IP Library Granted Patent US 10,247,518
Granted Patent B2
US 10,247,518 · App. 15/730,250 · Granted Apr 2, 2019

Interactive weapon targeting system displaying remote sensed image of target area

Inventors: John C. McNeil (Tujunga, CA); Earl Clyde Cox (La Cresenta, CA); Makoto Ueno (Simi Valley, CA); Jon Andrew Ross (Moorpark, CA)
Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
F41G5/14F41G3/02F41G3/142F41G3/165
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,247,518
App. No.
15/730,250
Granted
Apr 2, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for determining a predicted impact point of a selected weapon and associated round based on stored ballistic information, provided elevation data, provided azimuth data, and provided position data.

Claims (37)

1. A device comprising:

a fire control controller, wherein the fire control controller determines a predicted impact point of a selected weapon and associated round, and wherein the fire control controller transmits information on the predicted impact point to a sensor controller on an aerial vehicle housing a remote sensor to direct the pointing of the remote sensor of the aerial vehicle.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pointing of the remote sensor of the aerial vehicle is based on the predicted impact point of the selected weapon.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the predicted impact point is based on at least one of: ballistic information, elevation data, azimuth data, and position data.

4. The device of claim 3 further comprising:

a data store in communication with the fire control controller, the data store having stored the ballistic information associated with a plurality of weapons and associated rounds.

5. The device of claim 3 further comprising:

a navigation unit in communication with the fire control controller, the navigation unit configured to provide the position data to the fire control controller.

6. The device of claim 3 further comprising:

a magnetic compass in communication with the fire control controller, the magnetic compass operable to provide the azimuth data to the fire control controller.

7. The device of claim 3 further comprising:

a navigation unit in communication with the fire control controller, the navigation unit configured to provide the position data to the fire control controller.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the fire control controller determines the predicted impact point based on predicting a distance associated with the selected weapon, wherein the distance is the distance between a current location of the rounds of the weapon and a point of impact with the ground.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

an environmental condition determiner in communication with the fire control controller, wherein the environmental condition determiner is configured to provide information related to environmental conditions of the surrounding areas of the predicted impact point in order for the fire control controller to determine the predicted impact point, and wherein the fire control controller determines the predicted impact point based on the environmental condition information.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a ballistic range determiner in communication with the fire control controller, wherein the ballistic range determiner is configured to determine the predicted impact point based on the weapon position, azimuth, elevation, and round type.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fire control controller receives image metadata from the remote sensor and wherein the image metadata comprises a ground position of a Center Field of View (CFOV) of the remote sensor, and wherein the CFOV is directed at the predicted impact point.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the aerial vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

13. A method comprising:

determining, by a fire control controller, a predicted impact point of a selected weapon and associated round; and

transmitting, by the fire control controller, information on the predicted impact point to a sensor controller on an aerial vehicle housing a remote sensor to direct the pointing of the remote sensor of the aerial vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving, by the sensor controller of the aerial vehicle, the transmitted information on the predicted impact point; and

directing, by the sensor controller, the pointing of the remote sensor of the aerial vehicle based on the received predicted impact point.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the predicted impact point is based on at least one of: ballistic information, elevation data, azimuth data, and position data.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing, by a data store in communication with the fire control controller, the ballistic information associated with the selected weapon and associated round to the fire control controller.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing, by a navigation unit in communication with the fire control controller, the position data to the fire control controller.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing, by a magnetic compass in communication with the fire control controller, the azimuth data to the fire control controller.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing, by a navigation unit in communication with the fire control controller, the position data to the fire control controller.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

transmitting, by the sensor controller, a video of the predicted impact point from the remote sensor of the aerial vehicle; and

displaying, via a display device in communication with the fire control controller, the transmitted video of the predicted impact point.

Assignments (2)
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 19, 2021
From: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 055343/0926 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2017
From: MCNEIL, JOHN C.; COX, EARL CLYDE; UENO, MAKOTO; ROSS, JON ANDREW
To: AEROVIRONMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 043841/0745 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14530486 · Oct 31, 2014
Provisional Application 61898342 · Oct 31, 2013
Related Publication 20180094902A1 · Apr 5, 2018