Hit detection in direct-fire or small-arms simulators

Abstract

A hit detection system including: a simulated weapon, a laser attached to the simulated weapon, a full screen projector projecting an image on a screen, a screen for target depiction and making a laser footprint visible to a hit-detection camera, at least a first hit detection camera being a high precision camera that is capable of detecting a laser footprint and generating hit detection data, a simulation computer in operative connection with the full screen projector and the hit detection camera, a link between a trigger on the simulated weapon and the first hit detection camera, a data storage means for storing hit detection data generated by the first hit detection camera, so that, in use, when a trigger on the simulated weapon is pulled to activate the laser a laser footprint is projected onto the screen and at the same time the hit detection camera takes an image of the laser footprint on the screen.

1 . A hit detection system for hit detection in direct-fire or small-arms simulators comprising:
 a simulated weapon;   a laser attached to said simulated weapon;   a full screen projector projecting an image on a screen;   a screen for target depiction and configured to make a laser footprint visible to a hit-detection camera;   at least one first hit detection camera comprising a high precision camera that is capable of detecting a laser footprint and generating hit detection data;   a simulation computer in operative connection with said full screen projector and said at least one first hit detection camera;   a link between a trigger on said simulated weapon and said at least one first hit detection camera;   a data storage object configured to store hit detection data generated by said at least one first hit detection camera;   wherein when a trigger on said simulated weapon is pulled to activate said laser, a laser footprint is projected onto said screen and at a same time, said at least one first hit detection camera takes an image of said laser footprint on said screen.   
     
     
         2 . The hit detection system of  claim 1 , wherein said laser selected from the group consisting of continuous wave lasers and pulsed wave lasers. 
     
     
         3 . The hit detection system of  claim 2 , wherein when said laser is a pulsed laser illumination of said laser attached to said simulated weapon is as a result of said trigger being operatively connected to a switch and a circuit capable of generating a pulse that is subsequently fed to a circuit to generate a voltage configured to illuminate said laser so that activation of said trigger illuminates said laser. 
     
     
         4 . The hit detection system of  claim 2 , further comprising a video camera for continuous laser tracking 
     
     
         5 . The hit detection system of  claim 4 , wherein said at least one first hit detection camera is focused on only a target depicted on said screen. 
     
     
         6 . The hit detection system of  claim 5 , further comprising a target projector configured to project a target image onto said projector screen. 
     
     
         7 . The hit detection system of  claim 4 , further comprising a second hit detection camera synchronized to take an image of said screen when said trigger on said simulated weapon is pulled.