Patent ID: 8378279

Claim:
Portable integrated laser optical target tracker and designator, comprising: a housing; a laser designator assembly, including a laser beam generator, a laser controller and laser beam focusing optics to produce a focused laser beam, the laser beam generator and the laser beam focusing optics being mounted on a unitary laser assembly support connected to the housing; a laser energy detector that detects reflected laser energy; an optical magnification scope mounted in the housing and having an optical field of view that is parallel to and aligned with a beam path defined by the laser beam focusing optics; a visual electronic display overlaid with the direct optical field of view; a controller that communicates with the laser controller, the laser energy detector, the visual electronic display, GPS device, and compass; a 3-axis magnetic compass located in the housing that provides a bearing direction or heading signal and inclination to the controller; a user input for activating the controller that is at least one of located on or connected to the housing; and the controller is configured to (a) range find by signaling the laser controller to emit a single laser pulse, receiving a signal indicating a reflection of laser beam from a designated target has been detected, and calculating a time of flight of the laser beam from and to the designated target and a distance based on the time of flight, (b) laser designate a target by receiving a user input frequency, signaling the laser controller to produce and emit a laser beam at the user input frequency, receiving signals from the laser energy detector which detects reflected laser energy at the user input frequency, and generating a signal to the display to show a laser dot in the optical field of view that indicates what the laser beam is designating, (c) display an electronic optical reticle in the optical field of view, and (d) electronically adjust a reticle position to align the reticle position with the path of the laser beam focusing optics.