System and method to minimize laser misalignment error in a firearms training simulator

Abstract

A weapon simulation system is used to correct the misalignment between a laser of a simulated weapon and an aim point of the simulated weapon. A compensation offset profile and a compensation angle profile are stored in a weapon controller card in the simulated weapon identifying the misalignment of the laser module in the corresponding simulated weapon. The compensation offset profile and compensation angle profile is transmitted from the weapon controller card to a central computer, where the central computer calculates the aim point of the simulated weapon using said compensation offset profile and said compensation angle profile from said weapon controller card. The position of the simulated weapon with respect to a screen of the weapon simulation system is further calculated using an RFID reader in electrical communication with the weapon controller card and at least one RFID tag positioned in a fire line mat, which transmits the position information to said central computer.

1 . In a weapon simulation system, a method for correcting misalignment error between a laser of a simulated weapon and an actual aim point line of the simulated weapon to correct for residual misalignment error that remains after all mechanical adjustments have been made to the simulated weapon, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) storing a compensation offset profile and a compensation angle profile for the simulated weapon in a weapon controller card in the simulated weapon;   b) transmitting said compensation offset profile and said compensation angle profile from said weapon controller card to a central computer;   c) calculating the misalignment error of an aim point on a screen of the aim point line by said central computer using said compensation offset profile and said compensation angle profile from said weapon controller card; and   d) identifying the actual aim point in the central computer by using the misalignment error.   
     
     
         2 . The method as described in  claim 1 , wherein prior to step a) further comprising:
 measuring at a known reference plane a compensation angle between the aim point line corresponding to the position of the simulated weapon and a laser path generated by a laser module in the simulated weapon to generate a compensation angle profile.   
     
     
         3 . The method as described in  claim 1 , wherein prior to step a) further comprising:
 measuring at a known reference plane a compensation offset between the aim point line corresponding to the position of the simulated weapon and a laser path generated by a laser module in the simulated weapon to generate a compensation offset profile.   
     
     
         4 . The method as described in  claim 1 , prior to step c), further comprising the step of:
 determining position information of the location of the simulated weapon with respect to a screen of the weapon simulation system using an RFID reader and at least one RFID tag positioned in a fire line mat, said RFID reader in electrical communication with said weapon controller card; and   transmitting said position information from said weapon controller card to said central computer for calculating the misalignment error of the aim point on the screen.   
     
     
         5 . The method as described in  claim 4 , further comprising the steps of:
 connecting an RFID reader with the simulated weapon, said RFID reader in electrical communication with said weapon controller card.   
     
     
         6 . The method as described in  claim 1 , wherein prior to step c), further comprising:
 measuring the cant angle position of the simulated weapon with a cant sensor in electrical communication with said weapon controller card; and   transmitting said cant angle position from said weapon controller card to said central computer to compensate the position of aim point.   
     
     
         7 . A weapon simulation system minimizing laser misalignment error, said weapon simulation system comprising:
 a central computer controlling a weapon simulation;   a first simulated weapon having a laser module and a sight; and   a weapon controller card connected with the first simulated weapon and in electrical communication with said central computer, said weapon controller card storing a compensation offset profile and a compensation angle profile exclusively for said first simulated weapon to correct for residual misalignment error that remains after all mechanical adjustments have been made to the simulated weapon.   
     
     
         8 . The system as described in  claim 7  further comprising a cant sensor housed in the first simulated weapon, said cant sensor in electrical communication with said weapon controller card to transmit a cant angle to said weapon controller card. 
     
     
         9 . The system as described in  claim 7  further comprising:
 a fire line mat having at least one RFID tag positioned therein; and 
 a RFID reader in electrical communication with said weapon controller card, said RFID reader connected to the simulated weapon to identify the location of said first simulated weapon when said RFID reader detects said RFID tag, said weapon controller card transmitting said compensation offsets and angle profile and said location information to said central computer. 
 
     
     
         10 . A weapon simulation system minimizing laser misalignment error, said weapon simulation system comprising:
 computer means for controlling a weapon simulation;   a simulated weapon having an associated laser module and a sight; and   an individual weapon controller card connected with said simulated weapon of said system and in electrical communication with said computer means, said weapon controller card storing a compensation offset profile and a compensation angle profile only for the associated simulated weapon to correct for residual misalignment error that remains after all mechanical adjustments have been made to the simulated weapon.