Abstract:
An automatic shooting mechanism capable of remote switching and unmanned switching between a safety mode and a shooting mode, and remote shooting and unmanned shooting. Also provided is a sentry robot employing the automatic shooting mechanism and capable of performing wide and narrow monitoring and sentry duties in short and long ranges, and automatically shooting at a target. The automatic shooting mechanism comprises a safety unit including a safety solenoid and an elastic member to move a safety pin of a gun between a safety mode position and a shooting mode position, a return unit for applying force to the safety pin of the gun to move the safety pin to the safety mode position. The automatic shooting mechanism further comprises a shooting unit including a shooting solenoid to move a connecting link back and forth, and a trigger push member having one end contacting a trigger of the gun and the other end contacting the shooting solenoid, and coupled at a middle portion of the shooting unit to be capable of pivoting to pull the trigger as desired.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0020410, filed on Mar. 3, 2006, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an automatic shooting mechanism and a robot having the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic shooting mechanism capable of remote switching and unmanned switching between a safety mode and a shooting mode, and remote shooting and unmanned shooting, and a sentry robot employing the automatic shooting mechanism and being capable of performing wide and narrow monitoring and sentry duties in short and long ranges and automatically shooting at a target. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Intelligent robot technology is one of the next generation new technologies which will lead the 21 st  century&#39;s industrial and military science technologies with the development of artificial intelligence (AI). For example, a monitoring and sentry system can be a sophisticated system employing a variety of technologies such as ultra-low brightness camera technology, image recognition technology, image processing and storing technology, voice recognition technology, servo technology, image tracking technology, and system control technology. 
         [0006]    As the security industry grows rapidly, demands for the use of intelligent monitoring and sentry robot systems in important national facilities such as airports, harbors, and nuclear power plants have increased accordingly. Such systems can be used in military settings to provide efficient sentries during peace time, and to improve the security of solders during war time by performing 3D (dangerous, dirty, dull) duties that are usually performed by solders. Accordingly, an unmanned robot employing AI technology can efficiently reduce manpower and greatly enhance a military&#39;s competitive power. 
         [0007]    As can be appreciated from the above, a monitoring and sentry robot can perform an important role in the development of military strategy. Also, the use of robots can prevent or at least minimize fatigue and loss of concentration due to repetition of simple tasks performed by solders on sentry duty. Furthermore, the systems can have accurate tracking and instant reaction abilities, including high speed and accurate shooting capabilities. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,676 entitled “Fire Control System” discloses a shooting control system for a manually aimed gun. As described in the patent, a target is tracked by a video tracker and laser of an electro-optical device (EOD), and the distance and direction of the target are calculated. The image of target is sent to a video monitor of an operator, and the operator controls shooting at the target by controlling the gun to aim at the target through the use of the video monitor. 
         [0009]    However, a drawback of this type of shooting control system is the limited range of monitoring by a camera device of the system. Also, the conventional monitoring and sentry system employing a single video camera or common monitoring camera is a basic system adopting the concept of automation, and not a system capable of intelligently recognizing a target and automatically tracking the target. 
         [0010]    Also, in the conventional monitoring and sentry system, switching between a safety mode and a shooting mode is performed by a user. Thus, it would be desirable for the sentry system to employ a driving mechanism that can automatically switch between safety and shooting modes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    An embodiment of the present invention provides an automatic shooting mechanism that is capable of remote or automatic switching between a safety mode and a shooting mode and capable of remote shooting or unmanned shooting at a target. 
         [0012]    Also, an embodiment of the present invention provides a robot having an automatic shooting mechanism, and which is capable of performing monitoring and sentry duties along with wide and narrow monitoring in short and long ranges and can automatically shoot at a target. 
         [0013]    An automatic shooting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a safety moving member, such as a safety solenoid, and an elastic member to effect movement a safety pin of a gun between a safety mode position and a shooting mode position, and a return unit for applying force to the safety pin of the gun to move the safety pin to the safety mode position. The automatic shooting mechanism further comprises a shooting unit including a shooting moving member, such as a shooting solenoid to move a connecting link back and forth, and a trigger push member having one end contacting a trigger of the gun and the other end coupled to the shooting solenoid via the connecting link, and which is coupled at a middle portion to the shooting unit and capable of pivoting. 
         [0014]    The elastic member included in the safety unit is arranged to apply force to move the safety pin of the gun to the safety mode position, and the safety solenoid applies force when power is applied to move the safety pin to the shooting mode position. 
         [0015]    Another embodiment of the present invention provides a sentry robot comprising a base, a main body installed on the base and capable of pivoting, a master camera capable of rotating with the main body, an automatic shooting mechanism arranged with a gun on the main body, and an active camera capable of rotating with the gun. 
         [0016]    The master camera can comprises two cameras, each installed at both sides of the main body. 
         [0017]    The sentry robot further comprises a driving portion for driving the main body, the master camera, the active camera, and the gun, and a controller for controlling shooting of the gun and performing functions such as image analysis, target recognition, and target tracking by controlling the driving portion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates an automatic shooting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention which is coupled to a gun and a gun mount; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of the automatic shooting mechanism of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the automatic shooting mechanism of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the automatic shooting mechanism of  FIGS. 2 and 3 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the structure of a sentry robot according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the sentry robot of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the structure of a sentry robot according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the sentry robot of  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]      FIG. 1  illustrates an automatic shooting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention which is coupled to a gun and a gun mount.  FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of the automatic shooting mechanism of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the automatic shooting mechanism of  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the automatic shooting mechanism of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , an automatic shooting mechanism  30  according to an embodiment of the present invention is arranged at the rear of a gun mount  40  where a gun  16  is fixedly mounted. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the automatic shooting mechanism  30  includes a safety unit  31 , a return unit  33 , and a shooting unit  34 . A safety pin  32  as shown in  FIG. 3  is included in the gun  16  and the gun  16  is placed in a safety mode or a shooting mode depending on the position of the safety pin  32 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the safety unit  31  included in the automatic shooting mechanism in this example is formed by sequentially assembling the safety moving member, such as a solenoid  311  (safety solenoid  311 ), and a safety rod  312 , along with a bracket  314 , an elastic member  315 , a spring pin  313 , and a cover plate  316 . In this case, the bracket  314  is fixed to the gun mount  40  and the safety rod  312  is fixed by the spring pin  313  in the safety solenoid  311 . The elastic member  315  and the safety rod  312  are inserted together in an opening formed in the bracket  314 . The cover plate  316  and the safety solenoid  311  are fixedly assembled at the bracket  314 . 
         [0030]    As can be appreciated from  FIG. 4 , the safety solenoid  311  is capable of moving a safety rod  312  having a predetermined length back and forth under the influence of applied power and thus, the safety solenoid  311  in cooperation with the elastic member  315  moves the safety pin  32  between the safety mode position and the shooting mode position. For example, the elastic member  315  applies force to the safety pin  32  to move the safety pin  32  toward the safety mode position. When power is applied, the safety solenoid  311  applies force to the safety pin  32  to move the safety pin  32  toward the shooting mode position. When the power applied to the safety solenoid  311  is discontinued, the safety pin  32  is allowed to return to the safety mode position because the elastic member  315  moves the safety rod in the direction of the safety mode position. 
         [0031]    The return unit  33  in this example includes an elastic member body  337 , a push pin  338 , and an elastic member  339  for applying force to the safety pin  32  of the gun  16  in the same direction as the direction in which the elastic member  315  moves. Since the elastic member  339  of the return unit  33  applies the force in the same direction as the direction in which the safety pin  32  is in the safety mode position, the safety pin  32  can quickly return to the safety mode position when shooting is not needed. 
         [0032]    The shooting unit  34  in this example includes a shooting moving member, such as a solenoid  341  (shooting solenoid  341 ), a spring pin  342 , a connecting link  343 , an elastic member  345 , a bracket  346 , a cover plate  347 , a front support  418 , and a trigger push member  419 . In this example, the shooting solenoid  341  is fixed at the connecting link  343  by the spring pin  342 , inserted with the elastic member  345  in an opening formed in the bracket  346 , and fixed at the bracket  346  by the cover plate  347 . The trigger push member  419  is fixed at the bracket  346  by the front support  418  capable of rotating around the pivot position  41 . The bracket  346  can be fixed at the gun mount  40  where the gun  16  is mounted. The return unit  33  can be coupled to the bracket  346  included in the shooting unit  34  via a support  340  such that the push pin  338  is inserted in the elastic member body  337  and the elastic member  339  is coupled to an end portion of the push pin  338 : The elastic member  339  is maintained in a state in which force is applied to the safety pin  32  to place the safety pin  32  in the safety mode position. 
         [0033]    The trigger push member  419  is arranged such that one end thereof is connected to the shooting solenoid  341  and the other end thereof contacts a trigger (not shown) of the gun  16 . The middle portion of the trigger push member  419  is rotatably connected to a front support  418  by a pin joint  410  at a predetermined pivot position  41 . The shooting solenoid  341  can move a connecting link  343  having a predetermined length back and forth under the influence of power. The shooting solenoid  341  thus pushes one end of the trigger push member  419  so that trigger push member  419  pushes the trigger and fires the gun  16 . 
         [0034]    When the safety unit  31  switches from the safety mode to the shooting mode, power is applied to the shooting solenoid  341  by a user or a predetermined control mechanism as necessary. Then, the shooting solenoid  341  pushes one side of the trigger push member  419  and the trigger push member  419  pushes the trigger. When the power applied to the shooting solenoid  341  is discontinued, the elastic member  345  returns the shooting solenoid  341  and the trigger push member  419  to their original positions. Continuous or rapid fire shooting is possible by controlling the power applied to the shooting solenoid  341 . 
         [0035]    The automatic shooting mechanism according to the above-described embodiment with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 4  can be used with a sentry robot which is described below. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of a sentry robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  is a side view of the sentry robot of  FIG. 5 . Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a sentry robot  20  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a base  23 , an image monitoring portion, and an image tracking portion. 
         [0037]    The base  23  is a member for fixedly installing the sentry robot  20  at a particular position or device. The image monitoring portion includes a main body  24  arranged on the base  23 , a master camera  21  and an image monitoring portion driving portion  27  which is described in detail below. The image tracking portion in this example includes an active camera  22  arranged on the main body  24 , the gun  16 , and an image tracking portion driving portion  27 . 
         [0038]    The sentry robot  20  in this example includes two types of cameras, that is, the master camera  21  and an active camera  22 . The sentry robot  20  receives information on the movement of a target from each of the cameras  21  and  22  and performs tracking for monitoring and sentry operations so that a tracking rate and a recognition rate are improved. 
         [0039]    The main body  24  is capable of rotating on the base  23  to the left and right sides (panning) around a Z axis. The mast camera  21  and the active camera  22  are installed on the main body  24 . The gun  16  is installed with the active camera  22 , as necessary. Gun armor  25  to protect the robot from bullets or debris is, installed outside the main body  24  in this example. The gun armor  25  can include a gun cover  29  which can be open and close by an operator to check the state of the gun  16 . Also, a gun manual control handle  28  can be further installed to, directly control the gun  16  by the operator as necessary. 
         [0040]    The master camera  21  is installed on the main body  24 , or at both sides of the main body  24  as shown in the drawings, and recognizes a target from an input image. The master camera  21  is rotatable around a Y2 axis in a vertical direction with respect to the main body  24 . The active camera  22  is provided on the main body  24  and is capable of tilting and panning with respect to the main body  24  and tracking the target. 
         [0041]    The gun  16  that capable of shooting bullets or other projectiles or objects automatically or manually toward a target or an enemy is arranged in the upper portion of the main body  24 . Also, the image tracking portion driving portion  27  which allows the active camera  22  and the gun  16  to move while tracking the target is installed in the upper portion of the main body  24 . 
         [0042]    The image tracking portion driving portion  27  can rotate the active camera  22  and the gun  16  to the left and right sides around the Z axis and simultaneously up and down around a Y1 axis with respect to the main body  24 . The automatic shooting mechanism configured as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4  is installed at the gun  16  to perform maintenance of the gun  16  in a shooting mode or a safety mode, and automatic shooting control in the shooting mode. 
         [0043]    The sentry robot  20  according to an present embodiment may, further include a controller  35  that can be installed inside the main body  24  as shown and can be a processor, computer or any other suitable type of device. The controller  35  receives an image from the master camera  21  and the active camera,  22 , recognizes the received image, and controls the operation of the master camera  21 , the active camera  22 , and the image tracking portion driving portion  27 . 
         [0044]    Considering that a target has a certain size, an not simply a point, it is preferable that a gun barrel of the gun  16  is parallel or substantially parallel to the optical axis of the active camera  22  so that the direction of the gun barrel of the gun  16  pointing toward a target matches the direction of the active camera  22 . The master camera  21  and the active camera  22  in this example are ultra-low brightness cameras having an infrared block filter blocking input of an image in an infrared area. The master camera  21  and the active camera  22  can receive a color image by turning on the infrared block filter during the day or in sufficiently lit environments, and a black and white image by turning off the infrared block filter during the night or in low lighting environments. Accordingly, the master camera  21  and the active camera  22  can receive an image during the day and night, and in well lit and dark environments, using the ultra-low brightness camera. 
         [0045]    The, master camera  21  preferably has a wider viewing angle than the active camera  22 . That is, the master camera  21  with a wider viewing angle performs a function of detecting an overall movement in a main viewing range. The master camera  21  has a zoom function and is set by adjusting a magnification ratio according to conditions in use such as observation distance and range. The master camera  21  recognizes a target by acquiring an image from a wide area in the main viewing range and detects an overall movement of the target. 
         [0046]    The active camera  22  is controlled by the controller  35 , for example, to move according to information pertaining to the movement of a target recognized by the master camera  21  so that the optical axis of the active camera  22  is directed toward the center of the target. Also, the active camera  22  more accurately detects information such as the speed, displacement, and size of a target that moves, and maintains a higher resolution as compared to the master camera  21 . For this purpose, the active camera  22  has functions of zooming, panning, and tilting. The panning and tilting functions of the active camera  22  enable the optical axis of the active camera  22  to always point to the center, or proximate to the center, of the target. Also, the image of the target can be enlarged by the zooming function of the active camera  22  so that the target can be observed in more detail. Accordingly, given that the target has a certain size, since the direction of the gun barrel of the gun  16  fixedly installed with respect to the active camera  22  substantially matches the center axis of the active camera  22  pointing the target, the gun barrel of the gun  16  can point the target. 
         [0047]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of a sentry robot according to another embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 8  is a side view of the sentry robot of  FIG. 7 . Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a sentry robot  10  according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a base  13 , a main body  14 , a master camera  11 , and an active camera  12 . The sentry robot  10  is operated by two types of cameras, that is, the master camera  11  and the active camera  12 . The sentry robot  10  receives information on the movement of a target from each of the cameras and performs monitoring and tracking for sentry so that a tracking rate and a recognition rate are improved. It is a difference from the above-described embodiment that the master camera  11  is arranged to protrude forward from the main body  14 . 
         [0048]    The sentry robot  10  may further include a controller  19  that is similar to controller  35  discussed and can be located inside the main body  14 . The controller  19  receives an image from the master camera.  11  and the active camera  12 , recognizes the received image, and controls the operations of the master camera  11 , the active camera  12 , and a driving portion  17 . 
         [0049]    The master camera  11  is connected to the main body  14  by a frame  18  and recognizes a target from an input image. The main body  14  is rotatable on the base  13  to the left and right directions around a Z1 axis. Accordingly, the frame  18  and the master camera  11  can pivot in the left and right directions around the Z1 axis. Also, the master camera  11  is installed capable of rotating in the left and right directions around a Z2 axis and in the up and down directions around a Y2 axis with respect to the frame  18 . 
         [0050]    The active camera  12  is capable of rotating in the left and right directions around a Z1 axis and in the up and down directions around a Y1 axis with respect to the main body  14 . The active camera  12  can be installed with a gun  16  as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . In this case, the active camera  12  and the gun  16  are arranged to have the same pointing directions so that they are capable of rotating in the up/down and left/right directions on the main body  14  while tracking a target. 
         [0051]    Armor  15  in this example is installed on the outer side of the main body  14  to protect the robot  10  from enemy&#39;s bullets or debris. The automatic shooting mechanism as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4  is installed at the gun  16  to control the shooting of the gun  16  as discussed above. 
         [0052]    As described above, the automatic shooting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention can shoot under the control of a user at a remote location. A warning shot can be fired, or directional shooting is possible at an enemy target according to a predetermined control algorithm. Also, the sentry robot according to an embodiment of the present invention can accurately move the gun or camera to point toward a target while also tracking the target. The target moving at short and long distances can be effectively tracked, automatic shooting at the target is possible, and in particular, unmanned sentry duties can be performed for a wider area as compared to a conventional sentry robot. 
         [0053]    While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.