GB2163838A - Equipment for simulated shooting - Google Patents

Abstract

Equipment for simulated shooting comprises a hand held gun 11 (16-19) designed to project a beam 15 of electromagnetic radiation towards a retroreflective target 28 in response to the pulling of a trigger. The reflected beam is detected by a receiver 31-34 mounted on or in the gun and the signal operates a light emitter 40, the light from which illuminates the retroreflective target 28 indicating a "hit". <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Equipment for simulated shooting The present invention relates to equipment for simulated shooting and in particular, but not exclusively concerns an improvement in the equipment described in patent application NO 8408218.

That specification relates to the use of a modulated beam of light, for example from a light emitting diode, which is projected in response to trigger action towards a retro-reflective target. The target reflects the beam falling onto it back towards the projector from which it was fired and a detector at, or close to the projector picks up the reflected beam and indicates that the target has been hit.

The improvement according to the present invention resides in the use of the detected signal to operate a second light emitter which is directed towards the target and which in meeting the target causes the target to shine, thus giving a visual indication that a "hit" has been scored.

In a preferred embodiment the second light em itter is in the form of a photo-flash. Optionally additional delay can be included before the second light emitter is actuated.

The second light emitter can be used in any situation where the target is retroreflective. This includes a target containing only a partial retro reflective surface area. Moreover it is particularly suitable for use where the target is a moving tar get.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a block diagram incorporating equipment according to the invention.

The equipment illustrated simulates the firing of one or more projectiles from a gun at a target such that a light beam replaces the projectile trajectory.

A solid state laser or pulsed light emitting source mounted in or on the gun projects a narrow beam of light, in response to operation of the trigger to wards the target, which contains retro-reflective coating over at least a part of the surface area. If the beam intersects the target reflected light is detected by a sensor located in the vicinity of the user, preferably in or on the gun. An indication is then given that a "hit" has been made. When ac tuated by the trigger (not shown), the projector 11 generates a beam of light 15 from a source or em itter 16 in the form of a high density pulsed LED or semiconductor laser diode having a power of the order of 40mW. The source 16 is powered by dry cell batteries 17 and the output is modulated, for example to 20KHz by a modulator 18. The modula tor 18 and the batteries 17 are located behind the source 16.The beam 15 is collimated by a small diameter low power microscope objective lens, or an equivalent lens or lens system 19.

A target 28 carries a retro-reflective surface to the projected light beam 15. One way of creating this surface is to incorporate reflective elements in the form of substantially spherical or polygonal re flective beans loaded into a fixing medium. These beads mainly reflect light back along the path from which it came irrespective of the angle of the reflecting surface to the incident light. Because of this property, the paint has a dark matt finish when viewed under diffuse lighting conditions. A reflective paint such as that sold under the Trade Mark "Scotchlite" is considered suitable.

A receiver for light reflected from the target 28 comprises an optical band pass filter (not shown) which may be placed before or after a focussing lens 31, which filter limits the light entering the receiver to a limited wave band, thus improving the signal to noise ratio. The beam is focussed by the lens 31 onto a small photodetector such as a pin photo-diode 32. The lens 31 is of maximum practical aperture such that the maximum transmitted beam deflection angle is catered for. A field effect transistor 33 amplifies the received signal at the detector 32 and a synchronous demodulator such as a phase locked loop detector 34 allows passage only of signals synchronous with the transmitted beam.

When the receiver detects the incidence of reflected light the signal is input to a light flash emitter 40, such as a camera photo-flash, optionally through a delay 41. The second light emitter 40 emits a flash of light towards the target. Because of the retro-reflective nature of the target, the target will light up for the duration of the flash which will provide a visual indication that a "hit" has been made.

The delay 41 would delay the emission of the flash for a period of the order of 1/10th second.

The period of delay allows the time taken from the trigger pull to target shine to represent the travel time from trigger pull to hit of the target that is being simulated.

The use of a second light emitter to light up a target after a hit has been detected has many different applications in the context of simulated shooting where the target incorporates at least a partial retro-reflective surface. It is particularly appropriate where the target is moving, or movable during the simulation.

1. Equipment for simulated shooting comprising a projector for projecting a beam of electromagnetic radiation towards a retroreflective target, and a receiver for detecting the reflected radiation and signalling a "hit" wherein the signal from the receiver is connected to operate a light emitter which is directed towards the target and which in meeting the target causes the target to illuminate.

2. Equipment according to claim 1 wherein the light emitter is adapted to emit a flash of light.

3. Equipment according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the equipment is a hand held device incorporating the receiver and the light emitter.

4. Equipment for simulated shooting substan tially as herein described with reference to the ac companying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Equipment for simulated shooting The present invention relates to equipment for simulated shooting and in particular, but not exclusively concerns an improvement in the equipment described in patent application NO 8408218. That specification relates to the use of a modulated beam of light, for example from a light emitting diode, which is projected in response to trigger action towards a retro-reflective target. The target reflects the beam falling onto it back towards the projector from which it was fired and a detector at, or close to the projector picks up the reflected beam and indicates that the target has been hit. The improvement according to the present invention resides in the use of the detected signal to operate a second light emitter which is directed towards the target and which in meeting the target causes the target to shine, thus giving a visual indication that a "hit" has been scored. In a preferred embodiment the second light em itter is in the form of a photo-flash. Optionally additional delay can be included before the second light emitter is actuated. The second light emitter can be used in any situation where the target is retroreflective. This includes a target containing only a partial retro reflective surface area. Moreover it is particularly suitable for use where the target is a moving tar get. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a block diagram incorporating equipment according to the invention. The equipment illustrated simulates the firing of one or more projectiles from a gun at a target such that a light beam replaces the projectile trajectory. A solid state laser or pulsed light emitting source mounted in or on the gun projects a narrow beam of light, in response to operation of the trigger to wards the target, which contains retro-reflective coating over at least a part of the surface area. If the beam intersects the target reflected light is detected by a sensor located in the vicinity of the user, preferably in or on the gun. An indication is then given that a "hit" has been made. When ac tuated by the trigger (not shown), the projector 11 generates a beam of light 15 from a source or em itter 16 in the form of a high density pulsed LED or semiconductor laser diode having a power of the order of 40mW. The source 16 is powered by dry cell batteries 17 and the output is modulated, for example to 20KHz by a modulator 18. The modula tor 18 and the batteries 17 are located behind the source 16.The beam 15 is collimated by a small diameter low power microscope objective lens, or an equivalent lens or lens system 19. A target 28 carries a retro-reflective surface to the projected light beam 15. One way of creating this surface is to incorporate reflective elements in the form of substantially spherical or polygonal re flective beans loaded into a fixing medium. These beads mainly reflect light back along the path from which it came irrespective of the angle of the reflecting surface to the incident light. Because of this property, the paint has a dark matt finish when viewed under diffuse lighting conditions. A reflective paint such as that sold under the Trade Mark "Scotchlite" is considered suitable. A receiver for light reflected from the target 28 comprises an optical band pass filter (not shown) which may be placed before or after a focussing lens 31, which filter limits the light entering the receiver to a limited wave band, thus improving the signal to noise ratio. The beam is focussed by the lens 31 onto a small photodetector such as a pin photo-diode 32. The lens 31 is of maximum practical aperture such that the maximum transmitted beam deflection angle is catered for. A field effect transistor 33 amplifies the received signal at the detector 32 and a synchronous demodulator such as a phase locked loop detector 34 allows passage only of signals synchronous with the transmitted beam. When the receiver detects the incidence of reflected light the signal is input to a light flash emitter 40, such as a camera photo-flash, optionally through a delay 41. The second light emitter 40 emits a flash of light towards the target. Because of the retro-reflective nature of the target, the target will light up for the duration of the flash which will provide a visual indication that a "hit" has been made. The delay 41 would delay the emission of the flash for a period of the order of 1/10th second. The period of delay allows the time taken from the trigger pull to target shine to represent the travel time from trigger pull to hit of the target that is being simulated. The use of a second light emitter to light up a target after a hit has been detected has many different applications in the context of simulated shooting where the target incorporates at least a partial retro-reflective surface. It is particularly appropriate where the target is moving, or movable during the simulation. CLAIMS

1. Equipment for simulated shooting comprising a projector for projecting a beam of electromagnetic radiation towards a retroreflective target, and a receiver for detecting the reflected radiation and signalling a "hit" wherein the signal from the receiver is connected to operate a light emitter which is directed towards the target and which in meeting the target causes the target to illuminate.

2. Equipment according to claim 1 wherein the light emitter is adapted to emit a flash of light.

3. Equipment according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the equipment is a hand held device incorporating the receiver and the light emitter.

4. Equipment for simulated shooting substan tially as herein described with reference to the ac companying drawings.