Precision guided handgun and method

A precision guided handgun includes a handgun and includes a sensor circuit coupled to the handgun and configured to capture optical data associated with a view area. The precision guided handgun further includes a controller coupled to the handgun and configured to process the optical data to detect a foreground object within the optical data. The controller automatically selects the foreground object as a target.

FIELD

The present disclosure is generally related to small arms firearms, including pistols, rifles, shotguns, and other handguns, and more particularly to firearms with a controller configured to selectively enable discharge of the firearm when its aim point is aligned to a target.

BACKGROUND

Small arms firearms, including handguns (such as pistols), rifles, and shotguns are small profile firearms that are designed to be held in a shooter's hands and to be discharged toward a target. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to correctly aim such firearms toward a target, particularly under pressure, due to human jitter.

One technique for improving shooting accuracy involves mounting a laser site onto the firearm. Laser sights are particularly effective as sighting devices because the lasers illuminate spots on their targets and do not require users to align an eye with a sighting device. When mounted on a firearm and activated, the laser sight emits a beams toward the aim point of the handgun, placing a visible dot or mark on a target approximating the aim point of the firearm. However, holding on target while pulling the trigger is still challenging and is a common reason for missing the target, especially when under pressure.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a precision guided handgun includes a handgun and includes a sensor circuit coupled to the handgun and configured to capture optical data associated with a view area. The precision guided handgun further includes a controller coupled to the handgun and configured to process the optical data to detect a foreground object within the optical data. The controller automatically selects the foreground object as a target.

In another embodiment, a method of providing a precision guided firearm includes receiving optical data associated with a view area at a circuit of a firearm from a sensor. The method further includes processing the optical data to determine a range to a foreground object within the view area using the circuit and automatically selecting the foreground object as a target.

In still another embodiment, a firearm includes a barrel, a grip, and a trigger assembly. The firearm further includes a sensor circuit configured to capture optical data associated with a view area, and includes a controller configured to process the optical data to automatically acquire a target within the view area.

In the following discussion, the same reference numbers are used in the various embodiments to indicate the same or similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of a precision guided handgun include a controller coupled to a sensor and to a trigger assembly. The controller is configured to receive optical data corresponding to a view area of a sensor and to process the optical data to detect a target within the view area. In an embodiment, the controller processes optical data from two different views of the view area to select a foreground object as a target based on the parallax. In another embodiment, the controller may utilize an optical ranging circuit to illuminate a view area and to receive the optical data in response thereto. The optical data may be used to select a foreground object as the target.

In an embodiment, the controller may be coupled to one or more orientation sensors and/or motion sensors and may be configured to determine an aim point of the firearm based on such data. The controller may be further configured to control the trigger assembly to selectively enable discharge of the handgun when the aim point of the handgun corresponds to a location on the target. An embodiment of a precision guided handgun is described below with respect toFIG. 1.

FIG. 1is a perspective view of a precision guided firearm (PGF) implemented as a precision guided handgun (PGH)100according to an embodiment. PGH100includes a handgun102having a trigger assembly104with a trigger shoe106. The handgun102further includes a grip108and a barrel110. PGH100further includes a sensor112mounted to the barrel110and configured to capture optical data associated with a field of view of the sensor112. The sensor112is communicatively coupled to a circuit114that is contained within or integrated into the grip108. In one embodiment, the circuit114may be mounted within an enclosure defined within the grip108. In another embodiment, the circuit114may be integrated into a casing that is attached to the handgun102. The circuit114may also be coupled to the trigger assembly104through a wired communications link (not shown).

In an embodiment, the circuit114may include a battery or other power source, which may deliver power to the circuit114as well as to the sensor112and the trigger assembly104. Trigger assembly104may include a solenoid or other circuit that is responsive to control signals from circuit114to control timing of the discharge of the handgun102, for example, by selectively enabling or disabling the solenoid to prevent or allow movement of the trigger shoe to release the hammer, bolt, or other discharge mechanism. Alternatively, the circuit114may include an electronic trigger assembly configured to be responsive to a signal from a controller to discharge of the handgun102.

In an embodiment, the circuit114further includes a controller and includes one or more motion sensors, such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an inclinometer, an attitude sensor, and so on, which may provide motion data/orientation data to the controller. The controller is configured to determine an aim point of the handgun102and to process the optical data associated with the view area that is received from the sensor112and to automatically acquire a target within the view area. Depending on the type of data, automatic target acquisition may be achieved in a variety of ways.

In an embodiment, the controller may detect movement of the trigger shoe106indicating a trigger pull event. The trigger pull event may correspond to a movement of the trigger shoe106that exceeds a predetermined distance threshold. In response to detecting the trigger pull event, the controller may automatically acquire a target within a field of view of sensor112, and may also determine an aim point of the handgun102based, at least in part, on the motion/orientation data. In some embodiments, the controller may determine a target based on a combination of the motion/orientation data and the optical data associated with the view area. The controller may selectively enable discharge of the handgun102when the aim point of the handgun corresponds to the location of the target within the view area of the sensor112.

In an example, the sensor112may be a camera, which may capture image information (or optical data) corresponding to the field of view over a period of time, which image information may be processed by the controller to detect an object within the view area. In a particular example, the camera may be a single pixel camera. In another example, the camera may be a low-resolution camera configured to capture course image information (or optical data) corresponding to the field of view. In one possible embodiment, the controller may detect movement from one image sample to another and may select a foreground object based on the relative motion. In another embodiment or in addition to the motion-based foreground object detection, the controller may utilize object detection algorithms, boundary detection, other techniques, or any combination thereof to detect boundaries of the foreground object and/or to detect boundaries of the moving object to acquire the object as a target.

In an embodiment, the sensor112may be a thermal sensor that may be adapted to detect thermal radiation within a field of view and to provide data related to the detected thermal radiation to the controller. In a particular example, the thermal sensor may be implemented a single pixel thermal camera configured to capture optical data corresponding to thermal characteristics of an object within the view area. The controller may process the thermal data using blob detection algorithms, boundary detection, other techniques, or any combination thereof to automatically acquire a target.

In another embodiment, the sensor112may be a flash light detection and ranging (flash LIDAR) circuit configured to illuminate an object with a beam within a field of view and to receive reflected energy, which can be used to range an object as well as to provide course shape information based on a sequence of samples. The course shape data may be used to identify a foreground object that can be automatically selected as a target. In still another embodiment, the sensor112may be part of an optical ranging circuit, such as a laser ranging circuit, a parallax ranging circuit or other circuit configured to determine a distance between the handgun102and a foreground object based on the optical data.

In yet another embodiment, the sensor112may be an ultrasonic circuit configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal toward a field of view and to receive reflected signals, which may be used to detect foreground and background objects. The controller may determine a foreground object within the view area based on the reflected signals and may automatically select the foreground object as the target.

In still another embodiment, sensor112may be implemented as a pair of cameras mounted to the barrel and spaced apart by a known distance to provide a camera parallax implementation where foreground objects may be displaced relative to one another in the two camera images. In an embodiment, the cameras (or image sensors) may be mounted to opposing sides of the barrel. In an embodiment, the controller may automatically acquire a target by determining the closest object from the overlapping camera images and by selecting a center of the detected foreground object as the target. Alternatively, the sensor112may be implemented to capture two different fields of view of the view area through two apertures spaced apart by a known distance. In an embodiment, the controller may detect a foreground object within a view area based on an optical measurement of parallax.

Once a target is acquired within the field of view, the controller may control the trigger assembly104to selectively enable discharge of the handgun102. In an example, the controller may selectively enable discharge of the handgun102when the aim point of the handgun102corresponds to the position of the target within the view area. If the shooter is pulling the trigger shoe106but the aim point is not aligned to the target, the controller may send a control signal to the trigger assembly104to prevent or enable discharge of the handgun102. Alternatively the controller may withhold a control signal so that the trigger assembly is not enabled. Thus, the handgun102becomes a PGH100, selectively enabling discharge of the handgun102when the aim point of the handgun102as aligned such that the bullet will hit the target when discharged.

It should be understood that, in the illustrated example ofFIG. 1, sensor112is integrated into a bottom portion of the barrel110. In an alternative embodiment, the sensor112may be integrated into an upper portion of the barrel110, along one or both sides of the barrel110, on the bottom of the barrel110, or any combination thereof. Alternatively, the sensor112may be integrated into a trigger guard. Further, though the illustrated example ofFIG. 1is directed to a handgun implementation, in alternative embodiments, the firearm may be a rifle, a shotgun or other type of hand-held firearm. An example of a PGH that includes a trigger assembly104, a sensor112mounted to the outside of the barrel110, and a control circuit within the grip108is described below with respect toFIG. 2.

FIG. 2is a side-view of a PGH200according to an embodiment. PGH200includes handgun102that includes a trigger assembly104including a trigger shoe106. Handgun102further includes a grip108and a barrel110. In this example, the sensor112may include one or more optical sensors that may be mounted to the top of barrel110as part of the iron site, within the iron site, or adjacent to the iron site. Alternatively or in addition, the sensor112may include an optical sensor that may be mounted to the underside of the barrel110. In an alternative embodiment, sensors112may be mounted on either side of barrel110.

In the illustrated example, the circuit114may be situated within the grip108. In this example, the circuit114includes control circuitry202that is coupled to the sensor(s)112and to trigger assembly104. The control circuitry202may include the controller and other circuitry. The circuit114includes a power supply204and one or more motion sensors (or orientation sensors)206that are coupled to the control circuitry202. The controller circuitry202may be configured to process data from the sensor(s)112to acquire a target, to process data from the one or more motion sensors206to determine an aim point of the handgun102, and to selectively enable discharge of the handgun102when the aim point of the handgun is aligned to the target.

While the illustrated examples ofFIGS. 1 and 2have depicted particular types of handguns, it should be appreciated that the control circuitry202may be configured to automatically select a target for handguns and/or for other types of firearms, such as airsoft guns, pellet guns, rifles, shotguns, snub-nosed shotguns, and other types of hand-held firearms.

Further, in an embodiment, the circuit114may include an interface (such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface) or a wireless transceiver to allow a user to couple to a computing device, such as a smart phone, a portable computer, a tablet computer, or other computing device, and to configure settings, such as threshold error. The interface may be accessible by removing or opening a cover of the interface port or by detaching a portion of the grip108. In an example, the user may interact with the computing device to configure a threshold error defining a distance between an aim point of the handgun102and a location on the selected target. When the trigger is pulled, the controller may determine a difference between the center of the target and the aim point and may selectively enable discharge of the handgun102when the distance between the aim point and the center of the target is less than the threshold error. In an example, the center of the target may be determined from the sensor data such as based on a midpoint of the detected boundaries of the foreground object.

FIG. 3is a block diagram of a control system300that may be mounted to or integrated with a firearm to provide a PGF according to an embodiment. The control system300includes the circuit114, the sensor112, and the trigger assembly104. The circuit114further includes the control circuitry202, the power supply204(which may be a battery), and the motion sensors206.

The control circuitry202includes a controller302coupled to sensor112through an input/output (I/O) interface304and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC)306. In an embodiment, the ADC306may be integrated within the sensor112or into the I/O interface304. The control circuitry202further includes a trigger assembly I/O interface308, which is coupled to the controller302and to the trigger assembly104. The control circuitry202also includes a memory310that is coupled to the controller302. The motion sensors206and the power supply204are also coupled to the controller302. As discussed above, the controller302may operate as a power management unit configured to distribute power to the memory310, the ADC306, the I/O interface304, the trigger assembly I/O interface308, the motion sensors206, and even to the sensor112and the trigger assembly104. In an embodiment, the controller302may include a processor, a microcontroller unit (MCU), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or any combination thereof.

The memory310is a non-volatile memory configured to store thresholds and/or to store instructions that, when executed, cause the controller302to perform a variety of functions. The memory310includes data processing instructions312that, when executed, cause the controller302to process data received from the sensor112. The data may be image data, thermal data, ultrasonic data, light detection and ranging data, other data associated with the view area of the sensor112, or any combination thereof. In a particular example, the sensor112may include multiple sensors configured to capture different types of data. In one example, the data processing instructions312may cause the controller302to assemble multiple single-pixel samples of a field of view to provide an image, a thermal snapshot, or three-dimensional representation of the field of view for further processing.

The memory310further includes optical ranging instructions314that, when executed, cause the controller302to detect one or more objects within the optical data of the field of view. In some examples, the optical ranging instructions314cause the controller302to detect regions in a set of digital data that differ in properties, such as brightness or color (image data) or intensity (thermal or acoustic data), as compared to areas surrounding those regions. In one example, the optical ranging instructions314cause the controller302to identify one or more regions within a field of view of the sensor112in which some properties are constant or vary within a prescribed range of values, representing a foreground shape or foreground object within the field of view. As used herein, the term “field of view” refers to an area that is sensed by the sensor, whether the sensor is acoustic, optical, thermal, or another type of directional sensor. In one example, the optical ranging instructions314cause the controller302to utilize differential methods, which are based on derivatives of a data processing function with respect to position. In another example, the optical ranging instructions314cause the controller302to utilize methods based on local extreme, which are based on finding the local maxima and minima of the data processing function. In an example, the controller302may utilize the optical ranging instructions314to detect boundaries of an object in the foreground or background of the field of view.

The memory310may also include auto target acquisition instructions316that, when executed, cause the controller302to automatically acquire a target based on one or more foreground objects within the data representing the field of view. In one example, the target acquisition instructions316cause the controller302to acquire a target based on movement of one of the foreground objects within the field of view over a period of time. In another example, the target acquisition instructions316cause the controller302to acquire a target by selecting a nearest foreground object. In still another example, the target acquisition instructions316cause the controller302to acquire a target by selecting a curved shape from among one or more foreground objects. The target acquisition instructions316may be configured to acquire a target object in a variety of ways, depending on the particular implementation and/or intended usage for the firearm. Additionally, target acquisition instructions316may cause the controller302to select the target from among multiple foreground objects based on aim point information from the one or more motion sensors206.

The memory318further includes trigger pull detection instructions318that, when executed, cause the controller302to detect a trigger pull event based on movement of the trigger shoe106coupled to the trigger assembly104. In an example, the trigger assembly104may include one or more sensors, such as an optical sensor, a Hall effect sensor, an electrical switch, or any combination thereof that can be used to detect movement of the trigger shoe106and to communicate a signal indicating movement of the trigger shoe106to controller302through trigger assembly I/O interface308.

The memory318also includes aim point determination instructions320that, when executed, cause the controller302to process motion data from the one or more motion sensors206, which may include one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, one or more inclinometers, and one or more other sensors. Aim point determination instructions320, when executed, may cause the controller302to determine an orientation of the firearm relative to the field of view of the sensor112. In an example, the controller302may process the motion data in conjunction with data from the sensor112to determine the aim point of the firearm, such as handgun102.

The memory310also includes trigger assembly control instructions322that, when executed, cause the controller302to selectively enable discharge of the firearm when the aim point of the firearm is aligned to the target within the field of view. In an embodiment, the controller302may selectively enable discharge when the aim point is within a threshold distance of a center of the target. The controller302may selectively enable discharge by providing a control signal to a solenoid of the trigger assembly104, where the solenoid is configured to block or otherwise selectively enable discharge of the firearm. The controller302may permit discharge by terminating the signal. In another embodiment, the controller may selectively enable discharge by providing a signal to the trigger assembly104only when the aim point is aligned to the target.

In an embodiment, the controller302executes the trigger pull detection instructions318until a trigger pull event is detected. Once a trigger pull event is detected, the controller302may execute the trigger assembly control instructions322to selectively enable discharge of the firearm until other conditions are met. In conjunction with or simultaneous with the execution of the trigger assembly control instructions322, the controller302may execute the image processing instructions312to capture data from the sensor112and to process and assemble the data. The controller302may also execute the optical ranging instructions314to identify one or more foreground objects within the data from the field of view and may execute the auto target acquisition instructions316to automatically select a target from the objects within the field of view. The controller302may then determine the aim point of the firearm using the aim point determination instructions320and may control the timing of discharge of the handgun102to selectively enable discharge when the aim point is aligned to the target.

In an embodiment, circuit114may include a laser range finder circuit324, which may be enabled by the controller302based on execution of the optical ranging instructions314. Laser range finder circuit324may determine ranges for objects within the view area, detecting one or more foreground objects during the process. In some embodiments, sensor(s)112may receive the reflected laser light, and controller302may determine the foreground object from the range information to automatically acquire the target.

FIG. 4is a flow diagram of a method400of automatically acquiring a target to provide a PGH according to an embodiment. The method400includes receiving data associated with a field of view of a sensor at a circuit of a handgun, at402. In an embodiment, the data is received after detection of a trigger pull event. As discussed above, the sensor may be a single pixel camera, a thermal sensor, a light detection and ranging circuit, a range finder, an ultrasonic sensor, another type of sensor, or any combination thereof. Advancing to404, the data is processed using the circuit to automatically acquire a target within the view area. The target may be acquired by selecting a foreground object, based on movement, based on a pre-determined type of shape, and/or based on other factors. In an embodiment, the circuit may detect multiple foreground objects. In one example, the circuit may select a closest foreground object as the target. In another example, the circuit may utilize aim point data from motion sensors206to determine the user's attempted aim point and may select a foreground object that corresponds to a centroid of an aim path. In an embodiment, the data is processed in response to detecting a trigger pull event, and, in the absence of a trigger pull, data from the sensor112may be ignored.

Continuing to406, the circuit controls a trigger assembly to selectively enable discharge of the handgun when an aim point of the handgun is aligned to the target. The circuit may provide a control signal to a solenoid to block movement of a trigger shoe106and/or may send an enable signal to enable discharge, depending on the implementation. In another embodiment, the circuit may control timing of the discharge of the handgun102such that the handgun102is allowed to discharge when the aim path is projected to align with the selected target.

In an embodiment, the method may further include receiving motion data associated with the handgun at the circuit from one or more motion sensors, such as a gyroscope, an accelerometer, an inclinometer, other sensors, or any combination thereof. The method may further include determining the aim point of the firearm based on the motion data. In an example described below with respect toFIG. 5, the controller may determine a distance between the aim point and a selected location on a target (such as a center of the target object), and may selectively enable discharge when the distance is less than a threshold distance.

FIG. 5is a flow diagram of a method500of automatically acquiring a target to provide a PGH according to a second embodiment. The method500may begin with the same steps as the method400ofFIG. 4. The method500includes receiving data associated with a field of view of a sensor at a circuit of a handgun, at402. Advancing to404, the data is processed using the circuit to automatically acquire a target within the view area.

Moving to502, the controller detects a trigger pull. In one example, the trigger assembly includes one or more sensors configured to communicate a signal to the controller in response to movement of the trigger shoe. Proceeding to504, the controller determines an aim point of the handgun in response to the trigger pull. As discussed above, the controller may receive motion data from one or more motion sensors and may determine an aim point relative to the field of view of the sensor in response to the motion data and optionally in response to the data from the sensor112. In an example, the controller may determine an average of the motion data to determine a center location corresponding to the target. In another example, the controller may determine the target based on parallax camera images, an optical measurement of parallax, an optical range finder such as a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) circuit, or other image data to select an aim point corresponding to a center of a foreground object.

Advancing to506, the controller determines if the aim point is aligned to the target. If not, the method500returns to504and the controller determines the aim point of the handgun. If the aim point is aligned to the target at506, the method500advances to508and the controller determines if the distance between the aim point and a selected location on the target is less than a threshold. If not, the method500returns to504and the controller determines the aim point of the handgun. Otherwise, the method500continues to510, and the controller controls the trigger assembly to discharge the handgun. In an example, the controller may send a signal to the trigger assembly causing the trigger assembly to discharge the handgun. In another example, the controller may send a signal to the trigger assembly to selectively enable the trigger assembly to permit discharge.

It should be noted that the particular arrangement of blocks in the method ofFIG. 5may be altered without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. For example, block502may be provided prior to or just after block402. In one example, the sensor112is activated by the controller302in response to detection of a trigger pull. Similarly, the determination of the aim point may be made in response to detection of the trigger pull. Other steps may also be added without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.

FIG. 6is a flow diagram of a method600of method of automatically acquiring a target to provide a precision guided handgun according to a third embodiment. At602, light is received that corresponds to a view area. The light may be reflected by an object in the view area or may include image data corresponding to the view area.

Advancing to604, the received light is processed to determine optical range data corresponding to one or more objects within the view area. The optical range data may be determined from two images of different views of the view area. Alternatively, the optical range data may be determined by a laser range finding operation or other optical range finding or measurement of parallax. Continuing to606, the controller determines a foreground object within the view area based on the optical range data to select a target. Proceeding to608, the controller may selectively enable discharge of the firearm when an aim point is aligned to the target.

In conjunction with the circuits, systems, and methods described above with respect toFIGS. 1-6, a precision guided handgun is described that includes a sensor and a controller coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to automatically acquire a target in a field of view of the sensor based on the sensor data and optionally to control timing of the discharge of the handgun when the aim point is aligned to the target.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the disclosure.