US20160356573A1

US20160356573A1 - Long-range optical instrument and peripheral device and method for providing communication between the long-range optical instrument and the peripheral device

Info

Publication number: US20160356573A1
Application number: US15/239,317
Authority: US
Inventors: Carsten Berlips; Hermann Theisinger; Christian Sinn; Christian Roetz; Jochen Mueller
Original assignee: Carl Zeiss AG; Carl Zeiss Sports Optics GmbH
Current assignee: Carl Zeiss AG; Carl Zeiss Sports Optics GmbH
Priority date: 2014-02-17
Filing date: 2016-08-17
Publication date: 2016-12-08
Also published as: EP3108198A1; DE202015008906U1; DE102014002050A1; WO2015121482A1

Abstract

A long-range optical instrument for transmitting information to a peripheral device and a method for enabling communication between the long-range optical instrument and the peripheral are provided. The long-range optical instrument includes a near-field radio communication module. The near-field radio communication module is configured to establish a communications link with the peripheral device and to transmit data, in particular information concerning the long-range optical instrument, to the peripheral device over the communications link.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application of international patent application PCT/EP2015/053261, filed Feb. 17, 2015, designating the United States and claiming priority from German application 10 2014 002 050.9, filed Feb. 17, 2014, and the entire content of both applications is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a long-range optical instrument, an energy storage unit, in particular for a long-range optical instrument, a peripheral device and a method for providing communication between the long-range optical instrument and the peripheral device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Long-range optical instruments that are used for mobile applications often have no display or only a relatively small display, in order to keep the electrical energy consumption as low as possible. For the user of a battery-operated or rechargeable battery-operated long-range optical instrument, it is desirable to know how much remaining capacity is in the battery or the rechargeable battery so that the user can change the battery in good time or recharge the rechargeable battery.
Furthermore, in the case of long-range optical instruments with electronic subassemblies, capabilities for setting these subassemblies are often restricted to the most essential on account of the number of switches required and on account of the size of the display. High costs per display segment and avoidance of excessive information content often also play a role, since the user should conventionally only see the most essential. Especially for complex contents with many variation possibilities, a 4-digit 7-segment display for example, as is typically implemented in laser range finders, only offers an obscurely indirect representation of the value to be displayed.
DE 10 2004 034 267 A1 describes a system for determining and/or setting an elevation correction, in which a range finder and a telescopic sight are used. The range finder and the telescopic sight are connected to one another by way of a bidirectional data interface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a simple possible way of further improving the operating convenience of long-range optical instruments, and in particular to improve their operational capability and operating time.
The object is achieved by providing a long-range optical instrument for transmitting information to a peripheral device, the long-range optical instrument including: a near-field communication module configured to establish a communications link with the peripheral device and to transmit said information to the peripheral device; said information including information concerning the long-range optical instrument; and, said long-range optical instrument being configured to be controlled by said peripheral device over said communications link.
According to an aspect of the invention, the long-range optical instrument has a near-field communication module for transmitting information, in particular information concerning the long-range optical instrument, to a peripheral device, in which a communications link with the peripheral device can be established with the near-field communication module, wherein the near-field communication module allows the information to be transmitted to the peripheral device, and in particular the long-range optical instrument can be controlled from the peripheral device by way of the communications link.
In order to make the invention usable also in the case of long-range optical instruments which, though they cannot independently set up communications links, nevertheless have an energy store, such as for example conventional telescopic sights with an illuminated reticle, reflex sights or else monocular units, an energy storage unit is provided, in particular for a long-range optical instrument, to supply the long-range optical instrument with electrical energy, wherein the energy storage unit has a near-field communication module for transmitting information, in particular with respect to the energy store.
Advantageously, a peripheral device can be used, in particular a mobile terminal, having a near-field communication module for transmitting information and/or control commands to a long-range optical instrument having a near-field communication module, in the case of which a communications link with the long-range optical instrument can be established by the near-field communication module, in particular with the near-field communication module of the long-range optical instrument.
In an advantageous way, furthermore, a method for providing communication between a long-range optical instrument and a peripheral device is provided, comprising establishing a communications link between the long-range optical instrument and the peripheral device, receiving at least one item of information, in particular concerning the long-range optical instrument, by way of the communications link, presenting the information or a value based on this information on a display of the peripheral device and, in particular, controlling the long-range optical instrument from the peripheral device by way of the communications link.
The near-field communication module may for example act in a near field of a few meters to centimeters or millimeters, so that the long-range optical instrument and the peripheral device are in this case arranged at a small distance or almost no distance from one another. Here, the term near field may mean in particular a distance between the long-range optical instrument and the peripheral device of a few meters, in particular approximately 10 meters, to a few centimeters or millimeters, in particular 20 cm to zero millimeters, this meaning without any distance. In this near field, a communications link can be set up and operated between the long-range optical instrument and the peripheral device.
Furthermore, it may be provided that the near-field communication module is a standard NFC communication module. The near-field communication module in this case provides a near-field communications link that is for example a standardized NFC connection. For the purposes of this description, NFC is an abbreviation for the Near Field Communication transmission standard.
Unless otherwise indicated, controlling is understood within the scope of this disclosure as meaning any kind of intervention or access by the peripheral device in or to the long-range optical instrument. Thus, controlling may for example mean inquiring and subsequently reading out a value from the long-range optical instrument by the peripheral device. Furthermore, controlling may also mean transferring data in the long-range optical instrument or in subassemblies of the long-range optical instrument, for example updating operating software of the long-range optical instrument or changing standard values, such as for example the average brightness of a display, in the long-range optical instrument.
Furthermore, it may be provided that the near-field communication module allows control commands with which the long-range optical instrument can be set from the peripheral device to be transmitted from the peripheral device to the long-range optical instrument.
Furthermore, the information, in particular also concerning the long-range optical instrument, may be at least one item of information from the group of information comprising the ammunition manufacturer, ballistic function, current ballistic values, ballistic programs, type of ammunition, charging, battery state, battery voltage, electrical current value, temperature, battery capacity, remaining capacity, remaining operating time of range-finding unit, brightness state of a display of the long-range optical instrument, standard brightness, maximum, minimum brightness, measured value statistics, last measured value, recoil, number of shots, assembly state, type of long-range optical instrument, serial number, angle of sight, GPS data, compass reading, air pressure and atmospheric humidity, maximum measured distance, version of a software update, with which ammunition the weapon was fired at the center from which range, in meters or yards or whether fired at MRD, with which weapon it was fired, the date, information from an area for additional comments, a name, in particular the name of the user or owner, address, in particular the address of the user or owner, telephone number, in particular the telephone number of the user or owner, and/or the information transmitted to the long-range optical instrument may be suitable for carrying out a software update in the long-range optical instrument, and/or the information transmitted to the long-range optical instrument may be suitable for setting in the long-range optical instrument, in particular during assembly or servicing, an adjusting mode during which adjustments to subassemblies of the long-range optical instrument are made possible, in particular also settings of brightness or further subassemblies that are not represented in the figures, such as for example on a laser for range finding.
MRD stands here for the most recommended distance, which generally describes the range of the weapon at which the curve (parabola) of the fired object intersects the imaginary straight line through the eye, the aiming device and the target for the second time. Because the distance of the sighting line from the barrel axis may differ, depending on the weapon, and because barrels of different lengths influence the MRD, the MRD should be individually determined in each case. The MRD may change from charge to charge due to differences of ammunition loads.
Furthermore, the long-range optical instrument may have a display of which the brightness can be varied in preferred embodiments of the invention by operating the peripheral device. Control commands may for example be setting commands for setting a parameter on the long-range optical instrument. Here it is the case for example that the brightness of a display of the long-range optical instrument can be set.
The long-range optical instrument may advantageously be a pair of binoculars, a telescopic sight, a monocular unit or a reflex sight. These long-range optical instruments may have an energy store and one or more light sources, which can be regulated in their brightness, for example in order to set the brightness of a display on the long-range optical instrument, by the brightness being controlled by the peripheral device.
Furthermore, automatic switching off of the long-range optical instrument is also possible, i.e. an enable/disable function can be realized, and also a setting of the time to when automatic switching off takes place.
The peripheral device may preferably be a mobile terminal, such as for example a mobile phone, a smart phone, a smart watch, a tablet PC or a notebook. In the case of other embodiments, the peripheral device may be a package, a portion of a package or else a data carrier with communication capability, such as for example a Wi-Fi memory card or a USE stick with NFC functionality.
Furthermore, the object is achieved by a communication system having a long-range optical instrument according to the invention and a peripheral device according to the invention, wherein a data exchange, which in particular includes transmitting the information, can be provided between the long-range optical instrument and the peripheral device by way of a communications link.
Furthermore, it may be provided that the method includes providing information concerning a state of an energy store in the long-range optical instrument and controlling a brightness of a display of the long-range optical instrument over the communications link.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the peripheral device may determine a remaining capacity and/or a remaining operating time of the energy store on the basis of a characteristic curve stored in the peripheral device.
Altogether, a simple and low-cost possible way of reading out values and performing or changing settings on a long-range optical instrument is disclosed, including very little technical expenditure and involving low costs.
It is possible for example on the basis of the voltage of the energy store to determine a remaining capacity of the energy store of the long-range optical instrument. Furthermore, with the aid of a temperature measurement, which is optionally integrated in the long-range optical instrument or as a preset value in the peripheral device, a greater accuracy in the determination of the remaining capacity can be achieved. It is important here that the electrical current value can additionally also be determined and transmitted. The determination of the remaining capacity can be carried out even more accurately with the aid of data or a data sheet (for example a UI characteristic curve) of the battery manufacturer or a self-stored characteristic curve. Substantially no additional battery power or rechargeable battery power is required in the long-range optical instrument for the transmission. The current for the NFC chip and the transmission can be supplied by the peripheral device, in particular if it is a mobile phone. Consequently, a measurement is still possible even when the battery or the rechargeable battery of the long-range optical instrument is empty.
A ballistic curve and/or a point of impact of a projectile can be advantageously determined in the peripheral device, in particular by calculation or comparison of tables. This may be particularly advantageous if for example the peripheral device communicates with a telescopic sight which can automatically sense the firing of a shot by means of an acceleration sensor arranged in it.
If a ballistic curve and/or a point of impact is determined in the peripheral device by using an angle of inclination, determined by an angle of inclination sensor, and the direction, determined by a compass, of a projectile, as a result the accuracy of the calculation of a point of impact of a projectile can be improved significantly, in particular if topographical data and ammunition-related data are also additionally used here.
A still further improvement is obtained if in this case the ballistic curve and/or a point of impact is/are determined in the peripheral device also by using meteorological data, such as air pressure, temperature and atmospheric humidity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows the setting of the brightness of a display on a long-range optical instrument according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a display on a peripheral device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3 shows a display on a peripheral device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 4 is a highly schematized illustration of a subassembly of a long-range optical instrument which has a near-field communication module according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 5 shows a first energy storage unit for a long-range optical instrument according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 6 shows a second energy storage unit for a long-range optical instrument according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 7 shows curve profiles of temperature characteristics of a voltage in dependence on a duration, which may in particular be the operating time of a long-range optical instrument,

FIG. 8 shows curve profiles of temperature characteristics with an operating voltage in dependence on a load resistance,

FIG. 9 shows curve profiles of temperature characteristics with a capacity in dependence on a load resistance or a current,

FIG. 10 is a basic representation of a circuit for measuring the current during the operation of a light source, in particular a light-emitting diode,

FIG. 11 is a further basic representation of a circuit for measuring the current during the operation of a light source, in particular a light-emitting diode,

FIG. 12 shows an indication of a display in the calculation of ballistic data on a peripheral device,

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a pair of binoculars with an energy store and a near-field communication module according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a monocular unit, which has an energy store and a near-field communication module according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 15 shows a telescopic sight, which has an energy store and a near-field communication module, in particular for capacity determination, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the telescopic sight from FIG. 15,

FIG. 17 shows a reflex sight with an energy store and a near-field communication module according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 18 is a sectional view of the reflex sight from FIG. 17,

FIG. 19 shows an energy storage unit with an energy store for a long-range optical instrument that is also suitable in particular for retrofitting long-range optical instruments which have no near-field communication module themselves according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 20 shows a package for a long-range optical instrument, which by itself represents a peripheral device or in which at least a portion thereof represents a peripheral device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, for better understanding, the appended figures are not shown to scale. In the figures, the same designations respectively indicate subassemblies that are the same, act similarly or are identical, even in different embodiments.
FIG. 1 shows the setting of the brightness of a display 18 on or in a long-range optical instrument 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The long-range optical instrument 10 is schematically shown in FIG. 1 as an outline.
The long-range optical instrument 10 has a microcontroller 11, which is supplied with power by an energy store 12. The energy store 12 may be a battery or a rechargeable battery.
The microcontroller 11 is connected to a near-field communication module 13, which is formed as an NFC module 13 and which includes an NFC chip 14 and a first NFC coil 15.
The microcontroller 11 controls one or more illumination elements, in particular one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 16 to illuminate the display 18 of the long-range optical instrument 10.
The microcontroller 11 has an invariable current consumption (I_fixed) and can variably control the current consumption of the LEDs 16 (I_var), so that a brightness setting of the display 18 can be adjusted by an adjusting device 17. The adjusting device 17 can be a potentiometer.
Instead of a potentiometer, the brightness setting may also be adjusted by incremental encoders or pushbuttons. The LED 16 is only presented by way of example. It may alternatively be an incandescent lamp, in particular a halogen incandescent lamp, or the brightness settings may be adjusted for an OLED display. The alternatives described above are not independently shown in the figures for the sake of clarity.
The display 18 may also only include a single LED 16, as will be explained below in still more detail in the description of exemplary embodiments.
The NFC module 13 of FIG. 1 is in communications link 30 with a peripheral device 20, in particular with a mobile terminal, such as a mobile phone, in particular a smart phone, with a large display 22. The communications link 30 may be a radio connection.
In some technically simple exemplary embodiments described in more detail below, such as for example in the exemplary embodiment of a package, a portion of a package or a USB stick, the display 22 of the peripheral device 20 may merely have a single LED 25 as the display, as shown in FIG. 4.
For establishing and operating the communications link 30, the peripheral device 20 has a second NFC coil 21, which is electrically or magnetically coupled to the first NFC coil 15 as soon as the long-range optical instrument 10 and the peripheral device 20 are at a small distance from one another, for example 4 cm.
After setting up the communications link 30, it is possible for example for information, in particular concerning the long-range optical instrument 10, to be transmitted over the communications link 30 from the long-range optical instrument 10 to the peripheral device 20 and from the peripheral device 20 to the long-range optical instrument 10.
At the peripheral device 20, if it has corresponding input means, for example if the peripheral device 20 is a mobile phone or smart phone, it is possible to choose for example the brightness of the display 18 of the long-range optical instrument 10 and to display the brightness on a display 22 of the peripheral device 20.
The long-range optical instrument 10 can be controlled by the peripheral device 20 over the communications link 30. In this way, convenient operation of the display 18 of the long-range optical instrument 10 is possible by utilizing the display of the peripheral device 20 or by utilizing other operating controls of the peripheral device 20.
Without restricting the generality, the information that is sent from the peripheral device 20 to the long-range optical instrument 10 may include information about the ammunition manufacturer, ballistic function, current ballistic values, ballistic programs, type of ammunition, charging, battery state, battery voltage, electrical current value, temperature, battery capacity, remaining capacity, remaining operating time of range-finding unit, brightness state of a display of the long-range optical instrument 10, standard brightness, maximum, minimum brightness, measured value statistics, last measured value, recoil, number of shots, assembly state, type of long-range optical instrument, serial number, angle of sight, GPS data, compass reading, air pressure and atmospheric humidity, maximum measured distance, version of a software update, with which ammunition the weapon was fired at the center from which range, with which weapon it was fired, the date, information from an area for additional comments, a name, in particular the name of the user or owner, address, in particular the address of the user or owner, telephone number, in particular the telephone number of the user or owner. This aforementioned information may also be transmitted from the long-range optical instrument 10 to the peripheral device 20.
Furthermore, the information transmitted to the long-range optical instrument 10 may be suitable for carrying out a software update in the long-range optical instrument 10.
The information transmitted to the long-range optical instrument 10 may also be suitable for setting in the long-range optical instrument 10, in particular during assembly or servicing, an adjusting mode during which adjustments to subassemblies, for example the display 18, of the long-range optical instrument 10 are made possible, in particular also settings of brightness or further subassemblies that are not represented in the figures, such as for example on a laser for range finding.
Furthermore, it may also be provided that further setting parameters in addition or as an alternative to a brightness setting of the display 18 can be displayed and/or changed by the peripheral device 20.
Here, the one or more setting parameters of the long-range optical instrument 10 are transmitted to the peripheral device 20 and changed or newly set there, and subsequently transmitted again in the changed form or as the changed value to the long-range optical instrument 10. A setting parameter may be for example the type of ammunition.
Furthermore, setting parameters, such as external ambient conditions, for example wind speed, wind direction, ambient brightness, or the like may be transmitted to the long-range optical instrument 10 over the communications link 30, if the long-range optical instrument 10 cannot determine this information by itself.
FIG. 2 shows a display 22 of a mobile peripheral device 20 according to a first exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, an application or a program code, which is installed on the mobile peripheral device 20, can control the communication over the communications link 30 once the communications link 30 has been activated. For this purpose, the user starts this application which is installed on the mobile peripheral device 20 and which may be respectively designed for the electronic long-range optical instrument 10 or a class of long-range optical instruments 10.
The application or the program code may alternatively, in particular in the case of peripheral devices 20 with a simpler display 22, such as for example with an LED 25 as shown in FIG. 4, or the LEDs 730 shown in FIG. 20, also independently start an NFC functionality in the peripheral device 20. If the peripheral device 20 comes into the vicinity, i.e. the near field, of the long-range optical instrument 10, the long-range optical instrument 10 detects the magnetic field of the activated communications link 30 and then sends for example stored values and/or setting parameters and/or current values to the peripheral device 20.
As soon as the transmission of the information over the communications link 30 has been completed or the peripheral device 20 has been removed from the near field of the long-range optical instrument 20, the long-range optical instrument 10 switches to a power saving mode, in which the long-range optical instrument 10 may have been before the data exchange, that is before the transmission of the information over the communications link 30.
In the present exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the charging state is marked in the form of filled-in and not filled-in bars 24, filled-in bars graphically representing an existing remaining capacity and not filled-in bars representing an already consumed capacity.
It can be seen from the graphical bars 24 that the energy store 12 of FIG. 1 still has approximately 75 or 70% remaining capacity, i.e. two filled-in bars out of three bars.
In addition, or as an alternative to the graphical representation 24, there may be a text representation 23 on the display 22. This text representation 23 may include the following text, as shown in FIG. 2 merely by way of example and not limiting: “about 70% remaining capacity, operating time with current illumination 12 hours, average illumination 40 hours and maximum illumination 4 hours”. On the basis of this information, a user can decide which brightness setting he wishes on the long-range optical instrument 10 shown in FIG. 1 and may adjust settings based on his decision by way of a touch-sensitive display 22 of the peripheral device 20, or alternatively by way of a mechanical operating knob of the long-range optical instrument 10 (for example by a potentiometer 17) that is well known to a person skilled in the art and consequently not shown in the figures.
Consequently, a user can use the displayed information on the display 22 of the peripheral device 20 to reduce the brightness of the display 18 in order to obtain a newly calculated remaining operating time of the long-range optical instrument 10.
A new calculation of the setting parameter may for example take place automatically or may be initiated by the user. For example, the user may operate a virtual button of the application on the display 22 of the mobile peripheral device 20. The calculation of the remaining capacity is explained in still more detail below.
In addition, further data can be sent by the peripheral device 20, in particular if it is a mobile phone, to the long-range optical instrument 10 and may be stored in the long-range optical instrument 10. In particular in the case of a telescopic sight 400 or a reflex sight 600, the data may include information about ammunition with which the weapon was fired at the center and from which range. In addition, information about with which weapon it was fired may also be stored in the long-range optical instrument 10.
In the case of all the long-range optical instruments 10 described herein, it is possible that a date and an area for additional comments can also be stored.
In a further exemplary embodiment, to deter theft, the name of the user or owner, his address and telephone number can be stored in the long-range optical instrument 10, preferably with password protection, in order to avoid mix-ups or to be better able in the case of lost instruments to match them up with the owners.
FIG. 3 shows a display 22 on a peripheral device 20, as shown for example in FIG. 1, according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention. Further information about the long-range optical instrument 10 may be reproduced on the display 22. The information may include for example the ammunition manufacturer, ballistic function, current ballistic values, ballistic programs, type of projectile, charging, battery state, battery capacity, range-finding unit, brightness state of a display of the long-range optical instrument 10, standard brightness, maximum, minimum brightness, measured value statistics, last measured value, maximum measured distance and version of a software update.
FIG. 4 is a further, highly schematized illustration of a subassembly of a long-range optical instrument 10, which includes an energy storage unit 150, which by way of example may be the energy storage unit shown in FIG. 19 with an energy store 112 that is suitable for retrofitting long-range optical instruments which have no near-field communication module.
FIG. 4 shows an electronic circuit 102, optionally with a display 103, for example in the form of the light-emitting diode 624 shown in FIG. 19. A data memory 104 and an own energy store 112 are integrated, and also a near-field communication module 113.
The energy store 112 can supply the electronic circuit 102, the near-field communication module 113 and the data memory 104 with electrical energy. The electrical energy store 112 may be a battery or a rechargeable battery. Electrical energy may alternatively or additionally also be obtained from a solar cell 629, which by way of example is shown in FIG. 17 in conjunction with a reflex sight 600 with a solar cell 629 installed on it.
The near-field communication module 113 is implemented as an NFC module in accordance with the NFC standard and has an NFC chip 114 and an NFC coil 115.
The NFC coil 115 may communicate with a further NFC coil 21 of a peripheral device 20 over a radio interface 30. The NFC coil 21 is connected to an electronic subassembly 28, which has a microcontroller or an ASIC. By the microcontroller, measurements can be carried out in the way described herein and optionally for example for simpler embodiments, apart from the control functions, a display, for example the LED 25, can be activated, and consequently the information obtained can utilized.
Over the radio connection 30, both data and electrical or magnetic energy can be exchanged. In this way, energy can be sent from or to the mobile peripheral device 20 over the radio connection 30, in order to operate the NFC chip 114 or the electronic subassembly 28.
Furthermore, the mobile peripheral device 20 may obtain information over the radio connection 30, in particular digitized measured values that are provided by the NFC chip 114.
The exemplary embodiment of the peripheral device 20 shown in FIG. 4 is embodied more simply as a smart phone and, in the case of some of the embodiments described below, may only include as a display a single LED 25, which can indicate remaining capacities for example on the basis of its color (red, yellow or green). As an alternative or in addition, the LED 25 may also indicate hazardous states by discontinuously blinking if the remaining operating time of the long-range optical instrument 10 falls below a certain value. In addition, critical values of a state of the long-range optical instrument 10 may be transmitted to and detected in the peripheral device 20.
As described above, in this way a value based on the transmitted information can be shown on the display 22 in the form of color, by discontinuous blinking or in a more detailed way.
FIG. 5 shows an energy storage unit 150 according to an exemplary embodiment, which is arranged in one of the long-range optical instruments 10 still to be described in more detail below and includes the energy store 112. The long-range optical instrument 10 has a battery compartment 623, shown for example FIG. 17, in which the energy store 112 is held, preferably by the cover 622, and which is accommodated in such a way that it can be removed from outside the long-range optical instrument 10.
The energy store 112, in particular a battery or a rechargeable battery, is connected at its positive terminal to an on/off switch 62, which can optionally establish a connection to a resistor connected in parallel with the energy store 112 or can switch the energy store 112 parallel to the NFC chip 64. The on/off switch 62 can be activated from outside the long-range optical instrument 10 in a mechanically switchable manner or by the NFC chip 64. The NFC chip 64 is connected to a first NFC coil 65, which defines a coil area, in order to interact with a second NFC coil 71, which is integrated in a mobile peripheral device 20, in particular in a mobile phone. The two NFC coils 65, 71 are coupled to one another over the radio connection 30.
Both data, the information described above, and electrical or magnetic energy can be exchanged over the radio connection. In this way, energy can be fed from the mobile peripheral device 20 into the energy store 112 over the radio connection 30, so that the energy store is recharged. Furthermore, the mobile peripheral device 20 may obtain information over the radio connection 30, in particular digitized measured values that are provided by the NFC chip 64. An application or a program code that is installed on the mobile peripheral device 20 can determine a remaining capacity of the energy store 112 from the one or more measured values and make it available to the user in a convenient way, for example in the form of the color of the LED 25, the LEDs 730, a symbol and/or in the form of a text statement on the display 22 of the mobile peripheral device 20, in particular on a display of a mobile phone.
In the case of the configuration according to FIG. 5, a user starts an application, for example “battery checking app”, on his mobile phone 20. As a result, an NFC function is activated in the mobile phone serving as a peripheral device 20. If the peripheral device 20 is brought into the vicinity of, i.e. right up to, the coil 65 of the battery-operated instrument 10, the battery 112 or the rechargeable battery 112, the coil 71 generates a magnetic field. This induces a current in the coil 65, which feeds the NFC chip 64. The NFC chip 64 then sets up a connection to the peripheral device 20. The peripheral device 20 sends a message to the NFC chip 64 “please measure voltage”. The NFC chip 64 actuates the on/off switch 62, and current flows through the load resistor 63. The voltage drops across the load resistor 63 is measured by the NFC chip 64. The voltage value is digitized and the current is calculated on the basis of Ohm's law, I=U/R. The voltage value, and optionally the current value, is sent over the NFC coil 65 to the peripheral device 20 and displayed.
A remaining capacity, such as for example as described in still more detail below, can be determined from the voltage of the battery 112 or the rechargeable battery 112. Furthermore, a greater accuracy can be achieved with the aid of a temperature measurement, which is optionally integrated in the long-range optical instrument 10, or is stored as a setting value in the mobile phone serving as a peripheral device 20.
The determination of the remaining capacity becomes even more accurate with the aid of a data sheet (UI characteristic curve) of the battery manufacturer. No additional battery power or rechargeable battery power is required for the transmission. The current for the NFC chip 64 and the transmission can be supplied by the peripheral device 20. Consequently, a measurement is still possible even when the battery 112 or the rechargeable battery 112 is empty.
Generally, the information transmitted between the long-range optical instrument 10 and the peripheral device 20 can, without limitation, be utilized in both the long-range optical instrument 10 and the peripheral device 20 in the way described above by storing the information or by further processing the information.
FIG. 6 shows an energy storage unit 150 for a long-range optical instrument 10 with a series connection of energy stores 160, 161, 162, which altogether act together as an energy store 163 according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention.
The energy store 163 has in the present case three batteries or three rechargeable batteries. The energy store 163 is connected at its ends and at its center taps to an electronic circuit 166, which in turn is connected to an NFC chip 164. The NFC chip 164 has a first NFC coil 165, in order to be in radio connection with a mobile peripheral device 20, in particular with a mobile phone, over the communications link 30. The mobile peripheral device 20 has for this purpose a further NFC coil 71.
The functioning of the communications link 30 is similar to that already described for FIG. 5. Information and also electrical or magnetic energy can be exchanged between the mobile peripheral device 20 and the energy store 163 by way of the NFC chip 164 and the electronic circuit 166. Preferably, energy is transmitted from the mobile peripheral device 20 to the NFC chip 164 for operating the NFC chip 164 and information from the electronic circuit 166 or the NFC chip 164 is transmitted to the mobile peripheral device 20. The mobile peripheral device 20 can calculate a remaining capacity of the energy store 163 from the transmitted information and determine a remaining operating time of the energy store 163.
FIGS. 7 to 9 show characteristic curve profiles, which can be used for determining the remaining capacity, and consequently the remaining operating time, of a long-range optical instrument 10. These curve profiles may for example be stored in the peripheral device 20 in order to determine the corresponding information for the long-range optical instrument 10.
A simple determination of the remaining capacity, and consequently of the remaining operating time, of the long-range optical instrument 10 can be performed on the basis of the measured voltage of the energy store 112 by using one of the characteristic curves from FIG. 7 for an average operating temperature of for example 20° C. Since this value is highly temperature-dependent, however, a more reliable value can be obtained if, according to FIG. 7, the temperature of the long-range optical instrument 10, or alternatively as an estimated value the temperature of the peripheral device 20, is also taken into account.
For determining the temperature, a temperature sensor 200 may optionally be fitted in the long-range optical instrument 10 or in the peripheral device 20, as shown merely by way of example in FIGS. 1, 13, 14, 15, 18 and 19.
A remaining capacity, and consequently of the remaining operating time, of the long-range optical instrument may be obtained by measuring the current delivered by the energy store 112 when there is a known resistance. The determination of the remaining capacity, and consequently of the remaining operating time by measuring the current is much more reliable than a determination of the remaining capacity by measuring the voltage.
If the peripheral device 20 is brought into the vicinity of (right up to) the coil of the long-range optical instrument 10, the peripheral device 20 is detected by the long-range optical instrument 10 in the way described above and the determination of the current in the long-range optical instrument 10 is started. Together with the measured voltage that is present at the energy store 112, and optionally the temperature, this information is transmitted over the NFC connection to the peripheral device 20.
The temperature value may be accepted in the peripheral device 20 or changed, if for example the user knows specifically that a warm battery has been placed into a cold long-range optical instrument 10. By the battery discharge curves stored in the peripheral device 20, the remaining capacity can then be determined more precisely, since it is temperature-compensated, and can be correspondingly displayed on the peripheral device 20.
The determination of the current may in this case take place as described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. For the sake of a simpler representation, the microcontroller 11 described above is not depicted in these figures.
FIG. 10 is a basic representation of a circuit for measuring the current when a light source is used, in particular when light-emitting diode 16 is used.
Generally, the current between the battery and the light-emitting diode 16 can be determined by measuring the voltage drop across the series resistor 210 and by calculating the current based on Ohm's law, U=R*I which results in I=U/R, which however, with the typically small currents, proves to be difficult and complex.
With a known continuous load, caused for example by the microcontroller 11, plus a variable load caused by the LED 16, for this purpose it is also possible to proceed as follows.
The variable load can be calculated based on a value predetermined by the microcontroller 11 and/or by measuring the voltage drop across the illumination unit, which is generally the LED 16, and which is operated with a series resistor 210. With Ohm's law, the current through the series resistor 210, which is also the current through the LED 16, can be calculated from the voltage drop across the series resistor 210.
In the case of an LED illumination units controlled by a microcontroller, the brightness is generally controlled by switching on and off of the LED which in terms of frequency is not visible to the human eye. This method, also referred to as pulse width modulation (PWM), may be used as an alternative or in addition to the variation of the series resistor 210.
With a closed switch, a current I=(U_bat−U_d)/R is obtained. The pulse width modulation results in the average current I_var=I*duty ratio (ON time to period (ON+off time)).
The current total is obtained as I_currtot=I_var+I_fixed.
U_batis measured for example by the microcontroller 11. The value of the series resistance/resistor 210 is known.
U_dis the conducting-state voltage at the diode and is stored as a fixed value or as a table in dependence on U_batand resistance 210 for different values of resistance 210, for example in the memory of the microcontroller 11.
I_fixedis the current that is required independently of the brightness setting, for example for the operation of the microcontroller 11. This value is stored for example in the memory of the microcontroller 11. The maximum current for maximum brightness is calculated with a maximum duty ratio, which has a maximum value of 1, as I_tot=I+I_fixed.
The minimum current for minimum brightness is calculated from the smallest duty ratio. In the most advantageous case, the minimum current=I_fixed, since then the current through the LED 16 is negligible.
Thus, on the basis of the above measurements, the following information is transmitted to the peripheral device 20:
u_bat, I_currtot, temperature, maximum current, minimum current and possibly the type of battery used.
In the peripheral device 20, the discharge curves for different temperatures are stored for the various measured currents, for example for 50 μA, 100 μA, 200 μA, 500 μA, 1 mA, 2 mA, 3 mA.
For example, the peripheral device 20 may receive the following data: U_bat=2.9 V, I_currtot=190 μA, temp=20° C., I_max=2 mA, I_min=100 μA. With a measured voltage U_batof 2.9 V at 20° C., (see this value in FIG. 9 as the voltage value for the current of 2 mA), the battery has already been under load for about 800 h, i.e. with a total operating time of about 1150 h the remaining operating time is more than 300 h; this means that the battery still has a remaining capacity of about 30%.
The battery curve for 100 μA, (see the correspondingly higher voltage value in FIG. 9 for the characteristic curve at 20° C. and the value at 0.1 mA), results for 20° C. in a total operating time of 2200 h; with 30% remaining capacity, this results in a remaining operating time of more than 650 h.
If information concerning the average brightness has also been transmitted, on the basis of the remaining capacity, the remaining operating time for average brightness can also be determined.
In order not to cause any problems on account of measuring inaccuracies, the remaining operating times may be indicated for example as greater than 1000 h and/or for example as less than 10 h.
Since an exact voltage measurement for the determination of the passed operating time of the battery is especially difficult in the case of low currents (since the characteristic curve in this region is very flat), the current may be briefly increased during the voltage measurement. This may be achieved by briefly increasing the brightness of the LED 16 or, as shown in FIG. 11, by connecting a resistor Rm 220 in parallel with the LED 16 and the series resistor 210 for a period of time.
Apart from the required current parameters described above (I_currtot, I_maxand I_min), in this case an additional current value I_measmay also be sent to the peripheral device 20, based on which the remaining battery capacity and the further remaining operating times could then be determined.
Generally, an electrical voltage, a current, a temperature, an operating time, a capacitance value, a resistance value, in particular an ohmic resistance value, and/or a characteristic curve of the energy store 112, 163, in particular a voltage-current characteristic curve, may be transmitted to the peripheral device 20.
For the description of a further exemplary embodiment, reference is made below to the telescopic sight 400 shown in FIG. 15.
Arranged on or inside the central tube 402 are a compass, formed as an electronic compass module 205, an electronic angle-of-inclination sensor 206 and also, in a front region of the telescopic sight 400, a laser range-finder module 207.
The laser range-finder module 207 determines range data, communicates with the near-field communication module 13, which in FIG. 15 is merely schematically shown, and transmits the range data as described in more detail below.
The near-field communication module 13 according to an exemplary embodiment is a standard NFC communication module. The near-field communication module 13 may also be some other standardized or quasi-standardized near-field communication module and may for example comply with the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, ANT and/or ANT+ standard. It is particularly advantageous if this near-field communication module 13 can communicate not only on in accordance with the NFC standard but also in accordance with the Bluetooth standard.
If the peripheral device 20, for example a smart phone, is brought into the vicinity of the near-field communication module 13, it detects the NFC identification of the near-field communication module 13, and a Bluetooth connection between the peripheral device 20 and the NFC part of the near-field communication module 13 is automatically set up.
When the laser range-finder button 208 of the laser range-finder module 207 is activated, the measured range and the angle of inclination, measured by the electronic angle-of-inclination sensor 206, are sent by Bluetooth transmission to the peripheral device 20. Alternatively, the firing of a shot that is sensed by the acceleration sensor 230 may trigger the range finding by the laser range-finder module 207.
After obtaining the range data, the peripheral device 20 carries out a ballistic calculation.
This involves determining in the peripheral device 20 not only a ballistic curve 209 but also a resultant point of impact 204 of a projectile that moves along this ballistic curve 209, as can be seen for example in FIG. 12, which shows information displayed on display 22 during the calculation of ballistic data on peripheral device 20.
If topographical data, for example in a standard map format or retrieved from an Internet service, such as for example Google Earth, are stored in the peripheral device 20, further data of the terrain can also be taken into account in the calculation. For example, the elevation of the firing of the shot 211 and the elevation of the point of impact 212, which in FIG. 12 are respectively indicated merely by way of example as 180 m and 89 m, may be taken into account in the calculation of the ballistic curve 209. In addition, by way of example and without limiting the exemplary embodiments, the location of the marksman 213 and also his associated GPS data or the GPS data 214 of the calculated point of impact 204 may be displayed on display 22.
When searching for wounded game, to be able to proceed more directly and quickly, alternatively and not shown in FIG. 12, a compass direction, in this case the direction of the firing of the shot, and a distance 215 of the point of impact 204 from the location of the marksman 213 may be displayed on display 22.
In this case, at a range of 1000 m, a determination of the point of impact can be achieved with an accuracy of below 10 m if the data of the ammunition used are additionally used in each case in the determination of the ballistic curve 209; this should involve in particular a determination of the ballistic drop of the ammunition with realistic approximation of the ambient conditions for the respective ammunition. Apart from the data of the ammunition, such as for example the caliber and the muzzle velocity, the ambient temperature, the air pressure and the atmospheric humidity may also be used with sufficient accuracy in the calculation in order to be able to determine the ballistic curve 209 with the aforementioned accuracy of the point of impact.
In a further configuration, a ballistic range 216 may be transmitted back to the telescopic sight 400. This ballistic range 216 may be shown on a display, for example on display 217 arranged in the intermediate image plane F2 shown in FIG. 16.
FIG. 13 is a schematized sectional view of a long-range optical instrument 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 13 shows a pair of binoculars 300 which has an energy store 12. The binoculars 300 have a near-field communication module 13, as described above with regard to FIG. 1. In this way, the binoculars 300 can exchange information and electrical or magnetic energy with a mobile peripheral device 20 over a further NFC coil 21 of the mobile peripheral device 20. The mobile peripheral device 20 may be a mobile phone.
The binoculars 300 have two tubes 301 which are arranged parallel to one another and respectively contain an optical system. The optical system has at least one objective lens 302, an aperture stop, which may be formed by the field stop 311, a prism system 303, and an eyepiece 305.
An optical axis 306 is respectively defined by the objective lens 302 and by the eyepiece 305. The only schematically shown objective lens 302 may include a number of individual lenses or cemented members.
For the purpose of focusing an object 309 viewed through the binoculars 300, either the eyepiece 305 may be axially displaced, or the complete objective lens 302 may be axially displaced, or else only a group of lenses or lens 304, which is a component part of the objective lens 302, may be axially displaced. This group of lenses or lens is generally arranged between further lenses of the objective lens 302 and the prism system 303 and can be referred to as the focusing lens. For focusing, on a central axis 314 there may be arranged a rotary knob 308, with which the focusing lenses 304 can be axially displaced together.
The objective lens 302 may generate a real intermediate image, inverted in relation to the viewed object 309, in a first intermediate image plane F1 that is assigned to the objective lens 302. For the purpose of righting the image, the prism system 303 may be constructed on the basis of the Abbe-König, Schmidt-Pechan, Uppendahl, Porro or correspondingly some other prism system variant.
The inverted intermediate image is righted again by the prism system 303 and imaged in a new intermediate image plane, the eyepiece-side second intermediate image plane F2. A field stop 311, which sharply delimits the field of view, may be located in the eyepiece-side second intermediate image plane F2.
The eyepiece 305 may be used to project the intermediate image of the eyepiece-side second intermediate image plane F2 to any desired distance, for example to infinity or a distance that appears a meter away.
A beam direction 312 may be defined by the sequence object 309—objective lens 302—prism system 303—eyepiece 305—eye 310.
As a result of a beam offset caused by the prism system 303 in relation to the optical axis 315 of the eyepiece 305, the optical axis 306 of the objective lens 302 may have a lateral offset.
The tubes 301 are either connected to one another by way of at least one two-part bridge 307, which may be formed as a folding bridge and comprises the central axis 314, or are arranged fixedly in relation to one another in a common housing.
With the at least one two-part bridge 307 being present, allowance can be made for the distance between the eyes of a user by folding of the bridge 307. In the case of a common housing, the distance between the eyes of the user is set for example by means of rhombic prisms, which are not represented in the figures and are arranged downstream of the prism system 303 in the beam direction, the eyepieces 305 then pivoting along with the rhombic prisms.
The effective aperture stop may be defined either by a mounting of an optical element, for example by the mounting of the objective lens 302, or by a separate stop, for example the field stop 311. It may be imaged by the remaining optical system following downstream in the beam direction into a plane that lies downstream of the eyepiece 305 in the beam direction and is typically at a distance from it of 5 to 25 mm. This plane may be referred to as the plane of the exit pupil.
Allowance can be made for a visual defect of the user by means of a dioptric compensation. For this purpose, for example, the relative axial positions of the focusing lenses 304 of the two tubes 301 may be adjustable in relation to one another by the user. Another possibility is that the relative axial positions of the eyepieces 305 in relation to one another can be changed.
To protect the user from lateral incident light, eye shields 313 that can be pulled out, turned out or folded over may be provided on the eyepieces 305.
A pair of binoculars 300 may additionally include further optical components, which serve for example for image stabilization, coupling the beam in or out or else photographic purposes. Similarly, further electronic components or operating elements that are necessary for the purposes mentioned but are not represented in the figures for the sake of clarity of the description may be present. Usually on the sides of the pair of binoculars there may be holding devices, at which for example a carrying strap may be attached and which are not represented in the figures since they are known to a person skilled in the art.
FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a monocular unit 500 according to an exemplary embodiment, which has an energy store 12 and a near-field communication module 13, similar to that described above for FIG. 13. The monocular unit 500 is a long-range optical instrument which, in comparison with the pair of binoculars 300 of FIG. 13, is only provided with one tube 301 and does not have a folding bridge.
Inside the tube 301, the construction of the monocular unit 500 is similar or identical to that described in FIG. 13 for the binoculars. The same designations respectively denote the same elements in FIGS. 13 and 14. Therefore, for the sake of brevity, reference is made to the description of FIG. 13 for the further explanation of the monocular unit 500 of FIG. 14.
FIG. 15 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a long-range optical instrument 10, here a telescopic sight 400, which has an energy store 13, in particular a battery or a rechargeable battery, and electronic functions that have already been described in more detail within the scope of this description as functions of the long-range optical instrument 10.
Furthermore, the telescopic sight 400 has a near-field communication module 13, similar or identical to that described for the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
In this way, the telescopic sight 400 can exchange information and electrical or magnetic energy with a mobile peripheral device 20 by way of an NFC coil 21 of the mobile peripheral device 20, in particular a mobile phone.
In FIG. 16, the telescopic sight 400 from FIG. 15 is shown in a sectional view.
The telescopic sight 400 includes a tube which, as described below, may have piece-by-piece or portion-by-portion different diameters and includes an optical system that is described in still more detail below.
In a front, usually thickened, objective lens region 401, there may be an objective lens 414. In a middle region, which is often also referred to as the central tube 402, there may be the adjustable optical elements that are described in still more detail below. In addition, in this region there are outer adjusting turrets 403, which have at least one rotary element 404, with which optical properties of the optical system, such as for example the lateral position of a reticle 415, 416, can be changed.
In a rear, usually thickened, eyepiece region 406, there may be the eyepiece 423. Furthermore, a zooming ring 405 may be arranged between the central tube 402 and the eyepiece region 406. The eyepiece region 406 may be completed by an eye shield 407.
The optical system has furthermore at least one objective lens 414, 426, an inverting system 425, a reticle 415, 416 and the eyepiece 423. An optical axis 413 is defined by the optical system.
The objective lens 414 may consist of a number of individual lenses 426 or cemented members.
412 denotes a beam direction from the object 411 to the telescopic sight 400.
The objective lens 414 generates in a first intermediate image plane F1 the image of an object 411 at infinity.
Optionally, a reticle 415 may be arranged in the first intermediate image plane F1, in particular such that the intermediate image plane F1 can be located on the rear side: this means on the side of the reticle 415 that is facing the inverting system 425.
The inverting system 425 may have upstream or downstream of the optional reticle 415 that is arranged in the first intermediate image plane F1 an optional field lens 417.
Here, the reticle 415 in the first intermediate image plane F1 and, if present, also the optional field lens 417 is/are attached to the inner tube 408. Furthermore, the inverting system 425 preferably has at least two zooming members 418, 419, of which at least one is movable along the optical axis 413 by means of the zooming ring 405.
Furthermore, the inverting system 425 may have a negative member 420; this means an optical element with a negative refractive power. Optionally, a reticle 416 may be arranged in a second intermediate image plane F2 of the inverting system 425. For an infinite object range, the image from the first intermediate image plane F1 is depicted as righted in the second intermediate image plane F2 by the inverting system 425.
The second intermediate image plane F2 is represented in FIG. 16 as on the rear side of the reticle 416 or as lying in it.
Furthermore, the inverting system 425 generally has a field stop 421, which borders the second intermediate image plane F2 in a sharply contrasting manner and acts as an effective field-of-view stop.
For the purpose of focusing an object 411 viewed through the telescopic sight 400 or for adaptation to the visual defect of the user, either the eyepiece 423 may be axially displaced, or a group of lenses or a lens, which is a component part of the objective lens 414, for example the lens 426, may be axially displaced. This group of lenses or lens 426 is generally arranged between the further lenses of the objective lens 414 and the inverting system 425 and can also be referred to as the focusing lens.
The objective lens 414 may generate a real image, inverted in relation to the viewed object 411, 426, in the first intermediate image plane F1 that is conjugate to the object 411. The axial position of this intermediate image plane F1 is dependent on the object range. Use of the focusing lens, in particular the lens 426, allows the axial position of the intermediate image plane F1 to be influenced. For the purpose of righting the image, the inverting system 425 may include a fixed group of lenses, or it may also include two axially displaceable zooming members 418, 419. The image that is inverted in the first intermediate image plane F1 is depicted as righted again in the second intermediate image plane F2, with a certain imaging scale, by the inverting system 425. Between the first and the second intermediate image planes F1, F2 there may be further groups of lenses, such as a further field lens that is not represented in the figures or the negative member 420 acting as a Barlow lens. All of the optical elements mentioned may have mountings or be held in them.
The reticles 415, 416 may for example be glass reticles or etched foil reticles.
If the inverting system 425 includes at least two axially displaceable zooming members 418, 419, apart from the task of depicting the image from the first intermediate image plane F1 as righted in the second intermediate image plane F2, they perform a further function, that of making the overall enlargement of the image perceived by the user selectable in an infinitely variable manner in a mechanically limited range.
The inverting system 425 thereby varies its imaging scale infinitely variably between the first intermediate image plane F1 and the second intermediate image plane F2 conjugate thereto.
A target line is defined by the respective reticle 415, 416. For this purpose, the reticle 415, 416 has at least one target point, which the user brings into line with the object 411. To compensate for projectile drop, side winds and the like, the user can change the lateral position of the reticle 415, 416, and consequently the target line arranged on it, by means of the adjusting turrets 403. In order to obtain a parallax-free image in the case of highly magnifying telescopic sights, for example with more than fivefold magnification, that is to say for example 3-9×, independently of the object range, meaning that when the eye is moved laterally in relation to the optical axis 413 the target point is not displaced with respect to the object, which is just as sharp as the reticle, the user can use the focusing lens or field lens 417.
A zoom adjustment is the commonly used expression for any desired magnification setting within the mechanically possible magnification adjustment range of the telescopic sight 400. The zoom factor is correspondingly the ratio of two magnifications, the greater of which being in the numerator. A maximum zoom factor is the ratio of the mechanically maximum possible magnification and the mechanically minimum possible magnification of the telescopic sight 400, the greater of which being in the numerator.
The eyepiece 423 may be used to project the image of the second intermediate image plane F2 to any desired distance, for example to infinity or a distance that appears a meter away, or to focus it onto the reticle.
The beam direction 412 is also defined by the sequence object 411—objective lens 414—inverting system 425—eyepiece 423—eye 424.
The mountings of the optical elements, in particular the zooming members 418, 419 or the field stop 421 acting as a field-of-view stop, near the second intermediate image plane F2 are delimiting for the subjectively perceived field of view, depending on the magnification setting.
The tunnel effect is the term used for the effect that can be observed when zooming from the mechanically maximum possible magnification to the mechanically minimum possible magnification and at the same time the field-of-view delimitation changes from the field stop 421 near the second intermediate image plane F2 to a mounting of another optical element, for example one of the zooming members 418, 419 upstream of the second intermediate image plane F2, whereby the field of view decreases.
The effective aperture stop may be formed either as described in the paragraph above by a mounting of an optical element 418, 419 or be defined by a separate stop, for example the field stop 421, and, depending on the magnification setting, also be formed by another mounting that takes effect in the beam path. It may be imaged by the remaining optical system following downstream in the beam direction into a plane that lies downstream of the eyepiece 423 in the beam direction and is typically at a distance from it of 70 to 100 mm. This plane may be referred to as the plane of the exit pupil.
The region downstream of the eyepiece 423 in which the eye 424 of the user must remain in order to overview the entire field of view is referred to as the head motion box or eye box.
Allowance can be made for a visual defect of the user by means of a dioptric compensation. For this purpose, the axial position of the eyepiece 423 can be changed.
The telescopic sight 400 may additionally include further optical components, which serve for example for coupling the beam in or out, for example for range finding or photographic purposes. Similarly, further electronic components, sensors, operating elements or energy stores that are necessary or advantageous for the purposes respectively mentioned but are not represented in the appended figures for the sake of clarity may be present.
FIG. 17 shows an exemplary embodiment of a reflex sight 600 with a solar cell 629 held on it for supplying electrical energy to the reflex sight 600. Electrical energy may alternatively or additionally be made available by an energy store holder 631 (described in still more detail below) of the reflex sight 600, which for example receives an energy store 112, consequently a battery or a rechargeable battery.
If a rechargeable battery is used, electrical energy can both be stored in the energy store 112 and given off by it to the reflex sight 600.
As a difference from a telescopic sight, a reflex sight generally does not have to have any optical magnification, and a target marking is optically reflected in it, often by a light source.
FIG. 18 shows the reflex sight of FIG. 17 in longitudinal section and, schematically shown as arranged on it, an energy store 112, a temperature sensor 200 and also a near-field communication module 113.
The reflex sight 600 has a housing 602, in which a lens system 619, here a lens 617, arranged on the object side is held.
Arranged on the side of the reflex sight 600 that is facing the user is a support element 609 of transparent material as a support plate 610. Held by this support element 609 is a light source 605, here an LED 607, which may for example correspond to the display 18 described in FIG. 1, there the LED 16, or the display 103 described in FIG. 4. A light guide, which is not represented in the figures for the sake of clarity and from which a light beam aligned along the central axis 615 emanates, may also be provided instead of the light source 605.
The light beam 603 emanating from the light source 605 spreads out along the optical axis 614, which coincides with the central axis 615 of the reflex sight 600. This light beam 603 is incident on a partially reflective layer 613 and is reflected into the eye 611 of the user by the partially reflective layer 613 and by an optical element 621 arranged on the user side.
The light reflected at the partially reflective layer 613 is superimposed with the light that is incident in the reflex sight 600. Visible to the user is a sight marking, which is sharply imaged at infinity or at a distance of for example 40 m and lies within the user's field-of-view angle 604.
In the case of the devices described above, comprising a telescopic sight 400 and also a reflex sight 600, a measurement of the recoil may also take place, for example by an acceleration sensor 230 that is shown by way of example in FIG. 1. The acceleration sensor 230, which may be a piezo ceramic sensor, is connected to the microcontroller 11, which can evaluate its signals correspondingly.
The decay curve of the measured values of the acceleration sensor 230 can for example provide indications of correct assembly of the telescopic sight or reflex sight, since, if this curve has transient components that do not coincide with the natural resonance of a correctly assembled long-range optical instrument, it can be said whether the long-range optical instrument is still correctly assembled, and if this is not the case, a corresponding warning can be issued. For determining the recoil values for a correctly assembled long-range optical instrument 10, a standard curve may be stored in the long-range optical instrument 10 and/or peripheral device 20 directly after the initial assembly, allowing deviations from this curve to be sensed and classified.
The measured recoil on the one hand provides an indication of the kick that can be felt by the user, but can also be used to sense the number of shots and also the correct assembly, and consequently the assembly state, of the long-range optical instrument 10.
Furthermore, the user is also enabled to recognize the recoils occurring in the case of different types of ammunition and to create a visual representation of deviations within a type of ammunition. Once they have been transmitted, corresponding values can be displayed on the peripheral device 20 and/or stored in it.
Reference is subsequently made to FIGS. 19 and 20, which show further exemplary embodiments of the long-range optical instruments 10 described above and also of the peripheral device 20 described above.
FIG. 19 shows an exemplary embodiment of an energy storage unit for a long-range optical instrument 10 that is suitable for retrofitting long-range optical instruments which have no near-field communication module themselves and is explained merely on the basis of the reflex sight 600 shown in FIG. 17, but without restricting the generality.
If the long-range optical instrument 10 has no near-field communication module 113 itself, this may for example be arranged together with the circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 4 for the long-range optical instrument 10 in the cover 622 of the battery compartment 623 of the long-range optical instrument 10, here the reflex sight 600. Apart from the energy store 112, the further subassemblies of the circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 4 may be received completely in the cover 622.
In the case of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 19, the energy store 112 includes a battery, for example, but without restricting the generality, of the type AA. When the battery is placed into the cover 622, the one terminal of the battery comes into contact with the inner side of the cover, and contact can also be established for the terminal of the battery that is remote from the cover by means of the contact arm 627.
With an LED 624 attached to the cover 622, a brief signal, for example once every minute, for example of a red color, can be emitted when a critical remaining operating time is reached and, as described above, the remaining operating time of the long-range optical instrument 10 can be shown when a new battery 112 is placed in, by the LED 624 lighting up in color for a short time corresponding to the remaining operating time.
In the case of a first passive variant, the NFC function is activated in the cover 622 when a peripheral device 20 is brought into the vicinity of the cover 622.
The NFC chip of the near-field communication module 113 activates a load resistance/resistor, for example the resistance Rm or the resistor 220, and measures the voltage and optionally, as described above, also the current. The circuit in the long-range optical instrument 10 may be switched off during this measurement.
Alternatively, the user may set the illumination to a minimum, in order not to falsify the measurement by excessively high parallel load currents.
The corresponding information is then transmitted as described in more detail above to the peripheral device 20.
In the case of a further, active exemplary embodiment, the NFC function in the cover 622 switches itself on at greater time intervals, for example every 30 seconds, and checks whether there is in the vicinity of the long-range optical instrument 10 a peripheral device 20 with NFC capability. If this is the case, the connection to the peripheral device 20 is set up and the measurement is carried out and the communication with the peripheral device 20 is started.
The NFC function in the cover 622 may alternatively also be started, for example for 30 seconds, when the long-range optical instrument is switched on, for example by detection of an increased current flow into the long-range optical instrument 10.
As an alternative or in addition, the near-field communication module 113 of the cover 622 also has an electrical data connection to electronic or electrical subassemblies that are arranged in the long-range optical instrument 10 but are not represented in the figures, for the exchange of information with these subassemblies.
This may take place by way of the actual battery line, wherein data and current are transmitted on one line, or by way of a separate data line, for example by the contact 625 attached to the cover and also a contact 626 attached to the long-range optical instrument.
Consequently, the switching on of the reflex sight can also be signaled by the contacts 625 and 626 to the near-field communication module 113 arranged in the cover 622.
The measurements mentioned above, for the cover 622, may be carried out in the same way as described above for the further embodiments.
A further peripheral device 20, of a simpler construction, is shown in FIG. 20. FIG. 20 shows a package 700 for a long-range optical instrument 10, for example for the binoculars 300 represented in FIG. 13, which itself or in which at least a portion 710 thereof includes a peripheral device 20 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
The package 700, which can be seen from above in a plan view in FIG. 20, has a recess 720, into which the binoculars 300 can be placed in a substantially interlocking manner.
The package 700 has approximately in its middle a portion 710, in which there is arranged a circuit arrangement, which is the same as the circuit arrangement of the peripheral device 20 described for FIG. 7 and has the NFC coil 21 and also the electronic subassembly 28.
Consequently, the portion 700 of the package 700, as a mobile peripheral device 20, can obtain information by way of the radio connection 30, in particular digitized measured values that are provided by the NFC chip 114 of the near-field communication module 113, from the binoculars 300, in particular whenever they are placed into the package 700, as described above.
As an alternative or in addition to the LED 22, further colored LEDs 730 may be arranged on the package as a display and be activated by the electronic subassembly 28.
In the case of a first passive exemplary embodiment of the package 700, this peripheral device 20 does not have an energy store of its own and is fed by the binoculars 300 when they come into the vicinity of the portion 710.
Alternatively, the package may have an energy store of its own for supplying the electronic subassembly 28, for example in the form of a solar cell 740 arranged on the exterior of the package 700.
In a further configuration, the portion 710 of the package 700 is configured to be removable and is held in a receptacle of the package 700 that is represented by the outline 750.
If the portion 710 of the package 700 is removed, the user can at any time obtain the desired information, even during mobile operation of the long-range optical instrument 10, if he brings this portion 710 into the vicinity of the long-range optical instrument 10.
The peripheral device 20 described as package 700 is not restricted to binoculars, but may also be configured as a package, as a package part, as a repository for the long-range optical instrument 10 or as an add-on to a long-range optical instrument 10 for all of the long-range optical instruments 10 described here.
If the portion 710 is provided with the further functionalities of a USB stick, the corresponding information obtained from the long-range optical instrument 10 may be stored in its memory area and be read out for example on a personal computer or laptop and evaluated by corresponding programs.
Alternatively, the portion 710 of the package 700 may also be some other data carrier with communication capability, such as for example a Wi-Fi memory card, for example an SD memory card with Wi-Fi functionality. In this exemplary embodiment, the long-range optical instrument 10 has as a near-field communication module 13 a Wi-Fi interface or a Wi-Fi transmitting/receiving device.
Here, the user can evaluate data of interest to him, for example concerning the long-range optical instrument 10, in the case of the telescopic sight 400 and the reflex sight 600 for example also the ammunition that is used or the recoil behavior that is measured.
Instead of the near-field communications link described above, according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ANT and/or ANT+ connections may also be used as communications link.
It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the preferred embodiments of the invention and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

10 long-range optical instrument
11 microcontroller
12 energy store, a battery or rechargeable battery
13 near-field communication module
14 NFC chip
15 NFC coil
16 LED
17 adjusting device
18 display of the long-range optical instrument 10
20 peripheral device
21 NFC coil
22 display of the peripheral device
23 text statement on the display of the peripheral device
24 bar as graphic representation on the display of the peripheral device 20
25 LED
28 electronic subassembly
30 communications link
62 on/off switch
63 load resistor
64 NFC chip
65 NFC coil
71 NFC coil
102 electronic circuit
103 display
104 data memory
112 energy store
113 near-field communication module
114 NFC chip
115 NFC coil
150 energy storage unit
160 first energy store
161 second energy store
162 third energy store
163 energy store
164 NFC chip
165 NFC coil
166 electronic circuit
200 temperature sensor
210 series resistor
204 point of impact
205 electronic compass module
206 electronic angle-of-inclination sensor
207 laser range-finder module
208 laser range-finder button
209 ballistic curve
210 resistor
211 elevation of the firing of the shot
212 elevation of the point of impact
213 location of the marksman
214 GPS data associated with the location of the marksman or the point of impact of the projectile
215 the distance of the point of impact 210 from the location of the marksman 213
216 ballistic range
217 display
220 resistor
230 acceleration sensor
300 pair of binoculars
301 tube
302 objective lens (front member+focusing lens)
303 prism system
304 focusing lens
305 eyepiece
306 optical axis(axes)
307 bridge
308 rotary knob (focusing knob, central screw focusing)
309 object (tree)
310 eye(s)
311 field stop (field-of-view stop)
312 beam direction
313 eye shield(s)
314 central axis
315 optical axis
400 telescopic sight
401 objective lens region
402 central tube
403 adjusting turrets, in particular for elevation and azimuth (reticle position)
404 rotary element
405 zooming ring
406 eyepiece region
407 eye shield
408 inner tube
411 object
412 beam direction
413 optical axis
414 objective lens
415 reticle
416 reticle
417 field lens
418 zooming member
419 zooming member
420 negative member
421 field stop
423 eyepiece
424 eye
425 inverting system
426 lens
500 monocular unit
600 reflex sight
602 housing
603 light beam
604 field-of-view angle
605 light source
607 LED
609 support element
610 support plate
611 eye of a user
613 partially reflective layer
614 optical axis
615 central axis of the reflex sight
617 lens
619 lens system arranged on the object side
621 optical element arranged on the user side
622 cover of the battery compartment
623 battery compartment
624 LED
625 contact
626 contact
627 contact arm
629 solar cell
631 energy store holder
700 package
710 portion of the package
720 recess
730 LEDs
740 solar cell
750 outline of the receptacle
F1 first intermediate image plane
F2 second intermediate image plane

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A long-range optical instrument for transmitting information to a peripheral device, the long-range optical instrument comprising:

a near-field communication module configured to establish a communications link with the peripheral device and to transmit said information to the peripheral device;

said information including information concerning the long-range optical instrument; and,

said long-range optical instrument being configured to be controlled by said peripheral device over said communications link.

2. The long-range optical instrument of claim 1; wherein:

said long-range optical instrument is configured to be controlled by said peripheral device over said communications link through control commands; and,

said control commands include a setting command for setting a parameter on the long-range optical instrument.

3. The long-range optical instrument of claim 1, wherein said near-field communication module is a standard NFC communication module.

4. The long-range optical instrument of claim 1, wherein said near-field communication module is configured to allow control commands to be transmitted from said peripheral device to the long-range optical instrument to set parameters of the long-range optical instrument by the peripheral device.

5. The long-range optical instrument of claim 1, wherein:

said information concerning the long-range optical instrument includes at least one of an ammunition manufacturer, a ballistic function, current ballistic values, ballistic programs, a type of ammunition, a charging, a battery state, a battery voltage, an electrical current value, a temperature, a battery capacity, a remaining capacity, a remaining operating time, a range-finding unit, a brightness state of a display of the long-range optical instrument, a standard brightness, a maximum brightness, a minimum brightness, measured value statistics, a last measured value, a recoil, a number of shots, an assembly state, a type of long-range optical instrument, a serial number, an angle of sight, GPS data, a compass reading, air pressure and atmospheric humidity, a maximum measured distance and a version of a software update, information about ammunition with which a weapon was fired at a center, information about a range in meters or yards, information about whether the weapon was fired at a most recommended distance, information about the weapon with which the ammunition was fired, a date, information from an area for additional comments, a name, a name of a user or owner, an address, an address of the user or the owner, a telephone number, a telephone number of the user or the owner; and,

said information concerning the long-range optical instrument is transmitted to the long-range optical instrument and is utilized for at least one of carrying out a software update in the long-range optical instrument and entering an adjusting mode of the long-range optical instrument during assembly or servicing during which subassemblies of the long-range optical instrument are adjusted.

6. The long-range optical instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

a display having a brightness; and,

said brightness being adjustable by said peripheral device.

7. The long-range optical instrument of claim 1, wherein the long-range optical instrument is a pair of binoculars, a telescopic sight, a monocular unit or a reflex sight.

8. An energy storage unit for a long-range optical instrument as claimed in claim 1, the energy storage unit comprising:

an energy store configured to supply the long-range optical instrument with electrical energy;

said energy storage unit including said near-field communication module; and,

said near-field communication module being configured to transmit information about said energy store.

9. An energy storage system comprising:

an energy storage unit having an energy store configured to supply a long-range optical instrument with electrical energy;

said energy storage unit including a near-field communication module;

said near-field communication module being configured to transmit information about said energy store;

a peripheral device;

said peripheral device being connected with said near-field communication module of said energy storage unit over said communications link; and,

said information about said energy storage unit being processed by said peripheral device.

10. A long-range optical instrument comprising:

an energy storage unit as claimed in claim 8; and,

the long-range optical instrument being a pair of binoculars, a monocular unit, a reflex sight, or a telescopic sight.

11. A peripheral device comprising:

an NFC coil configured to transmit at least one of said information and control commands to the long-range optical instrument as claimed in claim 1 having said near-field communication module; and,

said NFC coil being configured to establish said communications link of the peripheral device with the long-range optical instrument via said near-field communication module of the long-range optical instrument.

12. The peripheral device of claim 11, wherein the peripheral device is a mobile terminal.

13. A communication system comprising:

a peripheral device;

a long-range optical instrument having a near-field communication module configured to establish a communications link with said peripheral device and to transmit information;

said information including information concerning the long-range optical instrument;

said long-range optical instrument being configured to be controlled by said peripheral device over said communications link;

said peripheral device having an NFC coil configured to receive said information from the long-range optical instrument and to transmit control commands to the long-range optical instrument;

said NFC coil being configured to establish said communications link of the peripheral device with the long-range optical instrument via said near-field communication module of the long-range optical instrument; and,

said information being exchanged between the long-range optical instrument and the peripheral device over said communications link.

14. A method for providing communication between a long-range optical instrument having a near-field communication module configured to establish a communications link with a peripheral device having an NFC coil and a display, the method comprising:

establishing the communications link between the long-range optical instrument and the peripheral device;

receiving at least one item of information concerning the long-range optical instrument over the communications link;

presenting the at least one item of information or a value determined based on the at least one item of information on the display of the peripheral device; and,

controlling the long-range optical instrument by the peripheral device over the communications link.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing information concerning a state of an energy store in the long-range optical instrument; and,

controlling a brightness of a display of the long-range optical instrument by the peripheral device over said communications link.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining at least one of a ballistic curve and a point of impact in the peripheral device based on an angle of inclination;

said angle of inclination being determined by an electronic angle-of-inclination sensor; and,

determining a direction of a projectile by an electronic compass module.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining at least one of a ballistic curve and a point of impact in the peripheral device based on meteorological data; and,

said meteorological data being air pressure, temperature and atmospheric humidity.