US 10,704,864 B1Granted

System for tracking a presumed target using scopes that are remotely located from each other

AssigneesDouglas Fougnies, Robert A. Pressman, Larry L. Day

InventorsDouglas Fougnies, Robert A. Pressman, Larry L. Day, Taylor J. Carpenter, Mark J. Howell

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Abstract

A network of scopes, including one or more lead scopes and one or more follower scopes, is provided to allow the respective scopes to track the same presumed target. A lead scope locates a target and communicates target position data of the presumed target to the follower scope. The follower scope uses the target position data and its own position data to generate electronic control signals for use by follower scope to make position movements so as to re-position the follower scope from its current target position to move towards the target position defined by the target position data received from the lead scope. At least the second scope is mounted to, or integrated into, a vehicle, which uses the target position data to move to a new location so as to allow the second scope to better view the target.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A system for tracking a presumed target using scopes that are remotely located from each other, the presumed target having a target position, the system comprising:

(a) a first scope including:
(i) a first plurality of measurement devices, and
(ii) a first processor configured to:
(A) identify current target position data regarding a presumed target that is located by the first scope, the current target position data being identified using the plurality of measurement devices in the first scope, and
(B) electronically communicate the current target position data regarding the presumed target identified by the first scope to a computer via an electronic network;
and
(b) a second scope mounted to a pan-tilt mechanism, the second scope including:
(i) a second plurality of measurement devices, and
(ii) a second processor configured to:
(A) identify current target position data of the second scope's current target position using the second plurality of measurement devices in the second scope;
(B) communicate with the computer via the electronic network to receive the current target position data regarding the presumed target identified by the first scope;
(C) calculate, using its current target position data and the current target position data received from the first scope, position movements that are required to move the second scope from its current target position to the target position of the presumed target identified by the first scope, and
(D) output electronic control signals for use by the second scope to make the position movements,
wherein the electronic control signals are used by the pan-tilt mechanism to re-position the second scope from its current target position so as to move towards the target position defined by the current target position data received from the first scope.

11 more elements

A system for tracking a presumed target using scopes that are remotely located from each other, the presumed target having a target position, the system comprising:

(a) a first scope mounted to a pan-tilt mechanism, wherein the first scope is positionable via automatic movement of the pan-tilt mechanism, and wherein the first scope is used to locate the presumed target, the first scope including:
(i) a first plurality of measurement devices, and
(ii) a first processor configured to:
(A) identify current target position data regarding the presumed target that is located by the first scope, the current target position data being identified using the first plurality of measurement devices in the first scope, and
(B) electronically communicate the current target position data regarding the presumed target identified by the first scope to a computer via an electronic network;
and
(b) a second scope including:
(i) a second plurality of measurement devices, and
(ii) a second processor configured to:
(A) identify current target position data of the second scope's current target position using the second plurality of measurement devices in the second scope;
(B) communicate with the computer via the electronic network to receive the current target position data regarding the presumed target identified by the first scope;
(C) calculate, using its current target position data and the current target position data received from the first scope, position movements that are required to move the second scope from its current target position to the target position of the presumed target identified by the first scope,
wherein the position movements are used to re-position the second scope from its current target position so as to move towards the target position defined by the current target position data of the presumed target identified by the first scope.

10 more elements

A system for tracking a plurality of presumed targets in a surveillance environment, each presumed target having a respective target position, the system comprising:

(a) a first set of scopes in the surveillance environment for locating a plurality of presumed targets, each of the first set of scopes including:
(i) a first plurality of measurement devices,
(ii) a first processor configured to:
(A) identify current target position data of each of the presumed targets located by the respective scope in the first set of scopes, the current target position data being identified using the first plurality of measurement devices of the respective scope in the first set of scopes, and
(B) electronically communicate the current target position data regarding each of the presumed targets located by the respective scope in the first set of scopes to a computer via an electronic network;
and
(b) a second set of scopes in the surveillance environment for following one or more of the presumed targets identified by the first set of scopes, each of the second set of scopes being in electronic communication with the computer via the electronic network for receiving the current target position data of the plurality of presumed targets identified by the first set of scopes, each of the second set of scopes including:
(i) a second plurality of measurement devices, and
(ii) a processor configured to:
(A) identify current target position data of the second scope's current target position using the second plurality of measurement devices in the second scope,
(B) calculate, using its current target position data and the target position data received from the first scope, position movements that are required to move the second scope from its current target position to the target position of one of the presumed targets identified by one of the first set of scopes,
wherein the position movements are used to re-position the second scope from its current target position to move towards the target position defined by the current target position data of one of the presumed targets identified by one of the first set of scopes.

9 more elements

A system for tracking a presumed target using scopes that are remotely located from each other, wherein the presumed target has a target position, the system comprising:

(a) a first scope including:
(i) a first plurality of measurement devices configured to provide current target position data of the first scope, and
(ii) a first processor configured to:
(A) identify current target position data regarding a presumed target that is located by the first scope, the current target position data being identified using the plurality of measurement devices in the first scope, and
(B) electronically communicate the current target position data regarding the presumed target identified by the first scope to another scope via an electronic network;
(b) a second scope mounted to or integrated into a vehicle, the vehicle initially being at a first location, the second scope including:
(i) a second plurality of measurement devices configured to provide current target position data of the second scope,
(ii) a second processor configured to:
(A) receive the current target position data regarding the presumed target identified by the first scope via the electronic network, and
(B) calculate a second location that allows the second scope to view the presumed target using the current target position data received from the first scope regarding the presumed target;
and
(c) mapping software executing in a computer and configured to calculate, using the first location and the second location, position movement instructions for moving the vehicle from the first location to the second location, wherein an output of the mapping software is in electronic communication with the vehicle so as to communicate the position movement instructions to the vehicle;
wherein the second processor is further configured to:
(C) identify current target position data of the second scope's current target position using the plurality of measurement devices in the second scope,
(D) calculate, using its current target position data and the current target position data of the presumed target identified by the first scope, position movements that are required to move the second scope from its current target position to the target position of the presumed target identified by the first scope, and
(E) output electronic control signals for use by the second scope to make the position movements,
wherein the second scope uses the electronic control signals to re-position the second scope from its current target position so as to move towards the target position defined by the current target position data received from the first scope, and the position movement instructions are used to move the vehicle from the first location towards the second location.

14 more elements

A system for tracking a presumed target using scopes that are remotely located from each other, wherein the presumed target has a target position, the system comprising:

(a) a first scope including:
(i) a first plurality of measurement devices configured to provide current target position data of the first scope, and
(ii) a first processor configured to:
(A) identify current target position data regarding a presumed target that is located by the first scope, the current target position data being identified using the plurality of measurement devices in the first scope, and
(B) electronically communicate the current target position data regarding the presumed target identified by the first scope to another scope via the electronic network;
(b) a second scope mounted to or integrated into a vehicle, the vehicle initially being at a first location, the second scope including a second processor configured to:
(A) receive the current target position data regarding the presumed target identified by the first scope via the electronic network, and
(B) calculate a second location that allows the second scope to view the presumed target using the current target position data received from the first scope regarding the presumed target;
and
(c) mapping software, executing in a computer and configured to calculate, using the first location and the second location, position movement instructions for moving the vehicle from the first location to the second location,
wherein the mapping software is also in electronic communication with the vehicle so as to communicate the position movement instructions to the vehicle so that the position movement instructions may be used to move the vehicle from the first location towards the second location.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/741,226Filed 13 Jan 2020 · continuation
Priority: 11 Aug 2017
Published: US 2020/0217616 A19 Jul 2020
Granted: 7 Jul 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F41G 3/02
Aiming or laying means: using an independent line of sight
F41G 1/38
Sighting devices: telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance ; Supports or mountings therefor
G01C 17/00
Compasses
G01S 19/13
Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting…:…

Family

Application62/544,124Us provisional application · filed 11 Aug 2017
Application16/057,247Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Aug 2018
Application16/272,733Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Feb 2019
US 10,267,598 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Apr 2019
Application16/531,869Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Aug 2019
US 10,408,573 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Sep 2019
US 10,533,826 B2Parent of this continuation
Application16/272,733Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2019/0049219 A1Published application
US 2019/0265002 A1Published application
US 2019/0353456 A1Published application
US 2020/0217616 A1Published application
US 10,704,864 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.