Processor aided firing of small arms

Abstract

A digital processor aiming and firing system generates a trigger signal with electronic timing exactness, resulting in shooting accuracy unobtainable by humans. To achieve this, a view down the barrel sight is captured by a digital video camera and analyzed on a frame-by-frame basis by an electronic processor equipped with image identification software. Motion detectors attached to the weapon are used to interpolate the barrel position between frames. A motion history of the barrel position relative to the target is calculated and an extrapolation of the future position is made. When the anticipated barrel direction impinges on the target, corrected for motion and ballistic effects, the processor signals the launch of the projectile.

1 . A weapon comprising: 
 a firearm having a barrel and a user interface;    a barrel oscillator for oscillating the barrel in a predetermined pattern;    an image capture device mounted on said firearm for capturing a plurality of image frames of a target and generating image data in response thereto;    at least one motion sensor mounted on said firearm for sensing a motion of the barrel and generating motion data in response thereto; and    a processor coupled to said user interface, said image capture device and said at least one motion sensor;    said processor enabling a user to select a target and in response thereto, causing said image capture device to capture said plurality of images and generate said image data which is used along with said motion data to determine a predicted target location and coverage point where said barrel covers said target upon which said processor may energize said firearm to fire a projectile.    
     
     
         2 . The weapon as recited in  claim 1  wherein said user interface comprises a target selector locating a cross-hair on said target.  
     
     
         3 . The weapon as recited in  claim 2  wherein said target selector comprises a track ball for positioning said cross-hair.  
     
     
         4 . The weapon as recited in  claim 1  wherein said user interface comprises a trigger mechanism for receiving a fire signal from said processor and for implementing a projectile launch signal in response thereto.  
     
     
         5 . The weapon as recited in  claim 1  wherein said firearm comprises a gun or rifle.  
     
     
         6 . The weapon as recited in  claim 1  wherein said image capture device comprises a charge-coupled display.  
     
     
         7 . The weapon as recited in  claim 1  wherein said processor comprises at least one algorithm that determines a velocity vector for said target by determining a location of said target relative to a center of an image frame in a plurality of said plurality of image frames and calculating a plurality of position vectors in response thereto and using said position vectors to determine a displacement vector which in turn is used to calculate a velocity vector for said target.  
     
     
         8 . The weapon as recited in  claim 1  wherein said processor comprises barrel position detection algorithm for detecting a position of said barrel.  
     
     
         9 . The weapon as recited in  claim 8  wherein said barrel position detection algorithm receives said image data and processes said image data by applying a cubic spline fit to provide a drifting sinusoid generally corresponding to a movement of said barell.  
     
     
         10 . The weapon as recited in  claim 7  wherein said barrel position detection algorithm receives said image data and processes said image data by applying a cubic spline fit to provide a drifting sinusoid generally corresponding to a movement of said barrel.  
     
     
         11 . The weapon as recited in  claim 1  wherein said processor generates said predicted location of said target in response to said image data and said motion data.  
     
     
         12 . The weapon as recited in  claim 1  wherein said barrel oscillator comprises a gyrator.  
     
     
         13 . The weapon as recited in  claim 12  wherein said gyrator comprises: 
 a bearing mounted on said barrel;    a drive motor coupled to said bearing in response to a drive signal from said processor, said drive motor rotatably driving said bearing to cause said barrel to gyrate in a predetermined manner.    
     
     
         14 . The weapon as recited in  claim 13  wherein said user interface comprises an electronic button for initiating a gyration sequence during which said processor generates said drive signal.  
     
     
         15 . A weapon comprising 
 a firearm comprising a barrel;    an imager mounted to said barrel for capturing an image of a target area;    a user interface for displaying said image, said user interface comprising a trigger for selecting a target within said image area; and    a processor coupled to said user interface and said imager for determining a future target location of said target and for automatically firing said firearm when said barrel is positioned in a firing position such that a projectile discharged from said firearm will hit the target selected by the user.    
     
     
         16 . The weapon as recited in  claim 15  wherein said weapon further comprises: 
 an electronic firing trigger coupled to said processor for firing the weapon.    
     
     
         17 . The weapon as recited in  claim 15  wherein said user interface further comprises a firing authorization trigger coupled to said processor for enabling a user to authorize firing the firearm after a target has been selected but before said automatic firing of said firearm.  
     
     
         18 . The weapon as recited in  claim 15  wherein said weapon further comprises: 
 at least one motion sensor coupled to said processor for sensing an angular position of said barrel;    said processor comprising a barrel tracking algorithm for receiving said angular position and for predicting a future barrel position for said barrel; said processor generating    
     
     
         19 . The weapon as recited in  claim 15  wherein said processor comprises video processing algorithm for receiving a plurality of images from said imager and for predicting said future target location of said target in response thereto.  
     
     
         20 . The weapon as recited in  claim 18  wherein said processor comprises video processing algorithm for receiving a plurality of images from said imager and for predicting said future target location of said target in response thereto.  
     
     
         21 . The weapon as recited in  claim 15  wherein said processor comprises video processing algorithm for receiving a plurality of images from said imager and for predicting said future target location of said target as well as a future barrel position in response thereto.  
     
     
         22 . The weapon as recited in  claim 15  wherein said weapon further comprises a gyrator mounted to the barrel for gyrating the barrel in a generally consistent motion.  
     
     
         23 . The weapon as recited in  claim 21  wherein said gyrator comprises: 
 a bearing mounted on said barrel;    a drive motor coupled to said bearing in response to a drive signal from said processor, said drive motor rotatably driving said bearing to rotate about said barrel to cause said barrel to gyrate in said generally consistent motion.    
     
     
         24 . The weapon as recited in  claim 23  wherein said gyrator comprises a weight mounted to said bearing.  
     
     
         25 . The weapon as recited in  claim 15  wherein said firearm comprises a gun or rifle.  
     
     
         26 . The weapon as recited in  claim 15  wherein said imager is a digital camera.  
     
     
         27 . The weapon as recited in  claim 15  wherein said imager is a charge-coupled display.  
     
     
         28 . A gyrator for gyrating a barrel of a firearm, said gyrator comprising: 
 a bearing for mounting on said barrel of said firearm; and    a drive motor coupled to said bearing for rotatably driving said bearing to cause said end of said barrel to gyrate.    
     
     
         29 . The gyrator as recited in  claim 28  wherein said gyrator a weight mounted to said bearing.  
     
     
         30 . A weapon comprising: 
 a firearm comprising a barrel; a gyrator mounted on said barrel for gyrating said barrel in a consistent motion;    an imager mounted to said firearm for capturing a plurality of images of an area;    a user interface for displaying at least one of said plurality of images, said user interface comprising a trigger for selecting a target within said at least one of said plurality of images; and    a processor coupled to said user interface, said imager and said gyrator, said processor receiving image data corresponding to on or more of said plurality of images captured causing said firearm to automatically discharge a projectile from said firearm when said barrel is positioned in a firing position such that said will hit the target selected by the user.    
     
     
         30 . The weapon as recited in  claim 30  wherein said weapon further comprises: 
 an electronic firing trigger coupled to said processor for firing the weapon.    
     
     
         32 . The weapon as recited in  claim 30  wherein said weapon comprises: 
 a user interface coupled to said processor for displaying said at least one of said plurality of images.    
     
     
         33 . The weapon as recited in  claim 32  wherein said user interface further comprises a firing authorization trigger coupled to said processor for enabling a user to authorize firing the firearm after a target has been selected but before said automatic firing of said firearm.  
     
     
         34 . The weapon as recited in  claim 30  wherein said weapon further comprises: 
 at least one motion sensor coupled to said processor for sensing an angular position of said barrel;    said processor comprising a barrel tracking algorithm for receiving said angular position and for predicting a future barrel position for said barrel.    
     
     
         35 . The weapon as recited in  claim 30  wherein said processor comprises video processing algorithm for receiving data corresponding to said plurality of images and for predicting said future target location of said target in response thereto.  
     
     
         36 . The weapon as recited in  claim 34  wherein said processor comprises video processing algorithm for receiving image data corresponding to said plurality of images from said imager and for predicting said future target location of said target in response thereto.  
     
     
         37 . The weapon as recited in  claim 30  wherein said processor comprises video processing algorithm for receiving image data corresponding to said plurality of images from said imager and for predicting said future target location of said target as well as a future barrel position in response thereto.  
     
     
         38 . The weapon as recited in  claim 30  wherein said gyrator comprises: 
 a bearing mounted on said barrel;    a drive motor coupled to said bearing in response to a drive signal from said processor, said drive motor rotatably driving said bearing to rotate about said barrel to cause said barrel to gyrate in said generally consistent motion.    
     
     
         39 . The weapon as recited in  claim 38  wherein said gyrator comprises a weight mounted to said bearing.  
     
     
         40 . The weapon as recited in  claim 30  wherein said firearm comprises a gun or rifle.  
     
     
         41 . The weapon as recited in  claim 30  wherein said imager is a digital camera.  
     
     
         42 . The weapon as recited in  claim 30  wherein said imager is a charge-coupled display.  
     
     
         43 . An automatic firing system for use with a firearm, comprising: 
 an image capture device mounted on said firearm for capturing a plurality of images of an area in front of a muzzle end of said firearm; and    a processor coupled to said image capture device for processing data associated with said plurality of images and for determining an optimum firing time to discharge a bullet from said firearm in order to hit a target selected by a user.    
     
     
         44 . The automatic firing system as recited in  claim 43  wherein said system further comprises: 
 a gyrator for gyrating an end of a barrel of said firearm while said image capture device captures said plurality of images.    
     
     
         45 . The automatic firing system as recited in  claim 43  wherein said automatic firing system further comprises: 
 at least one motion sensor coupled to said processor for sensing an angular position of said firearm;    said processor comprising a tracking algorithm for receiving said angular position and for predicting a future position of said muzzle end in response thereto.    
     
     
         46 . The automatic firing system as recited in  claim 43  wherein said processor comprises video processing algorithm for receiving said data corresponding to said plurality of images and for predicting a future target location of said target in response thereto.  
     
     
         47 . The automatic firing system as recited in  claim 45  wherein said processor comprises video processing algorithm for receiving said data corresponding to said plurality of images and for predicting a future target location of said target in response thereto.  
     
     
         48 . The automatic firing system as recited in  claim 43  wherein said processor comprises video processing algorithm for receiving image data corresponding to said plurality of images from said imager and for predicting said future target location of said target as well as a future barrel position in response thereto.  
     
     
         49 . A method for increasing accuracy of hitting a target with a firearm, said method comprising the steps of: 
 capturing a plurality of images of a target area including the target;    processing said plurality of images to predict an optimum firing condition; and    discharging the firearm when said optimum firing condition is achieved.    
     
     
         50 . The method as recited in  claim 49  wherein said optimum firing condition is when a muzzle end of said barrel covers or leads said target such that when a projectile is discharged from the firearm, it will hit the target.  
     
     
         51 . The method as recited in  claim 49  wherein said method further comprises the step of: 
 using image data points generally corresponding to a muzzle end of said firearm to determined said optimum firing condition.    
     
     
         52 . The method as recited in  claim 49  wherein said method further comprises the step of: 
 causing a barrel of said gun to move during said capturing step.    
     
     
         53 . The method as recited in  claim 49  wherein said method further comprises the step of: 
 using a plurality of motion sensors to determine a position of said target and a position of a muzzle end of said barrel in order to determine said optimum firing condition.    
     
     
         54 . The method as recited in  claim 49  wherein said method further comprises the steps of: 
 determining a first function representing a position of said target and a position of a muzzle end of said barrel;    determining a second function representing a barrel position of said barrel;    determining a difference between said first function and said second function to determine a location of said target.    
     
     
         55 . The method as recited in  claim 54  wherein said method further comprises the step of: 
 using a plurality of motion sensors to provide position data for use by a processor to calculate said first and second functions.    
     
     
         56 . The method as recited in  claim 54  wherein said method further comprises the step of: 
 using image data from said at least one of said plurality of images to calculate said first and second functions.    
     
     
         57 . The method as recited in  claim 49  wherein said capturing step is performed with a digital camera mounted to said firearm.  
     
     
         58 . The method as recited in  claim 54  wherein said method further comprises the step of: 
 providing a user interface on said gun for enabling a user to select the target from a video display.    
     
     
         59 . The method as recited in  claim 58  wherein said user interface comprises a track ball for placing cross hairs on said target.  
     
     
         60 . The method as recited in  claim 59  wherein said method further comprises the step of: 
 performing said capturing and processing steps while said target is moving.    
     
     
         61 . The method as recited in  claim 52  wherein said method further comprises the step of: 
 performing said capturing and processing steps while said target is moving.    
     
     
         62 . The method as recited in  claim 61  wherein said method further comprises the step of: 
 performing said causing step using a barrel gyrator.    
     
     
         63 . The method as recited in  claim 21  wherein said method further comprises the step of: 
 causing a barrel of said gun to move during said capturing step.    
     
     
         64 . A firing system that automatically launches the projectile comprising of: 
 a) a barreled firearm,    b) an electronic digital camera that supplies the electronic processor with rapid, digital, repetitive frame information,    c) motion sensors that supply the electronic processor with angular rate information,    d) an electronic display, which is able to display the image data from the digital camera and display cross hairs for target identification,    e) a computer mouse, which interacts with the electronic processor and is able to position the cross hairs to identify the desired target,    f) an electronic processor, that receives data from the electronic digital camera, motion sensors, computer mouse, and transmits images to the electronic display, executes barrel prediction algorithms while analyzing the motion generated by human drift and mechanically forced motion from the barrel gyrator and finally transmits a fire signal to the trigger mechanism,    g) a trigger mechanism, which implements the projectile launch signal generated by the electronic processor,    h) a barrel gyrator, which forces an orbital motion on the firearm, which is analyzed by the electronic processor.    
     
     
         65 . The said barreled firearm of  claim 64  is a rifle.  
     
     
         66 . The said barreled firearm of  claim 64  is a pistol.  
     
     
         67 . The said electronic digital camera of  claim 64  is a Charge Coupled Device camera.  
     
     
         68 . The said electronic display of  claim 64  is a monocular type positioned over the eye.  
     
     
         69 . The said computer mouse of  claim 64  is a miniature trackball.  
     
     
         70 . The said electronic processor of  claim 64  is capable of calculating and correcting for target range and atmospheric conditions.  
     
     
         71 . The said electronic processor of  claim 64  is a microprocessor system.  
     
     
         72 . The said electronic processor of  claim 64  is programmable logic circuitry.  
     
     
         73 . The said barrel gyrator of  claim 64  is a motor with an eccentric weight attached on its shaft.  
     
     
         74 . The said trigger mechanism of  claim 64  electrifies an electrically-ignited cartridge.  
     
     
         75 . A firing system that automatically launches the projectile comprising of: 
 (a) a barreled firearm;    (b) an electronic digital camera, that supplies the electronic processor with digital rapid, repetitive frame information;    (c) an electronic display, which is able to display the image data from the digital camera and display cross hairs for target identification;    (d) a computer mouse, which interacts with the electronic processor and is able to position the cross hairs to identify the desired target;    (e) an electronic processor, that receives data from the electronic digital camera, computer mouse, transmits the data to the electronic display, and runs barrel prediction algorithms while analyzing the motion generated by human drift and transmits a fire signal to the trigger mechanism; and    (f) a trigger mechanism, which implements projectile launch by a signal from the electronic processor.