TACTICAL LIGHT WITH AUTOMATED LIGHTING CONTROLS AND SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE SAME
A light includes a housing, a first illumination assembly, a second illumination assembly, and a control unit. The housing defines a central axis. The first illumination assembly, the second illumination assembly, and the control unit are disposed within the housing. The first illumination assembly and the second illumination assembly each have an on state in which a light beam is emitted and an off state. The control unit is configured to detect a first pitch and a second pitch of the central axis with respect to a direction of the force of gravity. The control unit is in signal communication with the first illumination assembly and the second illumination assembly such that in the first pitch the first illumination assembly is in the on state and in the second pitch the second illumination assembly is in the on the state.
1 - 24 . (canceled)
25 . A method of controlling a light to illuminate a portion of a visual field of an operator,
the visual field being a portion of a field of vision of the operator, the method comprising:
detecting a first pitch of a central axis of the light with respect to a direction of the force of gravity when the light is in a first position;
illuminating the visual field with an illumination means when the operator is facing a forward direction and when the light is in the first position;
detecting a second pitch of the central axis of the light with respect to the direction of the force of gravity when the light is in a second position; and
modifying the illumination means to maintain illumination of the visual field of the operator when the light is in the second position.
26 . The method according to claim 25 , further comprising detecting a third pitch of the central axis when the light is in a third position and modifying the illumination means to maintain illumination of the visual field of the operator when the light is in the third position.
27 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein detecting the first pitch includes detecting the pitch of the central axis of the light in a range of 60 degrees to 120 degrees, detecting the second pitch includes detecting the pitch of the central axis of the light in a range of 120 degrees to 165 degrees, and detecting the third pitch includes detecting the pitch of the central axis in a range of 15 degree to 60 degrees.
28 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein detecting the first pitch or the second pitch includes detecting a velocity of the light when the light moves between the first position and the second position.
29 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein detecting the first pitch or the second pitch includes constantly detecting the pitch of the central axis with respect to the direction of the force of gravity.
30 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein the illumination means comprises an illumination assembly, and illuminating the visual field when the light is in the first position includes pivoting the illumination assembly such that an illumination axis defined by the illumination assembly is parallel to the central axis of the light.
31 . The method according to claim 30 , wherein modifying the illumination means when the light is in the second position includes pivoting the illumination assembly such that the illumination axis is angled with respect to the central axis.
32 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein the illumination means comprises a first illumination assembly and a second illumination assembly, the first illumination assembly and the second illumination assembly fixed with respect to the central axis, and illuminating the visual field when the light is in the first position includes switching the first illumination assembly to an on state thereof.
33 . The method according to claim 32 , wherein modifying the illumination means when the light is in the second position includes switching the second illumination assembly to an on state thereof.
34 . The method according to claim 25 , further comprising altering properties of a light beam emitted from the illumination means.
35 . The method according to claim 34 , wherein altering properties of the light beam includes increasing or decreasing a beam brightness of the light beam, includes increasing or decreasing a beam angle of the light beam, includes changing a beam color of the light beam, or includes combinations thereof.
36 . A method of controlling a light to illuminate a portion of a visual field of an operator,
the visual field being a portion a field of the vision of the operator, the method comprising:
detecting a first position of a central axis of the light with respect to a direction of the force of gravity when the light is in a first position thereof;
illuminating the visual field of the operator with a light beam emitted from an illumination means when the operator is facing a forward direction and when the light is in the first position;
detecting a second position of the central axis of the light with respect to the direction of the force of gravity when the light is in a second position thereof, and
altering a property of the light beam emitted from the illumination means, the property of the light beam including a beam brightness, a beam angle, a beam color, or combinations thereof.
37 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein detecting the first position of the central axis includes detecting a pitch of the central axis of the light in a range of 60 degrees to 120 degrees.
38 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein detecting the second position of the central axis includes detecting a pitch of the central axis of the light in a range of 120 degrees to 165 degrees or in a range of 15 degree to 60 degrees.
39 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein altering the property of the light beam includes at least one property of the light beam when the light is in the second position being different from at least one property of the light beam when the light is in the first position.
40 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein altering the property of the light beam includes setting the beam brightness in a range of 1000 lumens to 1500 lumens when the light is in the first position, and setting the beam brightness in a range of 200 lumens to 800 lumens when the light is in the second position.
41 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein altering the property of the light beam includes setting the beam angle in a range of 5 degrees to 25 when the light is in the first position, and setting the beam angle in a range of 30 degrees to 60 when the light is in the second position.
42 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein altering the property of the light beam includes setting the beam color as a white light when the light is in the first position, and setting the beam color as a red light when the light is in the second position.
43 . The method according to claim 36 , further comprising detecting a first rolled position of a vertical axis of the light with respect to the direction of the force of gravity, the light in the first rolled position when the vertical axis is detected as being at a roll angle less than or equal to 45 degrees with respect to the direction of the force of gravity.
44 . The method according to claim 43 , further comprising detecting a second rolled position of the vertical axis and switching the illumination means to a strobe state thereof when the roll angle is greater than 45 degrees.
45 . The method according to claim 36 , further comprising modifying the illumination means to maintain illumination of the visual field of the operator when the light is in the second position.
46 . A method of controlling a light to illuminate a portion of a visual field of an operator of a weapons system, the visual field being a portion of a field of vision of the operator, the method comprising:
holding the weapons system in a first posture in which an illumination means of the light is in an on state thereof, the illumination means illuminating the visual field of the operator when the operator is facing a forward direction;
moving the weapons system to a second posture in which the visual field of the operator and a field of fire of the weapons system overlap; and
modifying the illumination means of the light when the weapons system is in the second posture to maintain illumination of the visual field of the operator and to illuminate the field of fire of the weapons system.
47 . The method according to claim 46 , wherein holding the weapons system in the first posture includes the field of fire of the weapons system being unilluminated by the illumination means.
48 . The method according to claim 47 , further comprising detecting a pitch of a central axis of the light at a first pitch that corresponds to the first posture, the first pitch in a range of in a range of 120 degrees to 165 degrees or in a range of 15 degree to 60 degrees; and
detecting the pitch of the central axis at a second pitch that corresponds to the second posture, the second pitch in a range of 60 degrees to 120 degrees.