Optical muzzle blast detection and counterfire targeting system and method

Abstract

An authomated system for remote detection of muzzle blasts produced by rifles, artillery and other weapons, and similar explosive events. The system includes an infrared camera, image processing circuits, targeting computation circuits, displays, user interface devices, weapon aim point measurement devices, confirmation sensors, target designation devices and counterfire weapons. The camera is coupled to the image processing circuits. The image processing circuits are coupled to the targeting location computation circuits. The aim point measurement devices are coupled to the target computation processor. The system includes visual target confirmation sensors which are coupled to the targeting computation circuits.

1 . (canceled)  
     
     
         2 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a spectral filter;    a temporal filter;    a spatial filter;    an image processor cooperating with at least one of said spectral filter, said temporal filter, and said spatial filter to detect a flash event;    a targeting processor cooperating with said image processor to determine a target location based on the flash event; and    a gimbal cooperating with said targeting processor to slew toward the target location.    
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising at least one of: 
 a target confirmation sensor cooperating with said targeting processor and with said gimbal; and    a counterfire device connected to said target confirmation sensor.    
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said target confirmation sensor comprises one of a pair of binoculars and a telescope.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 an aim point measurement device aligned with said target confirmation sensor.    
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said image processor, for an image comprising a plurality of pixels, adjusts at least one of a pedestal value and a gain value of at least a portion of the plurality of pixels, thereby spreading a histogram of the image.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said image processor comprises an exposure control.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said spectral filter comprises a cold filter setting corresponding to at least one of a gunfire characteristic, an ordnance characteristic, a background clutter characteristic, and an atmospheric characteristic.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising at least one of: 
 a range finder connected to said gimbal;    a magnetometer interfacing with said targeting processor;    a compass interfacing with said targeting processor; and    a global positioning satellite transceiver interfacing with said targeting processor,    wherein said targeting processor geolocates the flash event based at least in part from data from at least one of said range finder, said magnetometer, said compass, and said global positioning satellite transceiver.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a detection camera comprising a wide angle anamorphic lens cooperating with at least one of said spectral filter, said temporal filter, and said spatial filter.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 an optical illuminator connected to said gimbal to identify the target.