Abstract:
Accurate estimates of object location are established from an optical platform. Platform position is combined with dynamic data including target distance and target line of sight data to calculate target location. These target locations can be saved and shared with other users in real-time. Users may find these target locations based upon augmented reality cues provided by the system.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Embodiments relate to the fields of optical systems as used for hunting, wildlife watching, wildlife research and management. In particular, embodiments relate to the finding, sharing, and re-locating points of interest. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    People enjoy a variety of activities such as bird watching, hunting, geo-caching. It is common that a person observes a distant object and then attempts to get closer to it. Unless the person is skilled, it is also common that a person loses the location of that distant object. For example, a bird watcher could glimpse a distant woodpecker but be too far to properly identify it. The bird watcher may have to cross difficult terrain, pass through woods, or do something else such that they lose sight of the woodpecker and may even slightly lose their own bearings. The bird watcher may never record their sighting of a rare woodpecker because they lost the bird&#39;s location. 
         [0003]    A skilled bird watcher can use a variety of techniques to relocate their sighting. For instance, they can carefully note distinctive terrain features near the bird, behind the bird, near themselves, and behind themselves. They can position a bright ribbon at their current location for later reference. The skilled bird watcher can often relocate their sighting by reorienting themselves with respect to the distinctive features. Reorientation is a skill and is always uncertain. Systems and methods supporting a person&#39;s efforts to relocate a sighting or other location of interest are needed. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Aspects of the embodiments address limitations and flaws in the prior art by using a position and angular measurement device to cue the viewer to relocate the sighting or similar location of interest. Certain embodiments may also include cues sent via smart-phone messages and photos that contain location data. 
         [0005]    It is therefore an aspect of the embodiments that a user can operate a targeting module to observe an object. The targeting module can receive electromagnetic radiation, such as light, reflected from the object and use that reflected light to provide an image to the observer. Items that present reflect light images include binoculars, sighting tubes, rifle scopes, and video cameras. 
         [0006]    It is another aspect of the embodiments that a target vector extends from the targeting module to the object being observed. A vector has both length and direction. 
         [0007]    It is a further aspect of the embodiments that position location data, the location of the targeting module, is determined by a positioning module such as a GPS or similar satellite navigation data receiver, radio frequency position sensor, or accelerometer/gyroscope based position tracker. The position location data can specify a horizontal location using a pair of numbers such as latitude and longitude. In certain embodiments, the position location data can specify an elevation such as the elevation above sea level or the elevation above some other reference. The elevation can be determined by devices similar to or the same as those that determine horizontal location or by altitude specific devices such as altimeters that compare a local air pressure to the air pressure measured at a nearby point having a known elevation. 
         [0008]    It is yet a further aspect of the embodiments that a distance measuring module such as a laser range finder determines the length of the target vector. 
         [0009]    It is yet another aspect of the embodiments that an azimuth module determines an azimuth between the target vector and a reference vector such as true north or magnetic north. An elevation angle module, perhaps including an inclinometer, can measure an elevation angle to thereby provide for determining the location of the object in three dimensions. 
         [0010]    It is still yet another aspect of the embodiments that a target location, specified by target location data, is determined based on targeting data such as the targeting module&#39;s location, the target vector length, the azimuth, and perhaps the elevation angle. The target location is the calculated location of the object being targeted and may differ from the objects actual location if there are errors in the targeting data. 
         [0011]    It is still yet a further aspect of the embodiments that the user is presented with an indication of the target location. The target location can be presented as an absolute position where, for example, a display shows the target location in the center, shows the user&#39;s position relative to the target location, and where the user&#39;s position on the display changes as the user moves. The target position can instead be shown relative to the user. For example, the user&#39;s position can be centered on a display while the target location is shown relative to the user&#39;s position. The azimuth module can provide information indicating the direction the embodiment is currently facing to thereby align the display with true north, magnetic north, or the current facing, or some other direction. Another example is that the display presents an arrow, perhaps only the arrow, pointing toward the target location and, in some embodiments, the distance to the target location. In these examples the target location is stored or otherwise retained in some non-transitory medium such that the relative position between user and target can be updated without requiring further sighting or targeting of the object. 
         [0012]    A sensor suit comprising the positioning module, azimuth module, distance measuring module, and perhaps an elevation module can be carried by the user. For example, enhanced binoculars, spotting scopes, and rifle scopes can include or link to such a sensor suite or individual modules. It is not necessary for the user to remain with or carry the targeting module though. A person only needs a location module and a display in order to approach a known target location. In fact, a first person can determine the target location and transmit that location to a second person. 
         [0013]    Alternatively, a communications module can provide the capability for a remotely operated sensor suite to be remotely commanded to determine a target location for transmittal to the controlling person or someone else entirely. For example, an Internet enable sensor suite can be used to monitor a marsh and to provide date for guiding bird watchers to the location of a rare loon. 
         [0014]    Further aspects of embodiments having a communications module include a remote analysis system that determines and perhaps stores target locations, positioning location data, or both. A moving user can generate a user path that includes positioning location data that is updated and time stamped as the user moves. A moving target can generate a target path that includes numerous target waypoints produced from numerous time stamped observations of a specific target. The remote analysis system can provide target location data or target waypoints to the user and to additional users. The additional users can then attempt to locate the target, perhaps even generating further observations and waypoints that are uploaded to the remote analysis system and shared with the other users. A remote data server can share target locations, position location data, target waypoints, and user waypoints without also performing analysis to also determine those waypointed locations as the waypoints or locations themselves are uploaded to the remote data server. Labels such as “Mike,” “Richard,” or “Great Blue Heron” can be associated with locations to thereby become named locations or waypoints. Labels can also be associated with paths (or routes). The labels can be presented to the user(s) along with the locations or paths. 
         [0015]    An aspect of some embodiments is that the presentation comprises a map graphic such that the user can see the target location or targeting module location on a map, perhaps even a topographic map. Some embodiments can use line-of-sight type calculations and map data, such as a topological map, to determine hiding places or hide regions that cannot be seen from the target location. The presentation can show the hide regions and the user can navigate to or though hide regions to avoid being seen. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0016]    The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, further illustrate the present invention and, together with the background of the invention, brief summary of the invention, and detailed description of the invention, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a person tagging an animal&#39;s location in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  illustrates a system that tags distant locations in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  illustrates a high level block diagram of a system that tags distant locations in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates a high level block diagram of a system that shares tags of distant locations in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    The particular values and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention 
         [0022]    Users of binoculars, monoculars, telescopic rifle sights, spotting scopes, sighting tubes, and similar surveillance systems can benefit from the ability to locate specific places in three-dimensional space. For example, a hunter may spot a game animal out of shooting range, but visible to the scope and laser range finder. The subject invention will allow the hunter to record that geographic location. The hunter may then change locations for a better shooting angle, and the subject invention will display augmented reality cues assisting in finding the line of sight to the point of interest—in this case game animal. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates a person  101  tagging an animal&#39;s location in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The person  101  looks into the optic or display  110  of a targeting module  100  to view an animal  103 . The targeting module  100  receives electromagnetic radiation  109 , such as visible light or infrared light and provides an image of the animal  103  to the person  101 . A target vector  104  having both length and direction extends from the person  101  to the animal  103 . 
         [0024]    The person  101  of  FIG. 1  is mostly hiding in a hide region behind an obstruction  102  such that the animal  103  is less likely to observe the person  101 . Other hide regions  107 ,  108  exist behind other obstructions  102 . The user can reach hide regions  107 ,  108  by following paths  105 ,  106 , respectively. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates a system that tags distant locations in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The targeting module  100  is located at a first position  203 . The targeting vector  104  has an azimuth  202  relative to true north or magnetic north (actually both as they have a constant offset from any given position on earth.) The target vector also has a distance or length  201  which is the distance between the first position  203  and the target position  212 . The targeting data  210  includes a first location  205 , a target distance  208 , and an azimuth  209 . The first location  205  can be a horizontal location specified by its longitude  206  and latitude  207 . The first location  205  is data specifying the first position. The azimuth  208  in the targeting data  210  records azimuth  202  of the targeting vector. The target distance.  208  in the targeting data records the length  201  of the targeting vector. Simple trigonometric analysis of the targeting data  210  yields the target position data  211  that specifies an estimate of the target position  212 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  illustrates a high level block diagram of a system that tags distant locations in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. A targeting module can operate in conjunction with a sensor suite to produce targeting data. Packaging the sensor suite with the targeting module, such as with an instrumented binocular, provides a convenient and handy package for pinpointing target locations. A different convenient package is a smart phone with the user pointing the phone&#39;s camera at the target, but only with a distance measuring device or capability attached to or incorporated in the smart phone. Many modern smart phones include sensors that detect heading or facing, level or inclination, position, and elevation. 
         [0027]    A first sensor suite  326  includes a positioning module  301 , azimuth module  306 , distance measuring module  308 , and optionally an elevation angle module  304 . The positioning module  301  provides the first location  205  and can include a GPS receiver  302  or similar device for determining a geographic location. The positioning module  301  can also include an elevation sensor  303  such as an altimeter or the GPS receiver. The azimuth module  306  provides the azimuth  209  and can include a magnetic field sensor or measuring module. The azimuth  209  is the measured direction of the target vector  104 . Azimuth has also been measured with gyroscopic devices that have been calibrated to a reference vector, often true north. The distance measuring module  308  provides the target distance  208  and can include a laser range finder  309  or other distance measuring device. The elevation angle module  304  determines the elevation angle of the targeting vector and can include an inclinometer  305  or other device for measuring angles relative to the horizontal plane or direction vector of the earth&#39;s gravity. 
         [0028]    The sensor suite  326  is illustrated as including an elevation angle module  304  and an elevation sensor  303  so that it is useful for determining location in three dimensions. If horizontal or two dimensional determinations are sufficient for a purpose or device, then elevation and elevation angle need not be measured. 
         [0029]    The sensor suite  326  can produce targeting data  310  specifying the first location  311 , elevation angle  315 , target distance  316 , and azimuth  317 . The first location  311  can specify a location in three dimensions by using, for example, a first longitude  312 , first latitude  313 , and first elevation  314 . The targeting data  310  can be passed to local or remote analysis systems that can use trigonometric calculations to determine the location of a target. Local analysis subsystems  325  having a target location determination module  318  accepts targeting data  310  and produces target location data  319 . Target location data  319  can include target longitude  320 , target latitude  321 , and target elevation  322  specify the targets location in three dimensions. A presentation module  323  can display target location information  324  to a person. The target location information can be an arrow pointing from the person location to the target, perhaps with the distance also displayed. The target information can be points, flags, icons or pins. The display can present the target information over a map. In general, the target information can be presented textually, graphically, or both such that the user can relocate the target. 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  illustrates a high level block diagram of a system that shares tags of distant locations in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , a user  101  uses a targeting module to generate targeting data  310 . Instead of being locally analyzed, the targeting data can instead be passed to a communications module  401  and then to a remote analysis subsystem  402 . The remote analysis system can then calculate target location data  319  that is then returned to the communications module  401  and displayed to the user  101  by a presentation module  323 . The remote analysis system can also calculate relative location data  1   406  to be returned and displayed to the user  101 . Target location data can specify a geographic coordinate which is an absolute coordinate relative to a globally recognized reference point. Relative location data is not absolute but is instead relative to something else such as the user&#39;s  101  current location and perhaps even the user&#39;s current heading. For example, relative location data could specify that the target is 45 meters directly ahead. 
         [0031]    A second user  412  can also acquire the target by using a second system  407  to send second location data  411  specifying a second location  414  to the remote analysis system  402 . The second system  407  can include a second positioning module  409  for determining the second location data  411 , a second presentation module  408  for presenting information to the second user  412 , and a second communications module  410  for communicating with the remote analysis subsystem  402 . 
         [0032]    The remote analysis subsystem  402  can send relative location data  2   415  or target location data  319  to the second system for presentation to the second user  412 . The remote analysis subsystem  402  can calculate relative location data  2   415  based on second location data  411  and return it to the second system  407 . The remote analysis system  402  can also return target location data  319 . If relative locations are not needed or desired, then the remote analysis system can simply obtain target location data  319 , which has been previously stored in database  413 , and provide it to the second system  407 . Database  413  can store targeting data  310 , the location of the first user which is included in the targeting data  310 , and the second location data  411 , and other data. The data can be stored repeatedly as users and targets move to thereby store paths. The data can be time stamped to provide a more historical record. The different targets and users can be identified by labels or tags such as “Mike,” “Richard,” “Grebe Nest,” or “Bison.” 
         [0033]    The remote analysis subsystem  402  and database  413  are illustrated as separate from the devices carried by the users  101 ,  412  because some embodiments can be cloud based with many system components instantiated on distant servers. In other embodiments, the analysis, data storage, and database functions can be performed by the user&#39;s devices with those devices communicating with each other. 
         [0034]    The embodiment and examples set forth herein are presented to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those skilled in the art to make and utilize the invention. Those skilled in the art, however, will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purpose of illustration and example only. Other variations and modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art following the reading of this disclosure, and it is the intent of the appended claims that such variations and modifications be covered. 
         [0035]    The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching without departing from the scope of the following claims. It is contemplated that the use of the present invention can involve components having different characteristics. It is intended that the scope of the present invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, giving full cognizance to equivalents in all respects.