Target impact-point sensing system

A target includes multiple segments that are vibrationaly isolated from each other. A vibration sensor is coupled to each segment to provide vibration signatures representative of a segment being impacted by a projectile.

BACKGROUND

Pop-up targets are used in law enforcement and military training to improve the ability of shooters to hit a target in a desired location. Because pop-up targets are very light and flimsy to insure fast response, the whole structure vibrates violently whenever a bullet punctures its surface so that determining the hit point is not practical.

Determination of hit point on a pop-up target is difficult if not impossible in many instances with current sensing techniques. When hit by ballistics, target vibrations set up their own characteristic waveforms associated with the target itself rather than producing characteristic vibrations associated with a bullet passing through the plastic material of the target. The target twists and turns during the impact in a similar manner no matter where the bullet might hit.

Use of supersonic sound sensors allows accurate aim-point to be determined. However, if the projectile is not supersonic there is a problem. For indoor use, placement of shock sensors all over a target can be used, however, in a live fire range, damage to the sensors may be a considerable problem.

SUMMARY

A target includes multiple segments that are vibrationaly isolated from each other. A vibration sensor is coupled to each segment to provide vibration signatures representative of a segment being impacted by a projectile.

In one embodiment, three segments are separated by a slot to provide the vibrational isolation, with a vibration sensor coupled to each segment.

A method includes creating a target in a desired shape out of a material that vibrates when impacted by a projectile. Slots are formed in the target to create segments that are vibrationaly dampened from each other. A vibration sensor is provided for each segment to sense vibrations in each segment resulting from a projectile impact of a section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a block diagram of a target system100used for target practice. The target100is segmented. A central area110is separated from sides115and120by slots125and130respectively to provide three segments. The segments may also be referred to as sectors or sections. Slots125and130provide separations between segments110,115, and120that allow three separate vibration tracks to be generated longitudinally along the three harder portions of the target100. In one embodiment, the slots may run the entire length of the target such that the segments are isolated from each other. The slots in one embodiment are fairly narrow to minimize the chance of a bullet or projectile moving through a slot without an impact being detected, yet wide enough to isolate the segments by vibrationaly decoupling the segments to allow detection of individual segments being impacted.

A vibration sensor135,140, and145is provided at the base of each segment110,115, and120respectively in one embodiment to record a vibration signature along each of the three segments. The sensors may be accelerometers in one embodiment, or other type of sensor that can provide amplitude, phase, and timing information regarding their segment. A bullet impact point or hit segment can now be ascertained as a function of the vibration signatures. By locating the sensors at the base of the target, they are less likely to be damage by live gun fire.

In one embodiment, the segmented target100may be reinforced with adhesive material, such as tape on a backside of the target100, as shown at210inFIG. 2, to hold the segments together and provide structural integrity to the target100such that it is secure enough to be lifted and remain supported upright during operation. The adhesive material in one embodiment dampens vibrations while reinforcing the structure of the target. The material in one embodiment should inhibit in-phase vibrations between sections.

In some embodiments, an adhesive backed cloth is added back to the target to reestablish a link between the segments and restrict the “twisting” of the segmented target. The cloth material may significantly change the vibration across the slots separating segments so that accelerometers or acoustic sensors135,140, and145at the base of each section can differentiate the sector causing the most vibration and whose vibration phase shift is different from the other two sectors or segments not impacted.

By placing the sensors at the base of the segmented target100, the possibility of a sensor being damaged is minimized, while still facilitating hit position to be registered. Sensor may of course be placed in other positions on the target as desired in further embodiments to detect vibrations. The segmented target with sensors may be constructed in a manner less expensive than a supersonic wave sensor. The segmented target need not change the shape of a non-instrumented aimpoint sensing target, providing design freedom in constructing targets. The target may have the sensors at the base of the target and may be further protected by a covering burm.

In one embodiment, the sensors provide vibration signals when a segment is impacted. The sensors may provide amplitude, phase, and timing information to a controller150, such as circuitry or a processor to determine the hit segment. The controller150may also provide instructions to a motor155coupled to the target to drop the target as a function of the hit. A hit on section110in one embodiment would cause the target to drop, while one hit on115or120may not cause the target to drop. Multiple hits may also cause the target to drop if desired. The types and combinations of hits that would cause the target to drop may be varied as desired. The controller150may also be networked to a central controller that controls multiple targets, and may be raised or dropped under conditions set by the central controller.

In further embodiments, the slots may have a perforated structure as shown at310inFIG. 3that minimizes vibrations transmitted from one segment to another, or changes the transmitted vibrations significantly such that vibration signatures may be distinguished between a segment being directly hit from vibration signatures resulting from a different segment being hit. In one embodiment, the slots extend the entire length of the target except at least a portion at or near the top of the target to provide some structural integrity. The slot may also extend almost to the bottom of the target. In yet a further embodiment, the segments may be joined with a rubber or other vibration damping material to provide structurally integrity between segments without transmitting vibrations that might interfere with detection of vibrations of the segment impacted. In yet a further embodiment, the slots may be a thinning of the material between the segments. The slots are thinned sufficiently to provide a vibration isolation that allows identification of a hit segment via the sensor vibration signals.

In still further embodiments, more than three segments may be provided, or a target may be segmented in two segments. The slots may be formed as parallel vertical slots, segmenting the target into vertical segments in one embodiment. In further embodiments, the slots may be formed to divide a target up into critical hit areas, and non-critical hit areas. Generally, the torso and head are critical hit areas for human shaped targets, and may be included in one segment. A portion of the legs of the target may be included to extend the segment to the base of the target where a sensor may be located in some embodiments. In further embodiments, segments need not be extended to the base, and sensors may be located to obtain vibration signatures from the segments.

FIG. 4is a perspective view of a target400with slots410,415. Target400may be essentially two-dimensional or three-dimensional as shown. Target400is formed in the shape of a soldier and has acoustic sensors420,425,430positioned at a base of three sections formed by the slots. Acoustic signatures for left, middle, and right sections are shown at435,440, and445for a bullet450strike to the left section. There is a noticeable difference in the amplitude, phase, and timing of the signatures, allowing identification of the section hit. The signature435corresponding to the hit section has larger amplitude and occurs first in time when compared to the other signatures. The phase is also different as seen.

In the embodiment shown inFIG. 5, a hardware and operating environment is provided that may be used to execute algorithms to analyze the vibration signatures to determine which segment is impacted and to instruct the motor to drop the target responsive to the signatures.

As shown inFIG. 5, one embodiment of the hardware and operating environment includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer520(e.g., a personal computer, workstation, or server), including one or more processing units521, a system memory522, and a system bus523that operatively couples various system components including the system memory522to the processing unit521. There may be only one or there may be more than one processing unit521, such that the processor of computer520comprises a single central-processing unit (CPU), or a plurality of processing units, commonly referred to as a multiprocessor or parallel-processor environment. In various embodiments, computer520is a conventional computer, a distributed computer, or any other type of computer.

The system bus523can be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The system memory can also be referred to as simply the memory, and, in some embodiments, includes read-only memory (ROM)524and random-access memory (RAM)525. A basic input/output system (BIOS) program526, containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer520, such as during start-up, may be stored in ROM524. The computer520further includes a hard disk drive527for reading from and writing to a hard disk, not shown, a magnetic disk drive528for reading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk529, and an optical disk drive530for reading from or writing to a removable optical disk531such as a CD ROM or other optical media.

The hard disk drive527, magnetic disk drive528, and optical disk drive530couple with a hard disk drive interface532, a magnetic disk drive interface533, and an optical disk drive interface534, respectively. The drives and their associated computer-readable media provide non volatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer520. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any type of computer-readable media which can store data that is accessible by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROMs), redundant arrays of independent disks (e.g., RAID storage devices) and the like, can be used in the exemplary operating environment.

A plurality of program modules can be stored on the hard disk, magnetic disk529, optical disk531, ROM524, or RAM525, including an operating system535, one or more application programs536, other program modules537, and program data538. Programming for implementing one or more processes or method described herein may be resident on any one or number of these computer-readable media.

A user may enter commands and information into computer520through input devices such as a keyboard540and pointing device542. Other input devices (not shown) can include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These other input devices are often connected to the processing unit521through a serial port interface546that is coupled to the system bus523, but can be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, game port, or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor547or other type of display device can also be connected to the system bus523via an interface, such as a video adapter548. The monitor547can display a graphical user interface for the user. In addition to the monitor547, computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers.

The computer520may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers or servers, such as remote computer549. These logical connections are achieved by a communication device coupled to or a part of the computer520; the invention is not limited to a particular type of communications device. The remote computer549can be another computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a client, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above I/O relative to the computer520, although only a memory storage device550has been illustrated. The logical connections depicted inFIG. 5include a local area network (LAN)551and/or a wide area network (WAN)552. Such networking environments are commonplace in office networks, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the internet, which are all types of networks.

When used in a LAN-networking environment, the computer520is connected to the LAN551through a network interface or adapter553, which is one type of communications device. In some embodiments, when used in a WAN-networking environment, the computer520typically includes a modem554(another type of communications device) or any other type of communications device, e.g., a wireless transceiver, for establishing communications over the wide-area network552, such as the internet. The modem554, which may be internal or external, is connected to the system bus523via the serial port interface546. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer520can be stored in the remote memory storage device550of remote computer, or server549. It is appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of, and communications devices for, establishing a communications link between the computers may be used including hybrid fiber-coax connections, T1-T3 lines, DSL's, OC-3 and/or OC-12, TCP/IP, microwave, wireless application protocol, and any other electronic media through any suitable switches, routers, outlets and power lines, as the same are known and understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.