Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S3/00—Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received
  • G01S3/78—Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
  • G01S3/782—Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
  • G01S3/783—Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction using amplitude comparison of signals derived from static detectors or detector systems
  • G01S3/784—Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction using amplitude comparison of signals derived from static detectors or detector systems using a mosaic of detectors
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
  • F41G3/00—Aiming or laying means
  • F41G3/14—Indirect aiming means
  • F41G3/147—Indirect aiming means based on detection of a firing weapon
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41H—ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL
  • F41H11/00—Defence installations; Defence devices
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S17/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. lidar systems
  • G01S17/86—Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
  • H04N23/56—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof provided with illuminating means

Definitions

• a shooter ie a person or even a device that has fired a shot with a weapon.
• To locate a shooter means to determine the location or position of the shooter. It is a special requirement to locate the shooter as quickly as possible, since this may change its position after delivery of the shot, without being exposed to a hazard.
• a device according to the invention for locating a shooter has a thermal imaging camera, a control device and a carrier which can be oriented by means of a drive and on which a laser rangefinder is arranged.
• the laser rangefinder is rigidly connected to the carrier.
• the control device is designed, after the detection of a muzzle flash in the image of the thermal imager, the drive of the To control the carrier so that the laser rangefinder the location of the muzzle flashes targeted to perform by means of the laser rangefinder, a distance measurement to the targeted location.
• the carrier may be part of the laser rangefinder.
• the thermal imaging camera has a defined detection area which is imaged onto a thermal image.
• the muzzle flash also referred to as a muzzle flash, is typically a few milliseconds long and produces a typical pattern in the thermal image during this time, for example, in a mid-range or far-infrared optical spectrum.
• the control device detects this pattern in the image of the thermal imaging camera, for example with an evaluation algorithm. Based on the position of the pattern in the image, for example in the form of image coordinates, and the known, fixed orientation of the thermal imaging camera, the control device can determine the direction from which the muzzle flash has fallen. On a straight line from the device in this direction is the shooter.
• the direction is preferably indicated as a combination of azimuth and elevation.
• the controller controls the drive of the carrier so that the laser rangefinder targets the location of the muzzle flash.
• the laser beam of the laser rangefinder is preferably eye-safe and corresponds, for example, to laser protection class 1.
• the laser beam of the laser rangefinder which is preferably in the infrared spectrum, preferably runs on the straight line between the device and the muzzle fire or parallel thereto. This aligns the laser beam with the target.
• the laser rangefinder is directed to a point slightly below the direction of the muzzle flash detected in the thermal image, for example 1 °, 0.5 °, 0.2 ° or 0.1 ° lower, as the shooter, his possible cover or escape route usually located below the muzzle flash.
• the control device by means of the laser rangefinder perform a distance measurement and thus measure the distance of the muzzle fire, or the weapon that has produced the muzzle flash.
• the position of the shooter is preferably given three-dimensionally in spherical coordinates with the zero point of the coordinate system at the location of the device on the basis of the known data azimuth, elevation and distance.
• the control device is adapted to forward, for example via an interface, the determined position of the muzzle flash to a weapon, so that the weapon can be aligned to this position.
• the drive of the carrier is preferably adapted to align the carrier in two rotational degrees of freedom, preferably about two mutually orthogonal axes. If the device is arranged on a horizontal surface, one of the axes is preferably a vertical axis. In particular, one of the axes is perpendicular to a base of the device.
• the combination of drive and carrier is in particular a pan-tilt head.
• the drive is in the immediate vicinity of the thermal imager or at least as close as possible to minimize a parallax error.
• the device according to the invention has a detection area, wherein muzzle fire can be detected in this detection area. Depending on the size of this detection area, it can be covered by a single thermal imager.
• the detection area of the device is subdivided into partial detection areas, where two or more thermal imaging cameras are present and each partial detection area is covered by one of the thermal imaging cameras.
• the detection range of the device is 360 ° wide, ie an all-around detection range, and 40 ° high.
• the device points prefers six thermal imaging cameras with a detection range of 60 ° width and 40 ° height.
• the detection areas of the thermal imagers are slightly wider, for example 61 °, 62 ° or 63 ° wide, and the thermal imagers are arranged such that their detection areas overlap.
• a telecamera is arranged on the alignable support and the control device is set up to carry out a recording after the distance measurement by means of the telecamera.
• the telecamera is preferably rigidly connected to the carrier.
• a telecamera is a camera with a focal length in the telephoto range, for example greater than 50mm, greater than 100mm, greater than 150mm, greater than 200mm, greater than 250mm or greater than 300mm, for example, based on the 35mm format.
• the telecamera may be a still camera or a motion picture camera (video camera).
• the telecamera can be a day-vision color camera with an infrared cut filter or a monochrome camera in the visible spectrum without an infrared cut filter, a residual light amplifier or a thermal imaging camera.
• the contactor can be identified and / or its position can be determined even more accurately, preferably automatically by the control device.
• the laser rangefinder has a laser with variable opening angle and the control device is adapted to expand the laser beam for the use of the telecamera.
• the laser of the laser rangefinder can be used in particular for illuminating at least a part or the entire detection range of the telecamera.
• the telecamera is designed to receive light in the infrared spectrum.
• the acquisition spectrum of the telecamera is limited to the infrared range.
• the device optionally has an interface for receiving verification information, the control device only activating the drive of the carrier and applying the laser rangefinder, thus determining the exact position of the shooter when the verification information indicates that the location of the muzzle flash is to be determined.
• the location of the muzzle flash can only be determined if the shot is an enemy fire, ie the shot of an opposing party.
• the interface may be a button, switch or other component for operation by an operator, wherein operation of the component by the operator, depending on the configuration of the device, means that it is extraneous fire or self-fire.
• the verification information is then binary information. Alternatively, the verification information divides the detection range of the device into at least two subregions. A muzzle fire in one of the sub-areas stops the shooter's location, while a muzzle fire in another sub-area triggers the location. For example, the verification information represents the subareas in which representatives of the own party are located.
• the own party is the party to which the device according to the invention is assigned.
• the verification information is preferably received via the interface and stored accessible by the controller.
• the device preferably has two or more carriers which can each be aligned by means of a drive, wherein a laser range finder or a laser range finder and a telecamera are arranged on each carrier.
• Each carrier is associated with a portion of the coverage of the device.
• a carrier is only aligned by the controller and the laser rangefinder mounted on the carrier is activated when the muzzle fire is in the associated part of the detection area.
• the carrier can significantly faster on the Sagittal position are aligned, since the deviation of its orientation, which has the support before the detection of the muzzle flash, is limited by the assumed orientation on the muzzle flash.
• a telecamera is arranged on each carrier.
• scenario data are stored in the control device, which contain an initial orientation of the carrier or from which an initial orientation of the carrier can be calculated by the control device.
• the carrier In the ground state, ie before the detection of the muzzle fire in the thermal image, the carrier is in an initial orientation, in which the laser rangefinder is aligned along a predetermined line.
• the scenario data include, for example, coordinates of a location or at least one direction to which or in which the carrier is initially aligned.
• the scenario data represents the geometry of the environment of the device, for example in the form of a 3D model of the environment. From these scenario data, the control device can deduce at which locations a shooter resides with which probability.
• the controller calculates the initial orientation of the carrier. For example, in the initial orientation, the wearer is aligned with the highest probability location. Alternatively, the initial alignment is determined as a compensation value. In this case, a sum is formed for an assumed initial orientation, each summand being the product of the probability of a shot from this location and the angular deviation between the assumed initial orientation and the direction of the location. The sum is calculated over all considered locations and the initial alignment is chosen, for which this sum is minimal. The initial orientation is thus the orientation from which the wearer can be aligned on the muzzle fire fastest on the average.
• the device automatically determines the scenario data.
• the environment of the device can be examined for heat sources, which identifies the control device as potential locations of a shooter.
• the control device can scan the environment and generate a 3D model. Any combination of these options is possible.
• the device preferably has a monitor or another display device.
• the control device controls the monitor, for example, in such a way that it displays the thermal image of the thermal imaging camera and the position of the muzzle flash is highlighted by a crosshair, for example.
• the device comprises an input means, such as a keyboard, a mouse or a joystick. By means of the input means, an operator of the device can correct the position of the muzzle fire in the thermal image before determining the direction of incidence of the muzzle flash.
• the measured distance is faded into the thermal image.
• the device is designed to emit an acoustic alarm as soon as the control device has detected a muzzle fire in the thermal image.
• the device has, for example, a loudspeaker.
• at least one of the components monitor, input means or loudspeaker is not arranged directly on the device, but connected to it, for example, wirelessly or by wire.
• the operation of the device can be controlled and monitored from a distance, for example, from a cover.
• the present invention further relates to a method of locating a shooter, comprising the steps of detecting a muzzle fire in the image of a thermal imager, driving a driver of a carrier on which a laser rangefinder is located so that the laser range finder locates the location of the muzzle fire, and making a range measurement to the targeted location by means of the laser rangefinder. Further embodiments of the method are analogous to the above-described embodiments of the device.
• the position of a shooter can be determined without delay or almost without delay.
• the shot whose origin is localized, can not only be an aggressive shelling, ie a shelling directed at the device, but also the shelling of another target.
• Figure 1 is a side view of an inventive
• FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device of Figure 1 and Figure 3 shows the data connections between the components of the device.
• Figures 1 and 2 show schematically an inventive device 1 for locating a shooter in a side view and a plan view.
• the data connections between the components of the device 1 are shown schematically in FIG.
• the device 1 comprises a stand 2, on which six thermal imaging cameras 3 and a drive 4 are arranged.
• the thermal imaging cameras 3 are arranged in a circle around the tripod 2 and rotated incrementally by 60 degrees relative to each other.
• Each of the thermal imaging cameras has a detection range of 60 ° in width and 40 ° in height.
• the detection areas of the thermal imaging cameras 3 adjoin one another and thus enable a 360 ° all-round view.
• the drive 4 is arranged on a side of the stand 2 opposite the tripod legs, so that it lies on the horizontal surface above the thermal imaging cameras 3 in the positioning of the device 1 shown in FIG.
• the drive 4 carries a carrier 5, on which a laser rangefinder 6 and a telecamera 7 are arranged side by side.
• the laser beam of the laser rangefinder 6 is in the infrared spectrum and is indicated by dashed lines in Figure 1.
• the optical central axis of the telecamera 7 runs parallel to the laser beam.
• the telecamera 7 is a CCD camera with a telephoto lens and an infrared filter, which filters out the spectrum outside the infrared range.
• the drive 4 is adapted to align the carrier 5 relative to the stand 2 in two mutually orthogonal axes.
• the device 1 furthermore has a control device 8 with a processor and a memory.
• the control device is connected to the thermal imaging cameras 3, the drive 4, the laser rangefinder 6, the telecamera 7 and a monitor 9.
• the control device can therefore exchange data with these components, in particular send and / or receive.
• the data connection between the components of the device 1 consists of a common data bus.
• one or more of the components are connected to the controller 8 via a dedicated data line.
• the control device 8 receives the images of the thermal imaging cameras 3, evaluates them and searches for a pattern that is characteristic of the muzzle flash of a weapon.
• the control device displays the thermal image on the monitor 9. If the control device 8 has found a pattern, it determines from the position of the pattern in the thermal image the direction from which the light from the muzzle flash has arrived.
• This direction of incidence is determined, for example, by the orientation of the thermal imaging camera which has struck the incident light and the pixel which lies in the center of the image pattern.
• the direction is preferably determined in spherical coordinates, wherein the device 1 is located at the origin of the coordinate system.
• the control device 8 makes the position of the muzzle fire in the thermal image recognizable, for example in the form of a crosshair, and displays a corresponding image on the monitor 9 at.
• a user of the device 1 can optionally correct the detected position of the muzzle fire in the thermal image, for example by means of an input means such as a mouse, a keyboard or a joystick, before calculating the direction of incidence of the muzzle flash.
• the control device 8 controls the drive 4 in such a way that the laser beam of the laser rangefinder 6 points in the direction of incidence.
• the laser rangefinder 6 detects the origin of the muzzle flash.
• the control device 8 triggers a distance measurement by the laser rangefinder 6, the result of which is transmitted to the control device 8.
• the control device 8 thus knows the exact position of the muzzle flash, preferably as two angles and a distance, and thus the position of the shooter.
• the controller 8 displays the measured distance in the thermal image displayed on the monitor 9.
• the controller 8 then activates the telecamera 7 to record a moving or static image of the location of the muzzle flash.
• the laser rangefinder 6 is preferably designed such that the opening angle of the laser beam is variable.
• the control device 8 controls the laser rangefinder 6 so that the laser beam illuminates the location of the muzzle flash.
• the control device 8 determines the opening angle, for example, from the distance of the muzzle flash from the device 1, the size of the shooter or a combination thereof.
• the control device 8 preferably adjusts the focus of the telecamera 7 to the distance of the muzzle flash measured by the laser range finding device 6. This allows fast and precise focusing.
• the control device 8 preferably represents the image of the telecamera 7 on the monitor 9.
• the time between the detection of the muzzle fire and the completion of the orientation of the carrier 5 is determined essentially by the duration of the alignment. To optimize this time, it is therefore advantageous if the deviation between an initial orientation of the carrier 5 in the ground state of the device 1, ie before the detection of the muzzle fire by the thermal imaging camera 3, and the orientation of the muzzle flash is as low as possible.
• the control device 8 is set up to determine and set a suitable initial orientation.
• the initial orientation in the planning of the use of the device 1 has been determined and stored in the device 1.
• the control device 8 reads out this initial orientation and controls the drive 4 accordingly.
• the Device 1 stores the potential positions of shooters or at least the directions. From this, the control device 8 calculates the initial orientation, from which the minimum time on average is necessary in order to align the carrier 5 with one of the positions.
• a 3D model of the environment of the device 1 is stored in the device 1, from which the control device 8 automatically determines potential positions or directions of shooters and calculates the initial orientation therefrom. Data such as potential positions or directions or the 3D model can be imported into the device 1 or automatically determined by the device 1.
• the communication connection between the control device 8 and the drive 4 may have various configurations.
• the drive 4 has its own control electronics.
• the control device 8 sends the set target alignment to the control electronics of the drive 4 and this controls the actuators of the drive 4 independently to set the desired target orientation.
• the communication takes place between the control device 8 and the control electronics of the drive 4, for example via a data bus.
• the control device 8 controls the actuators of the drive 4 without interposed control electronics. Then the control device 8 preferably receives a feedback about the current orientation of the carrier 5 from the drive 4.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
• Remote Sensing (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)

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• 2011
  • 2011-01-10 DE DE102011008166A patent/DE102011008166A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-12-13 WO PCT/EP2011/006265 patent/WO2012095136A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2011-12-13 EP EP11797198.6A patent/EP2663829A1/fr not_active Withdrawn

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