Patent Publication Number: US-2022236038-A1

Title: Wireless Firearms Target System

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the priority benefit of the provisional application number 63/141,320 filed on 25 Jan. 2021. 
     The above-named provisional patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to improvements in firearms target systems. In particular, the present invention relates to mechanisms for incorporating random and pre-determined targeting of targets in a shooting range. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A shooting range, firing range or gun range is a specialized facility, venue or field designed specifically for firearm usage qualifications, training, practice or competitions. Some shooting ranges are operated by military or law enforcement agencies, though the majority of ranges are privately owned by civilians and sporting clubs and cater mostly to recreational shooters. Shooting ranges are extremely critical in firearms training for both civilians and armed government personnel including police and military. Training sessions are important to acquire accuracy in shooting and to respond substantively to unknown stimuli, such as in a real-world combat situation. 
     During regular firearms training sessions, shooters know which target they are going to be shooting, how many rounds they&#39;re going to be shooting, and for how long they will be shooting. There is no way to be given a random command that might include a no-shoot target. This knowledge immediately before firing a shooting drill prevents the shooter from having to mentally process, think, or react to an unknown stimulus. Students/Shooters will typically train using standard cardboard or steel targets but are required to determine or know how many rounds they are going to fire at which target. 
     To overcome the predictability, some conventional target and shooting system implements may signal a shooter to shoot a target when activated and react with some form of output when the target is hit. Some conventional systems may utilize the target itself as the activation signal. For example, some conventional target solutions may rotate a target from a “don&#39;t shoot” side to a “shoot” side and back again. Some conventional systems may utilize proprietary targets that limit a user&#39;s choice of target. Also, some conventional system may use proprietary targets that include target system components built into the targets. 
     However, prior patents fail to describe a wireless LED receiver unit mounted at the target of a shooting range or its equivalents, the unit being capable of randomly indicating a selected target for a shooter practising shooting on the shooting range. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The following summary is an explanation of some of the general inventive steps for the system, method, architecture and tools in the description. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention and does not intend to limit the scope beyond what is described and claimed as a summary. 
     The present invention generally relates to improvements in firearms target systems. In particular, the present invention relates to mechanisms for incorporating random and/or pre-determined targeting of targets in a shooting range. According to one embodiment, a wireless LED receiver unit is mounted at the target of a shooting range or its equivalents, the unit being capable of randomly indicating a selected target for a shooter practising shooting on the shooting range. According to another embodiment, the LED receiver unit may randomly determine the number of shots to be fired at the target by the practising shooter, determine the duration of shooting and generally randomize the shooting experience to prepare the shooter for unplanned situations as it would be in real life. 
     The current invention solves the problem that during regular firearms training sessions, shooters know which target they are going to be shooting, how many rounds they&#39;re going to be shooting, and for how long they will be shooting. There is no way to be given a random command that might include a no-shoot target. This knowledge immediately before firing a shooting drill prevents the shooter from having to mentally process, think, or react to an unknown stimulus. 
     According to one embodiment, the invention randomly predetermines which target the shooter will have to engage, as well as how many rounds the shooter will have to engage the target with. 
     According to another embodiment, at the target is a wireless receiver unit, which has a series of LED lights that will illuminate when a program chooses the respective target. 
     According to another embodiment, the receiver unit has a vibration sensor that will detect each round fired into the target. The program will determine how many rounds must be detected. 
     According to another embodiment, the wireless firearms training target system embodied by the current invention uses a wireless transmitter and receiver, in conjunction with a computer program, to choose a target for the shooter, how many rounds (if any) must be fired at the target. In this embodiment, the program and hardware accomplish this by detecting each shot that is fired at the chosen target, with a vibration sensor. 
     According to another embodiment, the program determines which wireless led receiver units to select, as well as how many rounds to be fired at each target, which targets should require zero bullets to be fired at them, and how many times to select a given target. 
     For a more complete understanding of the above listed features and advantages of the wireless firearms targeting system, reference should be made to the detailed description and the drawings. Further, additional features and advantages of the invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The novel features believed to be characteristic of the illustrative embodiments are set forth in the appended claims. The illustrative embodiments, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and descriptions thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of one or more illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  of the drawings illustrates a standard shooting range used for shooting practice. 
         FIG. 2  of the drawings is an illustration of some embodiments of the wireless target system unit used at a shooting range. 
         FIG. 3  of the drawings is a perspective view of the wireless target system unit installed at the target. 
         FIG. 4  of the drawings is a front view of the wireless target system unit installed at the target. 
         FIG. 5  of the drawings is a side view of the wireless target system unit installed at the target. 
         FIG. 6  of the drawings is an illustration of a shooting range with a wireless target system unit installed at the target. 
         FIG. 7  of the drawings a process performed by the wireless target system unit installed at the target. 
         FIG. 8  of the drawings is a process for the control of the wireless firearms target system according to one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terminologies or words used in the description and the claims of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited merely to their common and dictionary meanings. On the contrary, they should be interpreted based on the meanings and concepts of the invention in keeping with the scope of the invention based on the principle that the inventor(s) can appropriately define the terms in order to describe the invention in the best way. 
     It is to be understood that the form of the invention shown and described herein is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, so it does not express the technical spirit and scope of this invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. 
     In a first embodiment according to the  FIG. 1  of the drawings, it is illustrated a standard shooting range used for shooting practice. On the figure, it is shown a gun  20 , that has fired a bullet  21  at one of the targets  22 ,  23  or  24  in the shooting range  200 . In this typical setup, as in the prior art, during firearms training sessions, a shooter using the gun  20  would typically know which target from among  22 ,  23  or  24  they are going to be shooting, how many rounds they&#39;re going to be shooting, and for how long they will be shooting. There is no way to be given a random command that might include a no-shoot target in the shown embodiment. 
     In the embodiment according to the  FIG. 2  of the drawings is an illustration of of the wireless target system unit used at a shooting range. On the figure, it is shown the wireless LED receiver unit  2  (in some references, wireless target system unit), which according to this embodiment houses the main components of the unit, as well as a vibration sensor and LED light strips used for indicating the selected targets. A vibration sensor is illustrated as  3  in the figure. The vibration sensor is capable of detecting how many bullets have struck the target, and relay that information back to the program via a wireless relay provided thereto. 
     Further, a transmitter  4  is illustrated in the figure. The transmitter is adapted to send the commands to each individual wireless LED receiver units to activate or deactivate them. A wireless relay  5 , shown in the illustration is adapted to send and receive commands to and from the transmitter  4  also illustrated in the figure. Further, the unit is coupled to a power source  6 , which may include a battery, mains electricity or solar panel among others, to supply an electric current to the electronic components of the unit. Additionally, a case  7  is provided as part of the wireless LED receiver unit  2  to house the main components of the unit. The case may be made of but not limited to plastic, Kevlar, steel, metal, PVC, wood or any such. Further shown as  8  and  9 , are logical controllers, which may comprise of wireless LED receiver unit mother board to run program commands for execution by the wireless relays, and a transmitter unit motherboard will run and transmit the commands. It is anticipated that one or more micro-controllers, field programmable gate array (FPGA) boards and single-board computers may be used in place of  8  and  9 . 
     A plurality of wireless LED receiver units may be programmed by a program executed individually by each of the units, or as a distributed program executed between the plurality of the units in a co-originated scheme. The said program would be capable of randomly choosing the required logic based on the instructor defined parameters within the software. The wireless firearms training target system uses a wireless transmitter and receiver, in conjunction with the program software, to choose a target for the shooter, how many rounds (if any) must be fired at the target. The transmitter is capable of transmitting instructions or inputs to a receiver at a different unit, while the receiver is capable of receiving instructions and inputs from a separate unit. The program and hardware accomplish this by detecting each shot that is fired at the chosen target, with a vibration sensor. For example, a shooting sequence may be communicated between a plurality of units installed at a plurality of targets to co-ordinate between selecting different targets. 
     In a non-limiting example, a success counter may be included, wherein, upon sensing the target being hit by use of the vibration sensor, the sensor may communicate to the controller to keep count of the successful hits, and an indicator may be configured to display the count of successful hits 
     Referring to the  FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 , it is illustrated a perspective, front and side views of the wireless LED receiver unit. Specifically, the  FIG. 3  of the drawings is a perspective view of the wireless target system unit installed at the target, where it is shown a mounting mechanism  10 , and LED indicator units  11  and  12 . The indicator units  11  and  12  may be operable to indicate when a target is active and thus should be shot at, when a target is inactive and thus should not be shot at, or when to shoot additional shots at it. In a non limiting example, it may comprise two different light indicating different status, for example, a red indicator could show target was active while a green indicator could indicate an inactive target. Other types of indicators are also anticipated. 
     On the other hand, the  FIG. 4  of the drawings is a front view of the wireless target system unit installed at the target. On the figure, it is shown a case  1  to house the components of the unit. 
     The  FIG. 5  of the drawings is a side view of the wireless target system unit installed at the target. On the figure it is shown the case  1 , mounting mechanism  10  and case  7 . While the mounting mechanism  10  is shown to be of a slot type, it is anticipated that a screw mechanism, magnetic, pins, clips, rivets or any such could also be useful. 
     In the embodiment according to the  FIG. 6  of the drawings is an illustration of a shooting range with a wireless target system unit installed at the target. On the figure, it is shown a gun  20 , that has fired a bullet  21  at one of the targets  22 ,  23  or  24  in the shooting range  200 . On each of the targets shown, a wireless LED receiver unit is installed such as  100 ,  101  and  102  mounted on the targets  22 ,  23  or  24  respectively. Each of the units has a mounting means to mount the target. It may comprise an indicator, preferably of LED type to indicate the targeting status, such as active for shooting or not active for shooting. The LED indicator may be configured to indicate when the target has been hit by the bullet projectile as detected by the vibration sensor, and this indication may include counting the rounds that have hit the target. Further, the LED indicator may be configured to indicate when a target is active and thus should be shot at, or when it is inactive and thus should not be shot at. For example, the targets may be indicated as enemy targets, friendly targets and civilians to simulate a real-world scenario by using different LED lighting. 
     Additionally, the wireless LED receiver units  100 ,  101  and  102  may be grouped as a unit to randomly or in a predetermined pattern change the targets  22 ,  23  or  24  between shoot (active) to no shoot, forcing the shooter to to mentally process and decide to shoot, as well as confirm whether or not they must shoot again, based on the wireless LED receiver unit. 
     In the next shown embodiment according to the  FIG. 7  of the drawings a process performed by the wireless target system unit installed at the target. Starting with the step  70 , it is shown the receiving a sequence of activating and deactivating targets at a shooting range by means of a program configured at the wireless LED receiver unit. Thereafter, in the step  71 , it is shown the activation of sequencing of targets at the shooting range between at least one of active to shoot, and/or inactive to shoot. Typically, the activation is by means of an LED indicator or its equivalent at the unit installed at the target. The subsequent step  72  is the determining a successful shot of the target by the wireless LED receiver unit&#39;s vibration sensor. In this step, there may be a counter mechanism coupled to the vibration sensor to count the number of shots hitting the target, and which may further display on the LED indicator. In the last shown step  73  is communicating to one or more of the wireless LED receiver units the sequence of activating and deactivating targets at a shooting range. 
     In the last shown embodiment according to the  FIG. 8  of the drawings is a process for the control of the wireless firearms target system according to one embodiment. Stsrting at the step  80  is the receiving a sequence of activating and deactivating targets at a shooting range by means of a program configured at the wireless LED receiver unit. Thereafter, in the step  81  is the causing the activation of the sequencing of targets at the shooting range between at least one of active to shoot and inactive to shoot. Step  82  is the output of a signal at a target for an active mode based on received sequence. Finally, the step  83  is the output of a signal at a target for an inactive mode based on received sequence. 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. Such alterations are herewith anticipated. 
     Accordingly, the applicant intends to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, equivalents and variations that are within the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter. 
     It should also be understood that references to items in the singular should be understood to include items in the plural, and vice versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise or clearly from the context. Grammatical conjunctions are intended to express any and all disjunctive and conjunctive combinations of conjoined clauses, sentences, words, and the like, unless otherwise stated or clear from the context. Thus, the term “or” should generally be understood to mean “and/or” and so forth. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION 
     The invention is applicable in the firearms shooting range industries, and specifically in the manufacture and provision of mechanisms for incorporating random and/or pre-determined targeting of targets in shooting ranges.