Riser assembly with camera assembly and weapon system employing the same

Abstract

A riser mount system includes a housing having a lower surface configured to engage a weapon accessory interface and an upper surface opposite the lower surface configured to engage a fire control system. A peripheral wall extends between the lower surface and the upper surface, wherein the housing defines an interior compartment. A forward-facing camera assembly is disposed within the interior compartment and is operatively coupled to a riser circuit assembly also disposed within the interior compartment. The interior compartment is configured to receive one or more batteries for electrical coupling to the riser circuit assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A riser mount system for a weapon, comprising:
 a housing having a lower surface configured to engage a weapon accessory interface; an upper surface opposite the lower surface configured to engage a fire control system; and a peripheral wall extending between the lower surface and the upper surface, the housing defining an interior compartment;   a riser circuit assembly disposed with the interior compartment, the interior compartment configured to receive one or more batteries for electrical coupling to the riser circuit assembly;   an electrical connector disposed on the upper surface and structured and operable to electrically couple the one or more batteries to a fire control system; and   a camera assembly disposed within the interior compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The riser mount system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera is positioned to image a target area located along a direction of aim of the weapon. 
     
     
         3 . The riser mount system of  claim 1 , in combination with the fire control system. 
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein the fire control system is a laser sight. 
     
     
         5 . The riser mount system of  claim 1 , further comprising a rail clamp assembly configured to detachably engage a weapon-mounted rail. 
     
     
         6 . The riser mount system of  claim 5 , wherein the rail clamp assembly includes at least one movable rail clamp actuated by a rotatable thumbscrew to secure the accessory to the rail. 
     
     
         7 . The riser mount system of  claim 5 , wherein the rail clamp assembly is configured to detachably engage a Picatinny rail. 
     
     
         8 . The riser mount system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first battery tube disposed within the interior compartment and configured to receive a first battery;   a second battery tube disposed within the interior compartment and configured to receive a second battery; and   a switch disposed on the housing and configured to selectively electrically couple the first battery and the second battery to the riser circuit assembly and to selectively electrically decouple the first battery and the second battery from the riser circuit assembly.   
     
     
         9 . The riser mount system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 the first battery tube includes a first open end extending through a first opening in the peripheral wall, the first open end being closed by a first removable cover; and   the second battery tube includes a second open end extending through an opening in the peripheral wall, the second open end being closed by a second removable cover.   
     
     
         10 . The accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising a computer-readable storage medium configured to store digital representations of images acquired by the camera assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The accessory of  claim 10 , wherein a computer-readable storage medium is removable. 
     
     
         12 . The accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communication module configured to transmit image data acquired by the camera assembly to an external device. 
     
     
         13 . The accessory of  claim 11 , wherein the wireless communication module is configured to (i) transmitted image data in real time as a video stream; (ii) transmitted image data in batch form following acquisition; or both. 
     
     
         14 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the housing comprises a rail segment configured to detachably attach an accessory device. 
     
     
         15 . The accessory of  claim 14 , wherein the rail segment is a Picatinny rail segment. 
     
     
         16 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the weapon accessory interface comprises a handguard assembly having a handguard circuit assembly in electrical communication with the riser circuit assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising a keypad assembly electrically coupled to weapon accessory interface, the keypad assembly having one or more buttons configured to control operation of the fire control system. 
     
     
         18 . The accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising a flashlight assembly configured for detachable coupling to the weapon accessory interface and electrical coupling to the one or more batteries. 
     
     
         19 . A mount system for a weapon, comprising:
 a fire control system; and   a riser disposed adjacent to the fire control system, the riser comprising:
 a housing having a lower surface configured to engage a weapon accessory interface; an upper surface opposite the lower surface configured to engage the fire control system; and a peripheral wall extending between the lower surface and the upper surface, the housing defining an interior compartment; 
 a riser circuit assembly disposed with the interior compartment, the interior compartment configured to receive one or more batteries for electrical coupling to the riser circuit assembly; 
 an electrical connector disposed on the upper surface and structured and operable to electrically couple the one or more batteries to the fire control system; and 
 a camera assembly disposed within the interior compartment. 
   
     
     
         20 . The mount system of  claim 19 , wherein the fire control system and the riser are integrated. 
     
     
         21 . The mount system of  claim 19 , wherein the fire control system is selected from the group consisting of reflex sights, red dot sights, laser sights, holographic sights, night vision scopes, thermal imaging scopes, and digital rifle scopes. 
     
     
         22 . A riser mount system, comprising:
 a housing having a lower surface configured to engage a weapon accessory interface; an upper surface opposite the lower surface configured to engage a fire control system; and a peripheral wall extending between the lower surface and the upper surface, the housing defining an interior compartment;   a riser circuit assembly disposed with the interior compartment, the interior compartment configured to receive one or more batteries for electrical coupling to the riser circuit assembly;   a first electrical connector disposed on the first surface and structured and operable to electrically couple the one or more batteries to a fire control system;   a second electrical connector disposed on the second surface and structured and operable to electrically couple the one or more batteries to one or more devices on the weapon accessory interface; and   a camera assembly configured for detachable coupling to the weapon accessory interface and electrical coupling to the one or more batteries.