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  Simulation system, method and computer programUSPTO Application #: 20060073439Title: Simulation system, method and computer program Abstract: Simulation system comprising at least one virtual projectile/missile firing device (1) having movable directing means (3) to direct a virtual projectile/missile towards a target (2) and means to determine the position of said at least one virtual projectile/missile firing device and the target whereby the simulation system comprises means (4) to capture at least one image of the target scene in front of the directing means (3) and means to process the, or each, image so as to determine the orientation of the directing means (3). (end of abstract) Agent: Albihns Stockholm Ab - Stockholm, SE Inventor: Adam Tengblad USPTO Applicaton #: 20060073439 - Class: 434012000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Education And Demonstration, Organized Armed Or Unarmed Conflict Or Shooting, Self-propelled Projectile The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060073439. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a simulation system and, more particularly, to a system comprising at least one virtual projectile/missile firing device having movable directing means to direct a virtual projectile/missile (i.e. a self-propelling weapon, such as a rocket, or a non-self-propelling weapon that is thrown or projected) towards a target and a method for determining the orientation of the directing means of a virtual projectile/missile firing device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Weapon simulators are widely used to take the place of actual weapons during simulation exercises. [0003] U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,879 describes a gunnery simulation system in which a turret-mounted gun on a shooter tank with a laser scanner transmitter in its barrel emits a laser beam upon a trigger pull. The laser beam is directed towards a target tank based upon a shooter's ranging and tracking using a standard fire computer. The target tank is scanned with the laser beam to measure target azimuth and target elevation with respect to a bore-sight of the gun of shooter tank. [0004] Optical receivers mounted on the turret of the target tank detect the laser beam and a system control unit determines the trigger pull time, target azimuth and target super elevation. The laser beam is therefore used both to simulate the ballistic round fired from the gun and to measure the position of the target. A system control unit determines the range to the target tank by comparing a set of GPS coordinates of the two tanks. Based on the target azimuth, the target super elevation, the range to the target and the time of the trigger pull, the system control unit computes an impact point relative to the target tank of a simulated ballistic shell fired from the gun of the first tank at the time of the trigger pull. Casualty assessment is made and the impact point is transmitted back to the shooter for immediate feedback. [0005] A disadvantage of such a simulation system is that a lot of equipment has to be mounted on the vehicles that participate in a simulation exercise, which makes installation of the system complex and time consuming. The amount of hardware that is necessary also increases the cost of such a system. Another disadvantage is that optical equipment on the shooter tank may be damaged by optical radiation reflected from optical equipment, such as prisms, mounted on the target tank, especially if the target tank comes too close to the shooter tank. The laser scanner transmitter can consequently not be used tactically without limitation. Furthermore, the gunning of targets outside the field of view of the laser scanner transmitter is not possible. [0006] Several conventional simulation systems use a compass to determine the orientation of a gun barrel however the accuracy of compasses is very low and metal objects and electrical sources, such as power lines, guns, trucks, tanks, telephone wires, barbed wire or steel helmets can affect their performance and consequently their reliability. If the orientation of the gun barrel is inaccurate, the calculation of the ballistic trajectory of the virtual projectile/missile fired from the gun barrel will be inaccurate. An inaccurate and therefore unrealistic simulation system will prevent participants in a simulation exercise from developing their aiming and shooting ability. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a simulation system that allows the orientation of the directing means of a virtual projectile/missile firing device to be accurately determined so as to enable more accurate calculation of the ballistic trajectory of a virtual projectile/missile. [0008] This object is fulfilled by a simulation system having the features disclosed in claim 1 namely a system comprising at least one virtual projectile/missile firing device, such as a tank, having movable directing means, such as a gun barrel, to direct a virtual projectile/missile, such as a virtual anti-tank missile, towards a target and means to determine the position of said at least one virtual projectile/missile firing device and the target at the time of firing the virtual projectile/missile and means to capture at least one image of the target scene in front of the directing means as well as means to process the, or each, image so as to determine the orientation of the directing means. [0009] When a virtual projectile/missile is fired, the simulation system is provided with information concerning how the directing means is oriented from the captured target scene image and with information concerning the geographical position of potential targets in the line of fire of the virtual projectile/missile at the time of firing said virtual projectile/missile. The accurate orientation of the directing means of the virtual projectile/missile firing device can therefore be accurately determined using this information. Accurate determination of the orientation of the directing means allows a more accurate ballistic trajectory of the virtual projectile/missile to be determined and this consequently enhances the realism and improves the effectiveness of the simulation exercise. [0010] The inventive simulation system requires relatively little equipment to be mounted on the participants taking part in a simulation exercise. Participants may be moving or stationary vehicles, aircraft or sea-going vessels, movable or stationary weapons, buildings, fixed or movable structures and/or people. This allows the system to be assembled more quickly than a conventional system thus making the inventive system more cost effective. Furthermore if a laser-based distance sensor is used by any of the participants in a simulation exercise, its use does not have to be limited. It is also possible to extend the inventive concept to enable the gunning of objects outside the field of view of the virtual projectile/missile firing device. [0011] According to an embodiment of the invention the simulation system also comprises compass means to provide a preliminary indication of the orientation of the directing means. The rough compass bearing together with its estimated inaccuracy may be used to limit the scope of the target scene image. [0012] According to another embodiment of the invention the image capturing means comprises at least one optic or infrared camera. The image capturing means are optionally arranged to take wide-angle photographs and transform them into digital panoramic images. A software program may optionally used to generate a three-dimensional image of at least part of the target scene. According to a further embodiment of the invention the image capturing means is mounted on the directing means whereby the orientation of the image capturing means with respect to the directing means is known. Alternatively the image capturing means is incorporated into the bore sight of the directing means. [0013] According to an embodiment of the invention the means to determine the position of said at least one virtual projectile/missile firing device and the target comprises a global positioning system (GPS) or differential global positioning system (DGPS). [0014] According to another embodiment of the invention the simulation system comprises means to log the time at which the, or each, image of a target scene is captured. [0015] According to a further embodiment of the invention the simulation system comprises a central network that is arranged to receive/send/store and/or communicate information concerning the position of said at least one virtual projectile/missile firing device and/or the orientation of its directing means and the position and/or orientation of the, or each target to any, or all of the participants in a simulation exercise and optionally to a third party. All of the participants in a simulation exercise therefore transmit time-logged information concerning the position and orientation to the central network. [0016] According to a yet further embodiment of the invention the simulation system comprises assessment means to provide an assessment of injury/damage that would have been caused by the impact of such a projectile/missile in a real situation. Said assessment means may be arranged to activate visible or audible signals to communicate the simulated damage/injury to participants in the simulation exercise or a third party. [0017] According to an embodiment of the invention the assessment means contain range of action data for a certain type, or each type of virtual projectile/missile fired by said at least one virtual projectile/missile firing device versus distance of participants in a simulation exercise from such a device in order to assess the degree of injury/damage that would have been caused by impact of such a projectile/missile in a real situation. According to another embodiment of the invention the means to evaluate an injury/damage assessment are arranged to be carried any, or all of the participants in a simulation exercise. [0018] The present invention also concerns a method for determining the orientation of the directing means of a virtual projectile/missile firing device. The method comprises the steps of determining the position of the virtual projectile/missile firing device and the target, capturing at least one image of the target scene in front of the directing means and processing the, or each, image in order to determine the orientation of the directing means using information concerning the position of the target in the, or each, image. [0019] According to an embodiment of the invention the method also comprises the step of obtaining a preliminary indication of the orientation of the directing means so as to enable the scope of the target scene to be limited. [0020] According to another embodiment of the invention a camera takes at least one photograph of the target scene. [0021] According to a further embodiment of the invention the method comprises the step of using a global positioning system (GPS) or differential global positioning system (DGPS) to determine the position of said at least one virtual projectile/missile firing device and the target. Continue reading... Full patent description for Simulation system, method and computer program Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Simulation system, method and computer program patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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