Electronic sight for firearm, and method of operating same

Abstract

A firearm sight receives information regarding a factor, and then automatically adjusts the relative positions of a digital reticle and an image on a viewing section to compensate for the influence of the factor on a projectile trajectory. A different feature involves automatically adjusting a characteristic of the reticle based on the image. Another feature involves automatically adjusting the digital image to distinguish a portion thereof aligned with the reticle from an adjacent portion thereof. Yet another feature involves causing the firearm sight to generate an audible sound. Still another feature involves presenting information on the viewing section which represents the position of the firearm sight on the surface of the earth.

1 . An apparatus comprising a firearm sight which includes: 
 a viewing section that permits a user to view an image of a scene in association with a digital reticle;    structure that facilitates the input to said firearm sight of information representing a factor that can influence a projectile trajectory; and    a circuit responsive to said information and cooperable with said viewing section for automatically adjusting a position of said digital reticle in relation to said image as presented by said viewing section so as to compensate for the extent to which said factor would influence a projectile trajectory.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said structure includes a sensor for automatically detecting said factor.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said factor is one of a range to a target, a degree of tilt of said firearm sight, a degree of roll of said firearm sight, an ambient temperature, an ambient humidity, an ambient pressure, an ambient wind speed, and an ambient wind direction.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said structure facilitates the input to said firearm sight of information representing a further factor that can influence a projectile trajectory, said factors being different; and    wherein said circuit effects said automatic adjusting of said position of said digital reticle in response to said information representing each of said factors so as to compensate for the extent to which each of said factors would influence a projectile trajectory.    
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said structure includes sensor structure for automatically detecting each of said factors.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein each said factor is a respective one of a range to a target, a degree of tilt of said firearm sight, a degree of roll of said firearm sight, an ambient temperature, an ambient humidity, an ambient pressure, an ambient wind speed, and an ambient wind direction.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said firearm sight includes a port through which information relevant to a projectile trajectory can be introduced electronically into said circuit from externally of said firearm sight.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a viewing section which permits a user to view an image of a scene in association with a digital reticle; and    structure responsive to said image for automatically adjusting a characteristic of said reticle.    
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said characteristic of said reticle includes at least one of the color, brightness, size or form thereof.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said structure effects said adjusting of said reticle so as to improve the contrast between said reticle and a portion of said image in the region of said reticle.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said structure is responsive to a portion of said image in the region of said reticle for effecting said adjusting of the characteristic of said reticle.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , including a firearm sight, said viewing section and said structure being respective portions of said firearm sight.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a viewing section which permits a user to view a digital image of a scene in association with a reticle; and    structure for automatically adjusting said digital image to distinguish a first portion of said image which is substantially aligned with said reticle from a second portion of said image which is adjacent said first portion thereof.    
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said structure effects said adjusting of said digital image by adjusting the contrast between said first and second portions of said image.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , including a firearm sight, said viewing section and said structure being respective portions of said firearm sight.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus comprising a firearm sight having structure that can generate an audible sound.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said audible sound is an imitation of a sound made by an animal.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , 
 wherein said structure contains definitions of a plurality of audible sounds which are each an imitation of a sound made by a respective different animal; and    wherein said structure generates said audible sound from a selected one of said definitions.    
   
   
       19 . An apparatus comprising a firearm sight which includes: 
 a receiver that receives electromagnetic signals;    a circuit responsive to said received electromagnetic signals for determining a position of said firearm sight on the surface of the earth; and    a display, said circuit presenting information on said display representing the position of said firearm sight on the surface of the earth.    
   
   
       20 . An apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said receiver is a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, and said electromagnetic signals received by said receiver are GPS signals.  
   
   
       21 . An apparatus according to  claim 19 , 
 wherein said circuit includes map information;    wherein said information presented by said circuit on said display includes a selected portion of said map information; and.    wherein said circuit effects said presentation on said display of said firearm sight at an appropriate location on said selected portion of said map information.    
   
   
       22 . A method of operating a firearm sight, comprising: 
 providing on a viewing section an image of a scene in association with a digital reticle;    receiving information-representing a factor that can influence a projectile trajectory; and    automatically adjusting a position of said digital reticle in relation to said image as presented on said viewing section so as to compensate for the extent to which said factor would influence a projectile trajectory.    
   
   
       23 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , including using a sensor to automatically detect said factor.  
   
   
       24 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , including selecting for use as said factor one of a range to a target, a degree of tilt of said firearm sight, a degree of roll of said firearm sight, an ambient temperature, an ambient humidity, an ambient pressure, an ambient wind speed, and an ambient wind direction.  
   
   
       25 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , 
 including receiving information representing a further factor that can influence a projectile trajectory, said factors being different; and    wherein automatically adjusting is carried out so as to compensate for the extent to which each of said factors would influence a projectile trajectory.    
   
   
       26 . An apparatus according to  claim 25 , including using a sensor arrangement to automatically detect each of said factors.  
   
   
       27 . An apparatus according to  claim 25 , including selecting for use as each said factor a respective one of a range to a target, a degree of tilt of said firearm sight, a degree of roll of said firearm sight, an ambient temperature, an ambient humidity, an ambient pressure, an ambient wind speed, and an ambient wind direction.  
   
   
       28 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , including receiving electronically through a port from externally of said firearm sight information which is relevant to a projectile trajectory.  
   
   
       29 . A method comprising: 
 presenting for a user on a viewing section an image of a scene in association with a digital reticle; and    automatically adjusting a characteristic of said reticle in response to said image.    
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 29 , including selecting as said characteristic of said reticle at least one of the color, brightness, size or form thereof.  
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein said automatic adjusting includes improving the contrast between said reticle and a portion of said image in the region of said reticle.  
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein said automatically adjusting is carried out as a function of a portion of said image in the region of said reticle.  
   
   
       33 . A method comprising: 
 presenting for a user on a viewing section a digital image of a scene in association with a reticle; and    automatically adjusting said digital image to distinguish a first portion of said image which is substantially aligned with said reticle from a second portion of said image which is adjacent said first portion thereof.    
   
   
       34 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein said automatically adjusting includes adjusting the contrast between said first and second portions of said image.  
   
   
       35 . A method comprising generating of an audible sound from a firearm sight.  
   
   
       36 . A method according to  claim 35 , including selecting as said audible sound an imitation of a sound made by an animal.  
   
   
       37 . A method according to  claim 35 , including: 
 providing definitions of a plurality of audible sounds which are each an imitation of a sound made by a respective different animal;    selecting one of said definitions; and    carrying out said generating of said audible sound using said selected definition.    
   
   
       38 . A method of operating a firearm sight having a display, comprising: 
 receiving electromagnetic signals;    determining in response to said received electromagnetic signals a position of said firearm sight on the surface of the earth; and    presenting information on said display which represents the position of said firearm sight on the surface of the earth.    
   
   
       39 . A method according to  claim 38 , wherein said receiving is carried out using global positioning system (GPS) signal as said electromagnetic signals.  
   
   
       40 . A method according to  claim 38 , including providing map information within said firearm sight; and 
 wherein said presenting includes presenting on said display a selected portion of said map information with an indication on said selected map information of said position of said firearm sight on the surface of the earth.