Automatic Shooting Sequence Controller

Abstract

A voice activated apparatus for automatic sequential launching of clay targets for Skeet, Sporting Clays and Trap shotgun sports. The apparatus first detects a voice command and launches target(s) and then detects the gunshot(s) of the shooter to determine the completion of a segment of the shooting sequence and automatically progress to the next segment for activation upon the next voice command. The apparatus comprising a signal processing unit, designed to analyze spectral patterns and signal levels associated with acoustic signals, in order to distinguish the voice command from ambient and gunshot noise and prevent false activation. By tracking the number of gunshots fired by each shooter, the system determines the end of the shooting sequence and controls the number of clay targets allocated to each shooter.

1 . A shooting sequence controller comprising:
 a sequence controller comprising a control signal output, a signal input, the control signal output configured to send a target launch command;   a microphone generating a signal in response to receiving an acoustic signal;   a signal conditioning means, the signal conditioning means connected to the microphone;   an analyzer connected to the signal conditioning means, the analyzer adapted to detect a gunshot, the analyzer adapted to detect a voice command, the analyzer configured to ignore ambient noise; and   a first target launcher connected to the control signal output, whereby the sequence controller receives a voice command signal transmitted by the analyzer and sends the target launch command to the first target launcher to launch a first target.   
   
   
       2 . The invention of  claim 1  further comprising a shot counter in the sequence controller, the shot counter counting a number of gunshots detected by the analyzer. 
   
   
       3 . The invention of  claim 2 , further comprising a target timeout timer in the sequence controller, the target timeout timer initiated by the activation of the target launcher, the target timeout timer in a target timing state for a target timeout period, the shot counter counting gunshots detected by the analyzer, only when the target timeout timer is in the target timing state. 
   
   
       4 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein the analyzer further comprises circuitry to analyze the spectral energy distribution of incoming audio signals. 
   
   
       5 . The invention of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of microphones connected to the analyzer. 
   
   
       6 . The invention of  claim 3 , further comprising a shooting sequence of a plurality of shooting segments in the sequence controller, an index in the sequence controller to identify a current one of the plurality of shooting segments, the current one of the plurality of shooting segments initiated by the voice command, a means for terminating the current one of the plurality of shooting segments. 
   
   
       7 . The invention of  claim 6 , wherein the sequence controller further comprises a means for repeating the current one of the plurality of shooting segments if the gunshot is not detected during the target timing state. 
   
   
       8 . The invention of  claim 6 , further comprising a second target launcher connected to the control signal output, the current one of the plurality of shooting segments comprising a launch command selection chosen from the group consisting of: send a launch command to the first target launcher; send a launch command to the second target launcher; or send a launch output command to both target launchers. 
   
   
       9 . The invention of  claim 1 , further comprising a means for terminating the shooting sequence segment and a means for repeating the shooting sequence segment. 
   
   
       10 . The invention of  claim 1 , further comprising a means for the counting shots. 
   
   
       11 . The invention of  claim 6 , further comprising a means for counting shots in the shooting sequence by totaling shots in each one of the plurality of shooting segments. 
   
   
       12 . The invention of  claim 11 , further comprising a means for terminating the shooting sequence based on a number of shots counted in the shooting sequence. 
   
   
       13 . A method of controlling a shooting sequence, not necessarily in the order shown, comprising:
 providing a first target launcher, a microphone, an analyzer and a sequence controller, the sequence controller connected to the first target launcher, the analyzer connected to the sequence controller, the analyzer connected to the microphone, the sequence controller adapted to send a launch command to the first target launcher;   configuring the sequence controller with a shooting sequence comprising a plurality of shooting sequence segments;   providing an index in the sequence controller to identify a current one of the plurality of shooting sequence segments;   detecting a voice command at the analyzer;   sending a control signal to the sequence controller from the analyzer to indicate a detected voice command;   initiating a shooting sequence segment;   sending the launch command to the first target launcher;   detecting a gunshot at the analyzer and sending a gunshot command signal to the sequence controller; and   incrementing a gunshot counter in the sequence controller and advancing the index.   
   
   
       14 . The invention of  claim 13 , further comprising, after the step of incrementing the gunshot counter, the step of: terminating the shooting sequence segment. 
   
   
       15 . The invention of  claim 14 , further comprising after the step of terminating the shooting sequence segment, the step of: terminating the shooting sequence. 
   
   
       16 . The invention of  claim 13  further comprising the steps of:
 starting a target timeout timer; and   repeating the current one of a plurality of shooting sequence segments by reverting to the step of detecting a voice command if no gunshot is detected.   
   
   
       17 . The invention  claim 14 , further comprising the step of: signaling the next shooting sequence segment to a shooter. 
   
   
       18 . The invention of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of: classifying the audio input signal into a voice command or gunshot. 
   
   
       19 . A shooting sequence controller comprising:
 a sequence controller comprising, a control signal output, a control signal input, a shooting sequence segment, the control signal output configured to send a target launch command;   a microphone;   a signal conditioning means, the signal conditioning means connected to the microphone;   an analyzer connected to the signal conditioning means, the analyzer adapted to detect a gunshot, the analyzer configured to transmit a gunshot control signal to the sequence controller, the analyzer adapted detect a a voice command, the analyzer configured to transmit a voice command signal to the sequence controller, the analyzer configured to ignore ambient noise;   a first target launcher connected to the control signal output;   means for counting a number of gunshots detected by the analyzer;   means for isolating the detection of a gunshot only during a target flight time;   a shooting sequence comprising a plurality of shooting segments in the sequence controller, an index in the sequence controller to identify a current one of the plurality of shooting segments, the current one of the plurality of shooting segments initiated by the voice command;   a means for terminating the current one of the plurality of shooting segments:   a means for repeating the current one of the plurality of shooting segments; and   a means for terminating the shooting sequence.