inclined downward relative to the line of sight 12'.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the image capture device 10 is formed by a high-resolution camera with, for example, 4000 × 2250 pixels (= 9 megapixels). For optimum use of the camera resolution, the image capture device 10 or its sensor is mounted slightly inclined downwards. For example, if the camera has an opening angle of ± 20 °, it will be installed at a slope of about 15 ° downwards.

In the illustration in Fig. 3A also a sighting window 3 is shown, which has a crosshair 30 in the middle. The sighting window 3 also has horizontal arrows 32 which point in opposite directions and which form an indicator for an azimuth deviation. Furthermore, vertical arrows 34 are shown in the sighting window, which form an indicator for an elevation deviation.

The sighting window 3 is superimposed on the shooter in the image of the target object Z recorded by the image capture device 10 and reproduced on the image reproduction device 18. The sighting window 3 can frame a part of the image displayed on the image display device 18 or can correspond to the entire screen of the image display device 18.

In the in Fig. 3A 1, the axis 12 'of the distance measuring device 12 is directed at the target object Z, so that the distance between the firearm target device 1, that is the position of the shooter, and the target object Z can be determined. This distance determination is carried out after lightly touching the trigger lever 24 of the firearm 2, which sends a start signal for the removal measurement to the control computer 16 via the data power 19.

At the same time as the distance measurement, the position and position of the firearm aiming device 1 are detected by the inertial measuring unit 14.

The operation of the target process will be described below with reference to the flowchart in FIG Fig. 7 described.

As already in connection with Fig. 3A has been described, the shooter in the extension of the Werferrohrachse lying image detail is shown together with a crosshair as a sighting mark 30 in the sighting window 3 on the image display device 18 first. By slightly pressing the trigger lever (trigger) 24, the removal measurement is started and the distance determined by the laser range finder 12 is read out and stored in a data memory. At the same time, the position angle determined by the inertial measurement unit (IMU) 14 of the firearm target device 1 and thus the firearm 2 is read out and likewise stored in a memory of the control computer 16.

Since the laser rangefinder 12 is colinear, ie parallel, mounted to the thrower axis 22, by means of the inertial measuring unit 14 at the same time the height of the target Z relative to the position of the shooter is determined.

In the control computer is from the determined distance to the target object Z and the altitude of the target Z with respect to the position of the shooter, so the target elevation angle and in a memory of the control computer sixteenth stored weapon and Geschossparametem the shooting angle, ie the elevation angle β calculated, which is required to guide the projectile on its ballistic path in the target Z. This shooting angle β is in Fig. 3B shown as angle β between the horizontal H and the thrower axis 22.

On the basis of this calculation, the image detail read out from the sensor of the image capture device 10 is shifted by a number of lines corresponding to the shooting angle β, as in FIG Fig. 3B symbolically represented by the arrow P.

In the case of the sensor resolution mentioned at the beginning, a pixel line corresponds to a weft angle difference of 0.01 °. The in Fig. 4 As a row and column grid represented cutout, for example, includes 800 X 600 pixels must be shifted at a shooting angle of β = 20 ° by 2000 lines ( Fig. 5 and 6 ). In the presentation of the Fig. 4 this means that the upper left corner of the sensor segment to be read from the line j = 1 shifts to j = 2001.

In Fig. 3B the original image section with the target object Z is shown dashed as a sighting window 3, as shown in the in Fig. 3A shown positioning of the firearm target device 1 has been positioned relative to the angle of view α of the image capture device 10. After moving the image section, this image section takes the position 3 'and the shooter must be provided with the firearm target device 1 firearm 2 to the in Fig. 3B bring shown inclination position so that the target object Z is again in the reticule 30.

In the image detail (sighting window 3 or 3 ') shown on the image reproduction device 18, the shooter is also indicated via horizontal arrow symbols 32, in which azimuth direction he has to pivot the firearm 2 laterally in order to move the crosshair 30 into the in-dash Fig. 3A targeted target Z to bring. If the target object Z moves, the shooter can use it track the horizontal arrows 32 displayed to him and so keep the crosshairs on the original location of the target object.

The visual control and tracking of the azimuth (horizontal tracking) also has the advantage of being independent of gyro drift or magnetic field disturbances.

Vertical arrow symbols 34 indicate to the shooter whether he should keep the firearm 2 steeper or shallower. Furthermore, it is displayed to him via curved or circular arrow representations 36, whether he must change the roll position of the firearm 2, so the firearm 2 must rotate about the barrel axis or Werwerse 22.

If the optimum shooting angle β is reached, this is communicated to the shooter by an optical signal on the display of the image display device 18 and / or an acoustic signal. This optimum shooting angle is achieved when the displayed crosshair is again in the same place on the target Z as in Fig. 3A ,

This shooting angle is measured accurately by means of the inertial measuring unit IMU 14 and the shooter is informed when reaching the optimum shooting angle by an indicator in the display of the image display device 18, for example by a green field, that the optimum shooting angle has been achieved. The contactor can thus always check whether the crosshair position calculated on the basis of the line shift and the shot angle position calculated by the IMU 14 inertial measurement unit (green light in the display) provide consistent data, so that the contactor has a redundant system, which offers safety advantages.

The invention is not limited to the above embodiment, which merely serves to generally explain the essence of the invention. Within the scope of protection, the device according to the invention may also be other as the embodiments described above. In this case, the device may in particular have features that represent a combination of the respective individual features of the claims.

Reference signs in the claims, the description and the drawings are only for the better understanding of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Schusswaffen-Zielvorrichtung

1'

Gehäuse

2

Schusswaffe

3

Visierfenster (Bildausschnitt)

3'

Visierfenster (Bildausschnitt)

10

Bilderfassungseinrichtung

10'

optische Achse

11

Datenleitung

12

Entfernungsmesseinrichtung

12'

Achse der Entfernungsmesseinrichtung 12

13

Datenleitung

14

Inertialmesseinheit IMU

15

Datenleitung

16

Steuerungscomputer

17

Datenleitung

18

Bildwiedergabeeinrichtung

19

Datenleitung

20

Lauf

22

Laufachse

24

Abzugshebel

30

Fadenkreuz

32

horizontaler Pfeil

34

vertikaler Pfeil

36

gebogenen Pfeilsymbole

P

Verschiebungsrichtung

V

Visierlinie

Z

Zielobjekt

They denote:

1

Firearms aimer

1'

casing

2

firearm

3

Visor window (picture detail)

3 '

Visor window (picture detail)

10

Image capture device

10 '

optical axis

11

data line

12

Distance measuring device

12 '

Axis of the distance measuring device 12

13

data line

14

Inertial measuring unit IMU

15

data line

16

control computer

17

data line

18

Image reproduction device

19

data line

20

run

22

Wheel shaft

24

sear

30

crosshairs

32

horizontal arrow

34

vertical arrow

36

curved arrow symbols

P

shift direction

V

line of sight

Z

target

Claims (10)

Firearm aiming device with - an image capture device (10); - a distance measuring device (12); an inertial measuring unit (14); a control computer (16) and - An image display device (18). A firearm having a projectile barrel (20) and a sighting device (1) according to claim 1,
wherein the control computer (16) is arranged to display an image of a target object (Z) picked up by the image capture device (10) on the image display device (18) such that the image of the target object (Z) is then provided with a sighting mark (30). is coincidental when the elevation angle of the barrel axis (22) is the pitch angle of the distance to the target object (Z) determined in dependence on the direction to the target object and the distance measuring device (12) and taking into account weapon and Geschossparametem from the control computer ( 16) corresponds to the calculated projectile trajectory to the target object (Z). Firearm according to claim 2,
characterized,
in that the optical axis (12 ') of the distance measuring device (12) runs parallel to the running axis (22). Firearm according to claim 2 or 3,
characterized,
in that the optical axis (10 ') of the image capture device (10) is inclined downwards relative to the barrel axis (22). A method of aligning a firearm equipped with the firearm aiming apparatus according to claim 1
characterized by the following steps: a) displaying a sighting mark (30) on the image display device (18) in such a way that the sighting mark (30) marks a region of the image acquired by the image acquisition device (10), which in linear extension of the optical axis (12 ') of the distance measuring device (12 ), so that the sight line (V) and the optical axis (12 ') of the distance measuring device (12) are parallel; b) targeting a target object (Z) such that the image of the target object (Z) displayed on the image display device overlaps the sighting mark (30); c) determining the distance to the targeted target object (Z) by means of the distance measuring device (12); d) determining the angle of inclination of the target device (1) corresponding to the target elevation angle by means of the inertial measuring unit (14) at the moment of determining the distance after step c); e) calculating the required firing angle (β) in the control computer (16) on the basis of the distance determined in step c) and the target elevation angle determined in step d), and weapon and missile parameters stored in a memory means of the control computer; f) altering the representation on the image display device (18) in such a way that the sighting mark (30) is displaced and overlapped with an image detail which corresponds to a point of the calculated projectile trajectory lying in the determined distance and the target direction; and g) tracking the firearm until the sighting mark (30) shown displaced in step f) overlaps the displayed image of the target object (Z). Method according to claim 5,
characterized,
that the displacement of the overlap of the sighting mark (30) with the image segment in step f) is carried out such that the (from the image acquisition device 10) recorded, and (on the image display device 18) reproduced image segment is moved. Method according to claim 5 or 6,
characterized,
that the displacement of the overlap of the sighting mark (30) with the image segment in step f) is carried out such that the (on the image display device 18) sighting mark displayed (30) is moved. Method according to claim 5, 6 or 7,
characterized,
that the control computer (16) in the on the image reproduction device (18) image displayed at least one direction icon (32, 34) is displayed, which indicates to the contactors, in which direction to move the firearm (2) to (the original target object Z) to bring after the shift in step f) again with the sighting mark (30) in overlap. Method according to one of claims 5 to 8,
characterized,
in that at least one symbol (36) is displayed by the control computer (16) in the image displayed on the image display device (18). is displayed, which gives the shooter an indication of how he has to rotate the firearm (2) about the barrel axis (22), so that the calculated projectile trajectory hits the targeted target object (Z). Method according to one of claims 5 to 9,
characterized,
in that the control computer (16) inserts at least one optical signal into the image displayed on the image display device (18) and / or emits an acoustic signal when the projectile trajectory calculated by the control computer (16) hits the target object (Z).

Images