Durable target apparatus and method of on-target visual display

1. A target apparatus comprising:

a target comprising at least one target sector comprised of a steel plate that is impenetrable to bullets and coupled to said target and configured to withstand an impact from a bullet, wherein the target apparatus remains undamaged after each shot impact;

a plurality of display segments located on said target and within a field of view of a shooter viewing said target and configured so as not to incur damage when directly hit, wherein each target sector is associated with one or more display segments that enable a shooter to determine the target sector hit by the bullet, and wherein the target provides immediate feedback to allow the shooter to improve,

at least one sensor coupled to said at least one target sector and configured to detect said impact of said bullet; and

wherein the impact of the bullet on the target creates an impact shock wave with a speed, wherein the target has a non-impact side, further comprising a dampening material coupled to the non-impact side of the target surface to slow down the impact shock wave and allow iterative scanning by sensors configured to locate the impact of the bullet on the target; and

a controller electronically coupled to said at least one sensor and configured to determined an impacted target sector associated with said impact from said bullet on said at least one target sector using a first sensor selected from said at least one sensor, wherein the controller has an iteration speed, and wherein the speed of the impact shock wave is greater than the iteration speed of the controller; and

wherein said controller is further coupled to said plurality of display segments and further configured to assert at least one display segment selected from said plurality of display segments as determined by said determined impacted target sector and a current operating mode of said target selected from a plurality of operating modes.

2. The target apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controller comprises a central processing unit having computer readable program memory and further comprising computer readable program instructions, said computer readable program instructions configured to assert at least one display segment selected front said plurality of display segments.

3. The target apparatus of claim 2 wherein controller comprises electronic circuitry configured to assert said display segment for a configurable period following said impact.

4. The target apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein said at least one target sector further comprises at least a first target sector and a second target sector, and wherein said first target sector comprises a bull's eye sector centrally located on said target, wherein the target has a surface, and wherein the bull's eye sector is raised above the surface of the target.

5. The target apparatus of claim 4 wherein said controller comprises a central processing unit having computer readable program memory and further comprising computer readable program instructions, said computer readable program instructions further configured to assert said at least one display segment corresponding to said impact of said bullet on said bull's eye target sector.

6. The target apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein said plurality of display segments comprises at least a bull's eye display segment and at least one additional display segment.

7. The target apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one target sector further comprises at least one virtual target sector as computed by said controller using said at least one sensor.

8. The target apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one target sector further comprises at least one physical target sector mechanically coupled to said target.

9. The target apparatus of claim 1 wherein said target further comprises a flat target surface.

10. The target apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one sector is coupled to at least three impact sensors.

11. The target apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein said at least one target sector further comprises a detachable, plug-shaped, circular bull's eye target sector.

12. The target apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controller comprises a central processing unit having computer readable program memory and further comprising computer readable program instructions, said computer readable program instructions further configured to assert said at least one display segment to indicate an amount of time remaining for said impact to count in said current game.

13. The target apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controller comprises a central processing unit having computer readable program memory and further comprising computer readable program instructions, said computer readable program instructions further configured to assert said at last one display segment that corresponds to high/low status of said impact of said bullet on said target with respect to a bull's eye diameter.

14. The target apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controller comprises a central processing unit having computer readable program memory and further comprising computer readable program instructions, said computer readable program instructions further configured to assert said at least one display segment that corresponds to left/right status of said impact of said bullet on said target sector with respect to a bull's eye diameter.

15. The target apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controller comprises a central processing unit having computer readable program memory and further comprising computer readable program instructions, said computer readable program instructions further configured to assert said at least one display segment for a configurable time period following said impact.

16. The target apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is a piezoelectric sensor.

17. The target apparatus of claim 1 . wherein the at least one sensor comprises a ball bearing backed by a spring that makes contact with two leads when the impacted sector is directed rearward.

18. A firearm target system comprising:

a durable firearm target comprising at least one target sector comprised of a steel plate that is impenetrable to projectiles and coupled to said target and configured to withstand an impact from a projectile, wherein the target system remains undamaged after each shot impact;

a plurality of display segments located on said target and within sight of a shooter when said shooter aims a firearm at said target and configured so as not to incur damage when directly hit, wherein each target sector is associated with one or more display segments that enable a shooter to determine the target sector hit by the projectile, and wherein the target provides immediate feedback to allow the shooter to improve;

at least one sensor coupled to said at least one target sector, said at least one sensor configured to detect said impact of said projectile on said at least one target sector;

wherein the impact of the projectile on the target creates an impact shock wave with a speed, wherein the target has a non-impact side, further comprising a dampening material coupled to the non-impact side of the target surface to slow down the impact shock wave and allow iterative scanning by sensors configured to locate the impact of the projectile on the target; and

a controller comprising a central processing unit, a computer readable program memory and computer readable program instructions, said computer readable program instructions configured to determine an impact on said at least one target sector and further configured to then assert at least one of said plurality of display segments such that said asserted at least one display segment provides a visible indication to said shooter of said impact on said at least one target sector, wherein the controller has an iteration speed, and wherein the speed of the impact shock wave is greater than the iteration speed of the controller.

19. A method of utilizing a target apparatus comprising:

selecting an operating mode for a target from at least two available operating modes, said target comprising:

a plurality of target sectors that are comprised of a steel plate that is impenetrable to bullets and constructed to withstand an impact from a bullet, wherein the target apparatus remains undamaged after each shot impact;

a plurality of on-target display segments, wherein each target sector is associated with one or more display segments that enable a shooter to determine the target sector hit by the bullet and that are configured so as not to incur damage when directly hit, and wherein the target provides immediate feedback to allow the shooter to improve;

wherein the impact of the bullet on the target creates an impact shock wave with a speed, wherein the target has a non-impact side, further comprising a dampening material coupled to the non-impact side of the target surface to slow down the impact shock wave and allow iterative scanning by sensors configured to locate the impact of the bullet on the target; and

at least one sensor coupled to at least one of said plurality of target sectors; receiving an impact of a bullet on said target;

detecting said impact using said at least one sensor;

determining which sector of said plurality of target sectors received said impact using a controller coupled to said at least one sensor, wherein the controller has an iteration speed, and wherein the speed of the impact shock wave is greater than the iteration speed of the controller;

setting a logical indicator indicative of which of said determined target sectors received said impact, the value of said logical indicator set depending on said selected operating mode; and

asserting at least one display segment of said plurality of on-target display segments, wherein said asserted display segment operates based on the value of said logical indicator.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising de-asserting said at least one display segment after a configurable period of time following said impact.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising displaying a count-down representation of a time remaining for detecting said impact in said selected operating mode.