Sensing device for firearm laser training system and method of simulating firearm operation with various training scenarios

Abstract

A firearm laser training system according to the present invention accommodates various types of targets for facilitating a variety of firearm training activities. The system employs an image sensing device to detect laser beam impacts on a target, where the laser beam is projected from an actual or simulated user firearm with a laser transmitter. The image sensing device compensates for image distortions and the sensing device viewing angle with respect to the intended target, and enables detection of laser beam impacts on various types of targets (e.g., paper targets, projected targets, videos, still or moving images, etc.) to provide firearm training with varying scenarios. The image sensing device provides impact location information to a computer system to graphically display the impact locations and provide information pertaining to user performance of the training activity.

1 . A firearm laser training system enabling a user to project a laser beam toward a target to simulate firearm operation comprising: 
 a sensing device to produce images of said target including impact locations of said laser beam and to detect said impact locations, wherein said sensing device includes: 
 a control unit to process said target images and compensate for at least one of a sensing device viewing angle relative to said target and image distortion to determine said impact locations; and  
   a processor to receive from said sensing device information associated with said impact locations detected by said sensing device, wherein said processor includes an evaluation module to process said received information and to display information relating to said detected impact locations.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said impact location information from said sensing device includes coordinates of detected impact locations within said target images.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said target includes a plurality of zones with each zone representing an intended target site and associated with a score value, and wherein said evaluation module includes a scoring module to determine impact scores for a user performance with each impact score associated with a detected impact location and based on said score value of said zone containing that detected impact location.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said control unit includes: 
 a detection module to identify said impact locations within said target images based on image pixel values exceeding a threshold.    
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said control unit further includes: 
 a threshold module to automatically determine said threshold in response to measured light conditions of a surrounding environment.    
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said processor further includes: 
 a calibration module to enable a user to indicate a target space associated with said target within a target image.    
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said calibration module includes: 
 an alignment module to enable said user to overlay a grid representing a target space on said target image to indicate said target within said target image.    
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said calibration module enables said user to indicate a plurality of reference points on said target within said target image associated with said target space.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of reference points includes nine points.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said control unit includes: 
 a calibration module to correlate a target space indicated by said user with a target space associated with said target, wherein said calibration module includes a matrix module to produce a translation matrix correlating said indicated and target spaces and accounting for at least one of said sensing device viewing angle relative to said target and said image distortion, wherein said translation matrix is applied to determine said impact locations.    
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said sensing device further includes: 
 a storage unit to store information pertaining to said correlation of said indicated and target spaces.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said evaluation module includes: 
 a display module to display an image of said target with indicia indicating said detected impact locations on said target.    
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein dimensions of said indicia are adjustable to simulate a user-specified caliber of a projectile.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said evaluation module includes: 
 a dispersion module to determine a dispersion pattern for a projectile simulated by said laser beam based on said detected impact locations.    
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said simulated projectile includes shotgun pellets.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said scoring module includes: 
 a session scoring module to determine a session score for a user by combining impact scores of detected impact locations.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said scoring module accesses a target file associated with said target including score values associated with each of said zones and said processor stores a plurality of target files associated with a plurality of targets that are accessible to said scoring module.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said sensing device further includes at least one port to transfer signals with an external device.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said external device includes at least one of a mechanism to simulate return fire and an audio device to provide sound effects.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein at least one port includes a network port to communicate with said processor.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said target includes at least one of an image on a material, an image produced by a projector, an image displayed on a display device, a video produced by a projector and a video displayed by a display device.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said sensing device further includes: 
 a signature detector to detect a pattern within said projected laser beam to identify an authorized system user associated with a beam impact.    
     
     
         23 . A sensing device for a firearm laser training system that enables a user to project a laser beam toward a target to simulate firearm operation, said sensing device comprising: 
 an image sensor to produce images of said target including impact locations of said laser beam; and    a control unit to detect said impact locations, wherein said control unit processes said target images and compensates for at least one of a sensing device viewing angle relative to said target and image distortion to determine said impact locations.    
     
     
         24 . The sensing device of  claim 23 , wherein said determined impact locations include coordinates of detected impact locations within said target images.  
     
     
         25 . The sensing device of  claim 23 , wherein said control unit includes: 
 a detection module to identify said impact locations within said target images based on image pixel values exceeding a threshold.    
     
     
         26 . The sensing device of  claim 25 , wherein said control unit further includes: 
 a threshold module to automatically determine said threshold in response to measured light conditions of a surrounding environment.    
     
     
         27 . The sensing device of  claim 23 , wherein said control unit includes: 
 a calibration module to correlate a target space indicated by said user with a target space associated with said target, wherein said calibration module includes a matrix module to produce a translation matrix correlating said indicated and target spaces and accounting for at least one of said sensing device viewing angle relative to said target and said image distortion, wherein said translation matrix is applied to determine said impact locations.    
     
     
         28 . The sensing device of  claim 27  further including: 
 a storage unit to store information pertaining to said correlation of said indicated and target spaces.    
     
     
         29 . The sensing device of  claim 23  further including at least one port to transfer signals with an external device.  
     
     
         30 . The sensing device of  claim 29 , wherein at least one port includes a network port to communicate with said external device.  
     
     
         31 . The sensing device of  claim 23  further including: 
 a signature detector to detect a pattern within said projected laser beam to identify an authorized user of said firearm laser training system and facilitate association of said identified user with a corresponding beam impact.    
     
     
         32 . A method of simulating firearm operation, wherein a user projects a laser beam toward a target, said method comprising: 
 (a) producing images of said target including impact locations of said laser beam via a sensing device;    (b) detecting beam impacts on said target, via said sensing device, by processing said target images and compensating for at least one of a sensing device viewing angle relative to said target and image distortion to determine said impact locations; and    (c) processing information pertaining to said detected impact locations via a processor coupled to said sensing device and displaying information relating to said detected impact locations.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (b) further includes: 
 (b.1) determining coordinates of detected impact locations within said target images.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said target includes a plurality of zones with each zone representing an intended target site and associated with a score value, and step (c) further includes: 
 (c.1) determining impact scores for a user performance with each impact score associated with a detected impact location and based on said score value of said zone containing that detected impact location.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (b) further includes: 
 (b.1) identifying said impact locations within said target images based on image pixel values exceeding a threshold.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein step (b.1) further includes: 
 (b.1.1) automatically determining said threshold in response to measured light conditions of a surrounding environment.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (a) further includes: 
 (a.1) calibrating said sensing device by enabling a user to indicate a target space associated with said target within a target image.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein step (a.1) further includes: 
 (a.1.1) enabling said user to overlay a grid representing a target space on said target image to indicate said target within said target image.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein step (a.1) further includes: 
 (a.1.1) enabling said user to indicate a plurality of reference points on said target within said target image associated with said target space.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said plurality of reference points includes nine points.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (b) further includes: 
 (b.1) calibrating said sensing device by producing a translation matrix correlating a target space indicated by said user with a target space associated with said target and accounting for at least one of said sensing device viewing angle relative to said target and said image distortion, wherein said translation matrix is applied to determine said impact locations.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein step (b.1) further includes: 
 (b.1.1) storing information pertaining to said correlation of said indicated and target spaces within said sensing device to enable detection of impact locations without recalibrating said sensing device.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (c) further includes: 
 (c.1) displaying an image of said target with indicia indicating said detected impact locations on said target.    
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein dimensions of said indicia are adjustable to simulate a user-specified caliber of a projectile.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (c) further includes: 
 (c.1) determining a dispersion pattern for a projectile simulated by said laser beam based on said detected impact locations.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said simulated projectile includes shotgun pellets.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein step (c.1) further includes: 
 (c.1.1) determining a session score for a user by combining impact scores of detected impact locations.    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein step (c.1) further includes: 
 (c.1.1) accessing a target file associated with said target including score values associated with each of said zones, wherein said processor stores a plurality of target files associated with a plurality of targets.    
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said sensing device includes at least one port to transfer signals with an external device.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said external device includes at least one of a mechanism to simulate return fire and an audio device to provide sound effects.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein at least one port includes a network port to communicate with said processor.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said target includes at least one of an image on a material, an image produced by a projector, an image displayed on a display device, a video produced by a projector and a video displayed by a display device.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (b) further includes: 
 (b.1) detecting a pattern within said projected laser beam to identify an authorized user associated with a beam impact.