Beam shaping for off-axis beam detection in training environments

A system, comprising:

• a head mounted apparatus comprising at least one photodetector affixed thereto;
• a firing apparatus comprising a trigger-able activation mechanism, wherein said firing apparatus comprises:
• a light generating device consisting of a single non-lensed laser diode for emitting a modulated light beam that includes information regarding said firing apparatus upon triggering of said firing apparatus in a direction toward a target wearing or comprising said head mounted apparatus, and
• a hybrid lens arrangement positioned in a path of said modulated light beam comprising (i) a plano-convex or a biconvex lens and (ii) a cylinder lens having aligned centers and non-overlapping optics, said hybrid lens arrangement for beam shaping said modulated light beam to provide a shaped modulated beam having a low divergence horizontal beam portion in a horizontal direction and a vertically elongated beam portion in a vertical direction,
• wherein said plano-convex or biconvex lens and said cylinder lens share an identical lens center, said plano-convex or biconvex lens including a central gap portion that is oriented along said vertical direction, and wherein said cylinder lens is positioned within said central gap portion, wherein said cylinder lens provides said vertically elongated beam portion and said plano-convex or biconvex lens provides said low divergence horizontal beam portion.

A firing apparatus comprising:

• a light generating device for emitting a modulated light beam that includes information regarding said firing apparatus upon triggering of said firing apparatus in a direction toward a target, and
• lens optics positioned in a path of said modulated light beam comprising a one dimensional lens for beam shaping said modulated light beam to provide a shaped modulated beam having a low divergence horizontal beam portion in a horizontal direction and a vertically elongated beam portion in a vertical direction;
• wherein said lens optics comprises a multi-lens arrangement comprising (i) a converging lens and (ii) said one dimensional lens, wherein said converging lens and said one dimensional lens have non-overlapping optics, and wherein said one dimensional lens provides said vertically elongated beam portion and said converging lens provides said low divergence horizontal beam portion;
• wherein said light generating device comprises an non-lensed laser diode;
• wherein said multi-lens arrangement comprises a hybrid lens, said converging lens comprising a plano-convex or a biconvex lens and said one dimensional lens comprises a cylinder lens and non-overlapping optics, wherein said plano-convex or biconvex lens and said cylinder lens share an identical lens center, said plano-convex or biconvex lens including a central gap portion that is oriented along said vertical direction, and wherein said cylinder lens is positioned within said central gap portion, or
• wherein said one dimensional lens comprises a negative lens that is aligned to provide said vertically elongated beam portion and to not affect said modulated light beam in said horizontal direction.