Crossbow safety system

A method of operating a crossbow safety system comprising:

• providing a crossbow safety system having
• a crossbow having
• a bowstring operable between a cocked and an uncocked position, the cocked position and the uncocked position defining between them a bowstring plane, and
• a trigger assembly adapted to selectably retain the bowstring in the cocked position,
• an optic fence adapted to detect for an obstruction in a safety plane coincident with the bowstring plane or offset below the bowstring plane by some offset distance, the optic fence having
• an infrared emitter adapted to output IR radiation,
• a photodiode adapted to sense for the output IR radiation from the infrared emitter, and
• an interlock
• operationally engaged with the optic fence and the trigger assembly, and
• adapted to lock the trigger assembly from releasing the bowstring if the optic fence detects an obstruction in the safety plane;
• using the optic fence to detect for an obstruction in the safety plane by emitting IR radiation from the infrared emitter and using the photodiode to sense for any IR radiation;
• comparing the IR radiation emitted from the infrared emitter to any IR radiation sensed by the photodiode;
• operating the interlock wherein
• operation of the interlock locks the trigger assembly from releasing the bowstring if the optic fence to does not detect a clear safety plane, or
• operation of the interlock unlocks the trigger assembly to permit release of the bowstring if the optic fence detects a clear safety plane.

A crossbow safety system comprising:

• a crossbow having
• a bowstring operable between a cocked and an uncocked position, the cocked position and the uncocked position defining between them a bowstring plane, and
• a trigger assembly adapted to selectably retain the bowstring in the cocked position;
• an optic fence adapted to detect an obstruction in a safety plane offset below the bowstring plane, the optic fence having
• an 940 nm wavelength LED infrared emitter adapted to output IR radiation, the 940 nm wavelength LED infrared emitter being part of a pulse signal generator adapted to send information encoded as IR pulses,
• a photodiode adapted to sense the output IR radiation from the infrared emitter, the photo diode
• being sensitive to all or part of the wavelength range from 350 nm to 1100 nm,
• having a peak sensitivity in the wavelength range from 960 nm to 1000 nm, and
• part of a pulse signal reader adapted to receive information encoded as IR pulses, and
• a reflector adapted to reflect output IR radiation from the infrared emitter to the photodiode;
• a communication device adapted to operationally interface with an associated cellular phone to transmit data to, and receive data from, the associated cellular phone, the associated cellular phone comprising a computer;
• and
• an interlock
• operationally engaged with the optic fence and the trigger assembly, and
• adapted to lock the trigger assembly from releasing the bowstring if the optic fence does not detect a clear safety plane.