Patent Publication Number: US-2022221944-A1

Title: System and method of an ambidextrous multi-purpose shooters remote device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is in the field of combat and hunting firearms. More particularly, the present disclosure provides a system for remotely controlling weapons mounted electro optics and other devices combined with soldier body- and uniform mounted devices via a fingertip-manipulated keypad mounted to a weapon system rail or person in support of I.S.W. (Intra Solider Wireless) 
     BACKGROUND 
     Soldiers and other users of weapon systems seek to limit physical movement when aiming at a target. A sniper or other marksman aiming a weapon system may need to make configuration choices and adjustments to optical devices on the weapon or other related ISW capable device(s) 
     The soldier may need to control such devices attached to his/her body weapon system, uniform or person during a combat situation. A soldier affixing aim on a target may want to adjust his/her weapon&#39;s optics or body-attached device while limiting the movement his/her hands to make those adjustments thus, remaining very still on target. Evading detection and successfully engaging a target(s) may be a life-or-death risk for a soldier in combat or other related activities and the shooters remote will improve the soldier/operators capabilities during these types of situations or engagements. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  through  FIG. 26  are diagrams of an ambidextrous multi-purpose shooter&#39;s remote device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Systems and methods described herein provide a remote-control device with keypad for controlling optical and other devices on a weapon system. The remote-control device is mounted on either a left or right side of the weapon system affixed to a handguard, rail or other mechanical component to support left-handed or right-handed shooters, thus providing fully ambidextrous capability. 
     The keypad is used by the operator to enter commands via fingertip manipulation of the keys. The entered commands are sent by the remote-control device either wirelessly or via wired connection to optical devices and or peripherals. In an example, a thermal optic is mounted on the weapon system and operator therefore does not need to remove his/her hands from the weapon system to configure and manipulate the optic or other peripheral attached device(s). Using only finger movements, the user enters commands while continuing to maintain his/her body and the weapon system steady, a critical requirement in most combat situations. 
     The remote-control device contains functionality to configure and control body-mounted devices in addition to weapons-mounted devices. As with optics and other weapon-mounted devices, the remote-control device may provide such control wirelessly or via wired connection. The ability to control such body-mounted devices may also be critical in combat operations. 
     The remote-control device attaches to a left-hand side of the weapon (from the user&#39;s perspective while holding the firearm) for right-handed shooters. Conversely, the remote-control device attaches to the right-hand side of the weapon for left-handed shooters. 
     A right-handed shooter will have his/her primary fire control finger on the trigger and will support the weapon with his/her support hand. The desired fingers of his/her left hand will be on the keypad of the remote-control device that is mounted on the left side of the weapon system. He/she will be able to manually enter commands with his/her desired fingers into the keypad while only minimally moving the weapon. For example, as a sniper or marksman, he/she will be able to silently and almost motionlessly enter commands that change aspects of the optics or peripherals and thereby be better able to improve aim at an enemy combatant or desired target in addition to limiting one&#39;s movements and improving stealth in the field. 
     A left-handed shooter will conversely have his/her left index designated finger on the fire controls and will support the weapon system using his/her support hand. The desired fingers of his/her right hand will be on the keypad of the remote-control device that is mounted on the right side of the weapon system. Only minimal movements of the weapon or body may be necessary. 
     The remote-control device auto detects the keypad for right-handed or left-handed shooters when wired or is programmable for wireless operations. The remote-control device can detect if it has been moved from one side of the weapon to the other, thus necessitating such auto reprogramming of keypad. 
     The remote-control device has two connectors located near its top off axis line, one each at the upper ends of the remote-control device in-line. The connectors are illustrated in  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 . One connector faces toward the shooter and the other connector faces away from the shooter. Depending on which side of the weapon that the remote-control device is attached, one or the other connector will be pointing toward and near the optical device or operators&#39; workspace. 
     In many embodiments a cable extends from the optical device forward toward the far end of the weapon or in a desired space and hence the remote-control device. The cable plugs into the proximate connector on the remote-control device (the connector pointing to the optical device and not away from the optical device) so the remote-control device can send commands via the cable to the optical device when utilizing a cable connection. The remote-control device detects which of its two connectors has physically received the cable. Based on the detection, the remote-control device determines whether the shooter is right-handed or left-handed and programs the keypad accordingly while the other connector is capable of connection to other devices such as remote power to extended optical support runtime. The wireless variant, a series of buttons are depressed to program the remote for right-handed or left-handed operations. 
     Turning to the figures,  FIG. 1  is a close-up image of the remote-control device, presented as a system  100 .  FIG. 1  depicts a base  102  that can be attached to any 1913 Picatinny Rail via a standard rail, MLOK or KeyMod mechanical attachment device. In the case of at least a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny weapon rail, a well-known and popular rail, the remote-control device may be secured to the rail attachment via plate and locking nuts or quick-detachable mechanism which is self-adjusting to the rail attachment point 
       FIG. 1  also depicts a keypad  104  and a quantity four keys  106 ,  108 ,  110 ,  112  for user fingertip placement. The remote-control device also includes a cable that attaches to an optical device or power accessories as discussed above. The cable may plug into one or the other connector on the remote-control device. The connectors are not shown in  FIG. 1 . Subsequently, all keys or buttons are customizable to the end-user specific requirements and can be configured as such when requested. The below outlines the standard configuration of button methodology for both right-handed and left-handed operations on a weapon system. 
     Key  106  may allow for “EZOOM/LASER ACTIVATION or LRF.” Key  108  may represent “back/down menu or polarity hot-key.” Key  110  may represent “MENU/POWER/ENETER or SELECT.” Key  112  may represent “forward/up menu.” Key  104   a  which is at the center of the keypad  104  is a customizable button for end user requirements that have specific needs for an additional button. 
     Components in  FIG. 2  through  FIG. 9  are indexed to components provided by the system  100  and depicted in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2  is another view of the remote-control device, provided and depicted as a system  200 .  FIG. 2  provides a view of the remote-control device similar to the view provided by  FIG. 1  but with the cable described above enumerated in  FIG. 2  cable  214 . 
       FIG. 3  is the same view of the remote-control device as in  FIG. 2  but with the cable  314  inserted into the other side of the device. Embedded in the housing on the top side of the device is a compartment for battery power CR2023 that will provide power to the unit for wireless variants. 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of the remote-control device and  FIG. 5  is a side view of the device with attachment plate  516  and nut  518   a  shown.  FIG. 6  is a view of an opposite side of the device with attachment plate  616  and nut  618   b  shown. 
       FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  depict the base  502  and  602 , respectively, that would set upon the top of the  1913  rail or other mounting solution as described above. 
     Similar to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8  are views of the remote-control device from opposite sides.  FIG. 7  includes the nut  718   b  and  FIG. 8  includes the nut  818   a .  FIG. 9 ,  FIG. 10 , and  FIG. 11  are three similar views of the device with attachment plates  916 ,  1016 ,  1116  and nuts  918   a - b ,  1018   a - b ,  1116   a - b  depicted, respectively. 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of the device with attachment plate  1216  and nut  1218   b .  FIG. 13  is a view of the device  1300  atop a rail  1320  as described above. The device attaches to the rail via the attachment plate  1316  as described. 
       FIG. 14  and  FIG. 15  provide identical views of the components provided herein with the nuts  1418   a - b  shown as fully inserted in  FIG. 14 . The nuts  1518   a - b  are shown away from the attachment plate  1516  in  FIG. 15  in an exploded view of the components. 
       FIG. 16  shows the remote-control device with an attached battery cover  1622  fastened to a top surface of the device. The cover is atop a compartment for battery power CR2023 that provides power to the unit for wireless variants. 
       FIG. 17  depicts the selectable buttons on the face of the keypad  1704 . These include the optional fifth button  1704   a  in the middle of the other buttons. In embodiments, the fifth button  1704   a  is provided for users to access some peripheral features such as “Dedicated LRF” so that button  1704   a  would discharge or activate said features. 
       FIG. 18  and  FIG. 19  provide the same view of the device with battery cover  1922  shown in  FIG. 19  and the corresponding component not shown in  FIG. 18 .  FIG. 20  shows some components of the device in exploded view including battery cover  2022  and battery  2024 . 
       FIG. 21  is a view of a firearm that hosts the remote-control device, labeled as component  2100  in  FIG. 21 .  FIG. 22  is a close-up view of a system  2200  of the remote-control device and particularly depicted how the remote-control device attaches to the firearm. 
     While not part of the remote-control device and not an essential aspect of systems and methods provided herein, the rail  2200  is labeled and shown for discussion purposes. The attachment plate  2216  and the nuts  2218   a - b  are shown in the manner in which they align for installation on the rail  2220 . Additionally, with MLOK or KeyMod attachment mechanisms, the device will also connect to any of those configurations using the same locking system or quick disconnect option. 
       FIG. 23  is similar to  FIG. 21  in providing a view of a weapon that hosts the remote-control device, labeled as component  2300  in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 24  is similar to  FIG. 23  but depicts attachment of the remote-control device to the firearm with attachment plate  2416  and nuts  2418   a - b  shown. 
       FIG. 25  illustrates the use of the connectors discussed above and how an optical device connects to the remote-control device provided herein.  FIG. 25  depicts an electro-optical device  2526  that can be plugged in either end of the remote-control device  2500  via a cable  2528  discussed above. The remote-control device has logic to determine which end ( 2530   a  or  2530   b ) of the remote-control device has received the cable  2528 . The remote-control device, based on which end  2530   a  or  2530   b  is plugged-into, determines if the shooter is right-handed or left-handed. The remote-control device further automatically re-purposes the keys of the keypad  904  to match the right/left hand shooter. In the example depicted by  FIG. 25 , the configuration shown is for a left-handed shooter. 
       FIG. 26  depicts the same configuration shown in  FIG. 25  but from a different angle.  FIG. 26  depicts the electro-optical device  2626  that can be plugged in either end of the remote-control device  2600  via a cable  2628  discussed above. The remote-control device  2600  has logic to determine which end ( 2630   a  or  2630   b ) of the remote-control device has received the cable  2628 . The remote-control device  2600 , based on which end  2630   a  or  2630   b  has received insertion of the cable  2628 , determines if the shooter is right-handed or left-handed. 
     The remote-control device has wireless capability comprising both Bluetooth and Intra Soldier Wireless (ISW) Radio. When wireless, the remote-control device can transmit both custom as well as standards compliant messages (messages formatted for universal remote control in military domain). 
     The remote-control device can also be used as a wireless gateway from firearm-mounted electro optical devices to many Bluetooth or ISW enabled Peripherals (depending on the firmware loaded on the remote). The remote-control device over Bluetooth and/or ISW can control many body area systems on the modern warfighter, for example IVAS (Integrated Visual Augmentation System), GPS, ATAK (Android Tactical Awareness Kit), and Radio. As noted, depending on the orientation (left- or right-handed hand shooter, the keys on the remote are on demand re-purposed (the forward key becomes the back key and so forth). 
     The remote-control device can be mounted on a Picatinny Rail (MIL-STD-1913 Rail), MLOK Handguard OR KEYMOD Handguard System. 
     The new generation Fire Control Scopes are mounted on the weapon system and may be controlled by systems and methods provided herein. The scopes include Laser Range Finders, for example Wilcox Raptor-S or equivalent system. Lasers are also controllable by the remote-control device, for example Steiner/Laser Devices DBAL-RL Laser Aiming System or equivalent. Also, the wireless transmission enables two-way exchange with sensors and devices on the soldier&#39;s body or uniform. Such body- or uniform-attached devices that may be controllable by the remote-control device may include Night Vision Goggles, GPS receivers, and Gunshot Detection Systems.