Biometric detection of aiming point and barrel stabilization system and method for firearms

Abstract

At least one sensor is configured to detect a user aiming at a point and movement of the firearm. A processor is provided to process and analyse movement data obtained wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to measure a movement deviation from the line of sight between an eye of the user and the point of aim of the firearm. At least one electro-mechanical actuator to apply a correction to the barrel as to maintain aim on the intended point of aim.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system to automatically correct a point of aim associated with a user aiming a firearm comprising a housing and a barrel, the system comprising:
 at least one sensor configured to detect a user aiming at a point and movement of the firearm;   a processor to process and analyse movement data obtained wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to measure a movement deviation from the line of sight between an eye of the user and the point of aim of the firearm; and   at least one electro-mechanical actuator to apply a correction to the barrel as to maintain aim on the intended point of aim.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one sensor comprises a camera adapted to measure the movement deviation from the line of sight between the eye of the user and the intended point of aim. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one sensor and processor is configured to:
 detect a first parameter associated with the position of an eye of the user; 
 detect a second parameter associated with movement of the firearm; 
 detect a third parameter associated with the user being in physical contact with the firearm; 
 determine the firearm being aimed by the user based on at least one of the first, second or third parameter. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one sensor and processor is configured to:
 detect a first parameter associated with the position of the user's dominant eye with respect to the central axis of the firearms orientation; 
 detect a second parameter associated with the movement data, within fixed thresholds, of the firearm; 
 determine the users point of aim based on at least the first or second parameter. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one sensor and the processor s configured to:
 detect the deviation of the position of a user's dominant eye from the central axis of a firearms orientation; and 
 calculate a user's point of aim by inverting the detected deviation vectors. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one sensor and the processor is configured to:
 detect the movement data of the firearm; 
 calculate the centroid of motion for the threshold of movement that indicates that the firearm is being aimed, excluding movement data which may be calculated to be a shooting error such as trigger pull movement, recoil anticipation or intended movement by a user between aiming points or tracking a moving target. 
 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least o sensor and the processor is configured to:
 scale the magnitude of the determined point of aim vectors according to a system specific determination; and 
 apply an output signal to electro-mechanical actuator to move the firearms barrel. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one sensor and the processor is configured to:
 detect the distance between the firearm and a target; 
 calculate the deviation of the ballistic trajectory from the central axis of the firearms orientation at the targets distance; and 
 apply an additional offset to the output signal to the electro-mechanical actuator for moving the firearms barrel. 
 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein determination of the firearm being in an aim position can be calculated by a processor by detecting the pressing of a trigger. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein determination of the firearm being in an aim position can be by detecting a low threshold of movement indicative of the firearm being held steady before discharge. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein high threshold movement data while the trigger is being pressed, combined with a sudden deviation of the users dominant eye from the central axis, indicates a subconscious flinching movement of a user hand in anticipation of the recoil of the firearm and is corrected for. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein low threshold data during an aiming state indicates that the user is adjusting the aim of the firearm. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the electro-mechanical actuator for moving the barrel is positioned at any point along the axis of the barrel. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the electro-mechanical movement is controlled by the processor configured to keep the barrel aimed in real-time at the determined intended point of aim. 
     
     
         15 . A method to automatically correct a point of aim associated with a user aiming a firearm comprising a housing and a barrel, the method comprising the steps of:
 detecting a user aiming at a point and movement of the firearm;   processing and analysing movement data obtained by measuring a movement deviation from the line of sight between an eye of the user and the point of aim of the firearm; and   applying a correction to the barrel as to maintain aim on the intended point of aim.   
     
     
         16 . The method in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein detecting a firearm being aimed further comprises:
 detecting a first parameter associated with the position of an eye of a user;   detecting a second parameter associated with movement of the firearm;   detecting a third parameter associated with a user being in physical contact with the firearm;   determining the firearm being aimed by a user based on at least one of the first, second or third parameter.   
     
     
         17 . The method in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein determining a user's point of aim further comprises:
 detecting a first parameter associated with the position of a user's dominant eye with respect to the central axis of the firearms orientation;   detecting a second parameter associated with the movement data, within fixed thresholds, of the firearm;   determining the users point of aim based on at least the first or second parameter.   
     
     
         18 . The method in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein determining a user's point of aim based on a user's dominant eye position further comprises:
 detecting the deviation of the position of a user's dominant eye from a central axis of a firearms orientation;   calculating a user's point of aim by inverting the detected deviation vectors; and   scaling the magnitude of the vectors according to a system specific layout.   
     
     
         19 . The method in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein determining a user's point of aim based on movement data of the firearm further comprises:
 detecting the movement data of a firearm;   calculating a centroid of motion for the threshold of movement that indicates that a firearm is being aimed, excluding movement data which may be calculated to be a shooting error such as trigger pull movement, recoil anticipation or intended movement by a user between aiming points or tracking a moving target; and   scaling the magnitude of the vectors according to a system specific determination.   
     
     
         20 . The method in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein applying a correction to the barrel of the firearm further comprises:
 scaling the magnitude of the determined point of aim vectors according to a system specific determination; and   applying an output signal to electro-mechanical means of moving the firearms barrel.   
     
     
         21 . The method in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein applying an output signal to electro-mechanical means of moving the firearms barrel may further comprise:
 detecting the distance between the firearm and the target;   calculating the deviation of the ballistic trajectory from the central axis of the firearms orientation at the targets distance; and   applying an additional offset to the output signal to an electro-mechanical means of moving the firearms barrel.   
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled)