Projectile targeting analysis

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to determining aimpoint relative to a target located within a firing range. The target can be either fixed or moving, and if the target is moving then it can be mounted on tracks or controlled by servomechanisms. In addition to aimpoint, predicted projectile effects and personnel performance can be calculated for evaluation and for training. The firing range is mapped so that placement of infrared emitters is associated with specific targets. Placement of the emitter external to the target perimeter produces accurate results so long as the emitter is within the field of view of a camera mounted upon the projectile launcher. The invention results in large firing ranges with the ability to place targets wherever desired without decreasing aimpoint measurement accuracy.

1 . A system for determining a location vector for an aimpoint relative to a target located within a firing range, comprising: 
 a. the target having a perimeter further defining a centroid for locating the target;    b. an near infrared emitter, placed within the firing range, the emitter being further placed outside the perimeter of the target and the emitter being associated with the centroid for determining the angular offset between the target and the emitter;    c. an emitter controller for wirelessly controlling the illumination sequence of the emitter;    d. a projectile launcher for testing;    e. a digital camera having a lens, the camera adjustably mounted on the projectile launcher for alignment of the camera optical axis with the projectile launcher site line, the camera field of view encompassing the emitter, and the camera being mapped to derive the angular offset between the image formed by the emitter emission from the target centroid position;    f. a sensor responsive to the projectile launcher for detecting triggering events when the projectile launcher is fired;    g. communication means for transferring information between the computer and each of the sensors, emitter, camera; and    h. a system computer for receiving inputs from the emitter, the camera and the sensor for controlling the emitter controller, and for determining the aimpoint vector at the triggering event.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the sensor comprises a microphone.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the camera includes of an array of photonic detectors sensitive to near infrared light.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the camera further includes a filter for blocking non near infrared light and permitting near infrared light to pass through the filter.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the near infrared emitter comprises a halogen lamp and a filter for blocking non near infrared light.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the communication means comprises relay radios.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the field of coverage is between 10 meters and 100.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the emitter is located between 50 meters and 1000 meters from the camera lens plane.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer includes a computer program for calculating the fall of the shot.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the computer program calculates the aerodynamic effects of air velocity upon the fall of the shot.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the computer includes a computer program for calculating the effects of the projectile launcher burst.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1  including a video recording means controlled by the system computer for capturing visual and projectile launcher event information.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the visual and projectile launcher event information is captured within the audio portion of the recording;  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the video recording means comprises a digital videocassette recorder.  
   
   
       15 . A system for determining a location vector for an aimpoint relative to a moving target located within a firing range, comprising: 
 a. the moving target having a perimeter further defining a centroid for locating the target;    b. an near infrared emitter, placed within the firing range, the emitter being further placed outside the perimeter of the moving target and the emitter being associated with the centroid for determining the angular offset between the target and the emitter;    c. an emitter controller for wirelessly controlling the illumination sequence of the emitter;    d. a projectile launcher for testing;    e. a digital camera having a lens, the camera adjustably mounted on the projectile launcher for alignment of the camera optical axis with the projectile launcher site line, the camera field of view encompassing the emitter, and the camera being mapped to derive the angular offset between the image formed by the emitter emission from the target centroid position;    f. a sensor responsive to the projectile launcher for detecting triggering events when the projectile launcher is fired;    g. a downrange controller for controlling the position of the moving target, wherein the computer is responsive to output from the downrange controller for determining the aimpoint vector at the triggering event;    h. communication means for transferring information between the computer and each of the sensors, emitter, camera; and    i. a system computer for receiving inputs from the emitter, the camera, the downrange controller and the sensor for controlling the emitter controller, and for determining the aimpoint vector at the triggering event.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the moving target is movably mounted on tracks.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the downrange controller is provided with capacity to store up to 60 seconds of motion.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the sensor comprises a microphone.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the camera includes of an array of photonic detectors sensitive to near infrared light.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the camera further includes a filter for blocking non near infrared light and permitting near infrared light to pass through the filter.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the near infrared emitter comprises a halogen lamp and a filter for blocking non near infrared light.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the communication means comprises relay radios.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the field of coverage is between 10 meters and 100.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the emitter is located between 50 meters and 1000 meters from the camera lens plane.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the computer includes a computer program for calculating the fall of the shot.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the computer program calculates the aerodynamic effects of air velocity upon the fall of the shot.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the computer includes a computer program for calculating the effects of the projectile launcher burst.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 15  including a video recording means controlled by the system computer for capturing visual and projectile launcher event information.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the visual and projectile launcher event information is captured within the audio portion of the recording;  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the video recording means comprises a digital videocassette recorder.  
   
   
       31 . A method for determining projectile launcher aimpoint comprising: 
 a. selecting the location of a shooter at a firing line;    b. surveying a firing range for determining the location of target and emitter coordinates;    c. calculating the centroid of a target having a defined perimeter, the target being placed within the firing range;    d. placing emitters on the firing range externally to the target perimeter;    e. associating the target with the emitter    f. mounting a camera sensitive to near infrared light to the projectile launcher    g. calibrating the optical axis of a camera with the boresight of the projectile launcher;    h. mapping the camera with the target and emitter position    i. providing equipment means for controlling the emitter and for determining and recording the predicted aimpoint at a triggering event    j. determining the projectile launcher aimpoint at the triggering event    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising the following when the target is a moving target: 
 a. providing a downrange controller for controlling the position of the moving target, wherein the computer is responsive to output from the downrange controller for determining the aimpoint vector at the triggering event.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising determining the fall of the shot.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33  further comprising determining projectile launcher burst effects.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising recording the projectile launcher aimpoint determination data on the equipment means and providing performance feedback to personnel.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising preparing an evaluation report for a projectile from data captured by the equipment means.  
   
   
       37 . A system for determining the contemporaneous position of a moving target comprising, a movable platform, the target mounted on the platform, an emitter mounted on the platform, the emitter being in fixed relationship to the target, a reflector mounted on the platform the emitter being in fixed relationship to the emitter, a rangefinder and a downrange controller receiving range information from the rangefinder wherein the position of the reflector is determined by the rangefinder and the position of the target centroid being determined by the target position relative to the emitter.