초록 ▼

Laser transmission systems mountable on firearms are disclosed along with methods of operating and configuring the same. The laser transmissions systems are configured to detect that a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations on the firearm are in accordance with a predetermined characteristic fi

Laser transmission systems mountable on firearms are disclosed along with methods of operating and configuring the same. The laser transmissions systems are configured to detect that a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations on the firearm are in accordance with a predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm. In response, the laser transmission system initiates transmission of a laser to simulate a munitions strike. The predetermined characteristic firing signature is based on a sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations resulting from a first pre-flash firing event and a subsequent second pre-flash firing event. In this manner, the laser transmission system initiates transmission of the laser prior to a flash event and more accurately approximates a bullet trajectory.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A laser transmission system mountable on a firearm, comprising: a laser transmitter operable to transmit a laser;a sensing apparatus operable to sense a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm;a controller operably associated with the laser transmitter and the sensing apparatus

1. A laser transmission system mountable on a firearm, comprising: a laser transmitter operable to transmit a laser;a sensing apparatus operable to sense a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm;a controller operably associated with the laser transmitter and the sensing apparatus, the controller being configured to: detect that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm wherein the predetermined characteristic firing signature is based on a sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from a first pre-flash firing event and a subsequent second pre-flash firing event, which are each associated with a firing of a munition from the firearm;generate a laser initiation signal upon detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm, the laser initiation signal being operable to cause the laser transmitter to initiate transmission of the laser; andin response to detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm, initiate transmission of the laser by sending the laser initiation signal to the laser transmitter. 2. The laser transmission system of claim 1 wherein the first pre-flash firing event comprises a trigger pull action that actuates a trigger of the firearm. 3. The laser transmission system of claim 2 wherein the subsequent second pre-flash firing event comprises one of either a chambering action that places the munition within a chamber of the firearm or a munition discharge action. 4. The laser transmission system of claim 1 wherein the subsequent second pre-flash firing event comprises one of either a chambering action that places the munition within a chamber of the firearm or a munition discharge action. 5. The laser transmission system of claim 1 wherein the munition comprises a blank munition, the firearm comprises an open-bolt machine gun, and the first pre-flash firing event and the subsequent second pre-flash firing event are each associated with the firing of the blank munition from the open-bolt machine gun. 6. The laser transmission system of claim 5, wherein: the laser transmitter is operable to transmit the laser such that the laser comprises kill messages that are formatted in accordance with a Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES), wherein MILES requires an adequate number of kill messages to be received from the laser transmitter for a laser receiver to register a kill;the first pre-flash firing event comprises a trigger pull action that actuates a trigger of the open-bolt machine gun; andthe subsequent second pre-flash firing event is sufficiently prior to a flash event in which a flash of the blank munition exits a barrel of the open-bolt machine gun such that initiating transmission of the laser by the laser transmitter provides sufficient time for the laser transmitter to transmit the adequate number of kill messages in the laser before the flash event. 7. The laser transmission system of claim 5, wherein after detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations are in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature and prior to a trigger return action: the sensing apparatus is operable to sense a second sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the open-bolt machine gun;the controller is configured to: detect that the second sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations are in accordance with a second predetermined characteristic firing signature of the open-bolt machine gun wherein the second predetermined characteristic firing signature is based on a second sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from a flash event and a third pre-flash firing event prior to a second flash event in which a flash of a subsequent blank munition exits a barrel of the firearm; andin response to detecting that the second sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations are in accordance with the second predetermined characteristic firing signature of the open-bolt machine gun, again, initiating transmission of the laser by the laser transmitter. 8. The laser transmission system of claim 1, wherein: the sensing apparatus is operable to sense the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm by generating a sequence of real-time electronic responses based on the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm; andthe predetermined characteristic firing signature comprises a sequence of predetermined electronic responses based on the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations. 9. The laser transmission system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to detect that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations are in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm by detecting a first one of the sequence of real-time electronic responses at least as high as a first minimum amplitude level and, in response to detecting the first one of the sequence of real-time electronic responses, detecting a second one of the sequence of real-time electronic responses at least as high as a second minimum amplitude level and within a time period after the first one of the sequence of real-time electronic responses and wherein: the first minimum amplitude level is based on the sequence of predetermined electronic responses that correspond to the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations resulting from the first pre-flash firing event;the second minimum amplitude level is based on the sequence of predetermined electronic responses that correspond to the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations resulting from the subsequent second pre-flash firing event; andthe time period is based on a temporal distance between the sequence of predetermined electronic responses that correspond to the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations resulting from the first pre-flash firing event and the sequence of predetermined electronic responses that correspond to the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations resulting from the subsequent second pre-flash firing event. 10. The laser transmission system of claim 9, wherein: the first pre-flash firing event comprises a trigger pull action that actuates a trigger of the firearm; andthe subsequent second pre-flash firing event comprises one of either a chambering action that places the munition within a chamber of the firearm and a munition discharge action that discharges the munition, whereby the second minimum amplitude level is higher than the first minimum amplitude level. 11. The laser transmission system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations are in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm by: detecting that at least a first real-time mechanical vibration from the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a first pre-flash characteristic firing event signature in the predetermined characteristic firing signature, the first pre-flash characteristic firing event signature corresponding to the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from the first pre-flash firing event; anddetecting that at least a second real-time mechanical vibration from the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a second pre-flash characteristic firing event signature in the predetermined characteristic firing signature, the second pre-flash characteristic firing event signature corresponding to the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from the subsequent second pre-flash firing event. 12. The laser transmission system of claim 11, wherein: the first pre-flash characteristic firing event signature is associated with a first vibrational level;the second pre-flash characteristic firing event signature is associated with a second vibrational level, the second vibrational level higher than the first vibrational level;the sensing apparatus comprising a piezoelectric sensor;the controller is operable to adjust a vibrational sensitivity of the piezoelectric sensor to set a minimum vibrational level detectable by the controller;wherein the controller is configured to detect that the at least the first real-time mechanical vibration from the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the first pre-flash firing event by setting the minimum vibrational level to the first vibrational level and the controller is configured to detect that the at least the second real-time mechanical vibration is in accordance with the second pre-flash characteristic firing event signature by setting the minimum vibrational level to the second vibrational level. 13. The laser transmission system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to detect that the at least the second real-time mechanical vibration is in accordance with the second pre-flash characteristic firing event signature by determining that the at least the second real-time mechanical vibration occurs during a time period after the at least the first real-time mechanical vibration based on a temporal distance between the first pre-flash characteristic firing event signature and the second pre-flash characteristic firing event signature in the predetermined characteristic firing signature. 14. A method of initiating transmission of a laser from a laser transmitter mounted on a firearm, comprising: sensing a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm;detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm wherein the predetermined characteristic firing signature is based on a sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from a first pre-flash firing event and a subsequent second pre-flash firing event, which are each associated with a firing of a munition from the firearm;generating a laser initiation signal upon detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm, the laser initiation signal being operable to cause the laser transmitter to initiate transmission of the laser; andinitiating the transmission of the laser by sending the laser initiation signal to the laser transmitter in response to the detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first pre-flash firing event comprises a trigger pull action that actuates a trigger of the firearm. 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the subsequent second pre-flash firing event comprises one of either a chambering action that places the munition within a chamber of the firearm or a munition discharge action that discharges the munition. 17. A laser transmission system mountable on a firearm, comprising: a laser transmitter operable to transmit a laser;one or more accelerometers wherein the one or more accelerometers are operable to sense a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations on the firearm along a first three orthogonal directions; andan analog controller operably associated with the one or more accelerometers and being configured to provide a transfer function, wherein the transfer function is provided such that the analog controller initiates transmission of the laser when the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a predetermined characteristic firing signature that is based on a sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations along a second three orthogonal directions. 18. The laser transmission system of claim 17, wherein the first three orthogonal directions and the second three orthogonal directions are substantially the same. 19. The laser transmission system of claim 17, wherein the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations occur prior to a flash event. 20. A laser transmission system mountable on an open-bolt machine gun, comprising: a laser transmitter operable to transmit a laser;a sensing apparatus operable to sense a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the open-bolt machine gun;a controller operably associated with the laser transmitter and the sensing apparatus, the controller being configured to: detect that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a predetermined characteristic firing signature of the open-bolt machine gun wherein the predetermined characteristic firing signature is based on a sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from a first pre-flash firing event and a subsequent second pre-flash firing event, which are each associated with a firing of a blank munition from the open-bolt machine gun, the first pre-flash firing event comprising a trigger pull action that actuates a trigger of the open-bolt machine gun; andin response to detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm, initiate transmission of the laser by the laser transmitter, wherein the laser transmitter is operable to transmit the laser such that the laser comprises kill messages that are formatted in accordance with a Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES), wherein MILES requires an adequate number of kill messages to be received from the laser transmitter for a laser receiver to register a kill, the subsequent second pre-flash firing event being sufficiently prior to a flash event in which a flash of the blank munition exits a barrel of the open-bolt machine gun such that initiating transmission of the laser by the laser transmitter provides sufficient time for the laser transmitter to transmit the adequate number of kill messages in the laser before the flash event. 21. A laser transmission system mountable on an open-bolt machine gun, comprising: a laser transmitter operable to transmit a laser;a sensing apparatus operable to sense a first sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the open-bolt machine gun and a second sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the open-bolt machine gun; anda controller operably associated with the laser transmitter and the sensing apparatus, the controller being configured to: detect that the first sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a first predetermined characteristic firing signature of the open-bolt machine gun wherein the first predetermined characteristic firing signature is based on a first sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from a first pre-flash firing event and a subsequent second pre-flash firing event, which are each associated with a firing of a blank munition from the open-bolt machine gun; andin response to detecting that the first sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the first predetermined characteristic firing signature of the open-bolt machine gun, initiate transmission of the laser by the laser transmitter;detect that the second sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a second predetermined characteristic firing signature of the open-bolt machine gun wherein the second predetermined characteristic firing signature is based on a second sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from a flash event and a third pre-flash firing event prior to a second flash event in which a flash of a subsequent blank munition exits a barrel of the firearm; andin response to detecting that the second sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the second predetermined characteristic firing signature of the open-bolt machine gun, again, initiating transmission of the laser by the laser transmitter. 22. A laser transmission system mountable on a firearm, comprising: a laser transmitter operable to transmit a laser;a sensing apparatus operable to sense a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm by generating a sequence of real-time electronic responses based on the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm; anda controller operably associated with the laser transmitter and the sensing apparatus, the controller being configured to: detect that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm wherein the predetermined characteristic firing signature comprises a sequence of predetermined electronic responses based on a sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from a first pre-flash firing event and a subsequent second pre-flash firing event, which are each associated with a firing of a munition from the firearm; andin response to detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm, initiate transmission of the laser by the laser transmitter. 23. A laser transmission system mountable on a firearm, comprising: a laser transmitter operable to transmit a laser;a sensing apparatus operable to sense a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm; anda controller operably associated with the laser transmitter and the sensing apparatus, the controller being configured to: detect that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm wherein the predetermined characteristic firing signature is based on a sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from a first pre-flash firing event and a subsequent second pre-flash firing event, which are each associated with a firing of a munition from the firearm, wherein the controller is configured to detect that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations are in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm by: detecting that at least a first real-time mechanical vibration from the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a first pre-flash characteristic firing event signature in the predetermined characteristic firing signature, the first pre-flash characteristic firing event signature corresponding to the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from the first pre-flash firing event; anddetecting that at least a second real-time mechanical vibration from the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a second pre-flash characteristic firing event signature in the predetermined characteristic firing signature, the second pre-flash characteristic firing event signature corresponding to the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from the subsequent second pre-flash firing event; andin response to detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm, initiate transmission of the laser by the laser transmitter. 24. A method of initiating transmission of a laser from a laser transmitter mounted on a firearm, comprising: sensing a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm by generating a sequence of real-time electronic responses based on the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm;detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm wherein the predetermined characteristic firing signature comprises a sequence of predetermined electronic responses based on a sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from a first pre-flash firing event and a subsequent second pre-flash firing event, which are each associated with a firing of a munition from the firearm; andinitiating the transmission of the laser by the laser transmitter in response to the detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm. 25. A method of initiating transmission of a laser from a laser transmitter mounted on a firearm, comprising: sensing a sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations of the firearm;detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm wherein the predetermined characteristic firing signature is based on a sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from a first pre-flash firing event and a subsequent second pre-flash firing event, which are each associated with a firing of a munition from the firearm, wherein detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations are in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm includes: detecting that at least a first real-time mechanical vibration from the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a first pre-flash characteristic firing event signature in the predetermined characteristic firing signature, the first pre-flash characteristic firing event signature corresponding to the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from the first pre-flash firing event; anddetecting that at least a second real-time mechanical vibration from the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with a second pre-flash characteristic firing event signature in the predetermined characteristic firing signature, the second pre-flash characteristic firing event signature corresponding to the sequence of predetermined mechanical vibrations that result from the subsequent second pre-flash firing event; andinitiating the transmission of the laser by the laser transmitter in response to detecting that the sequence of real-time mechanical vibrations is in accordance with the predetermined characteristic firing signature of the firearm.