Target marking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10107591-B2
Application number	US-201514960931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	Sep 9, 2011
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A method of controlling a target marking system includes emitting a beam with a beam source associated with a target marker. The method also includes sensing movement of the target marker, and modifying operation of the beam source based on the sensed movement. Such modification changes a characteristic of the emitted beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A target marking system, comprising:
a target marker, the target marker comprising
a beam source configured to emit a beam,
a motion sensor configured to sense movement of the target marker and to generate a signal indicative of the sensed movement, and
a controller in communication with the beam source and the motion sensor, the controller configured to operate the beam source in a power saving mode when the signal generated by the motion sensor has a first set of characteristics indicating that the target marker is substantially stationary, and to operate the beam source in a target marking mode when the signal generated by the motion sensor has a second set of characteristics different from the first set of characteristics and indicating movement of the target marker.

2. The target marking system of claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor comprises at least one of a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

3. The target marking system of claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor comprises a two-axis gyroscope configured to sense angular movement of the target marker.

4. The target marking system of claim 3 , wherein the signal comprises an output voltage of the gyroscope proportional to an angular velocity of the target marker.

5. The target marking system of claim 1 , further comprising a collimating lens positioned in a path of the emitted beam and optically downstream of the beam source.

6. The target marking system of claim 1 , further comprising a cooler disposed in thermal contact with the beam source, wherein the cooler is configured to reduce a temperature of the beam source while the beam is emitted.

7. The target marking system of claim 1 , wherein the beam source comprises a quantum cascade laser.

8. The target marking system of claim 7 , further comprising an additional beam source operably connected to the controller, the additional beam source configured to operate independent of the signal generated by the motion sensor.

9. The target marking system of claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor comprises an image processor configured to determine movement of a field of view.

10. The target marking system of claim 9 , further comprising an imager, wherein the field of view is a field of view of a component of the imager.

11. The target marking system of claim 1 , wherein the operating the beam source in the power saving mode includes reducing at least one of a pulse rate and a duty cycle of a beam emitted by the beam source.

12. The target marking system of claim 1 , wherein the second set of characteristics indicates at least one of linear movement and angular movement, and
operating the beam source in the target marking mode includes increasing at least one of a pulse rate and a duty cycle of a beam emitted by the beam source based at least partly on the at least one of linear movement and angular movement.

13. The target marking system of claim 12 , wherein the controller increases the at least one of the pulse rate and the duty cycle based at least partly on an average, peak, or sum of a horizontal component of the linear movement and a vertical component of the linear movement.

14. A target marking system, comprising:
a target marker configured to be coupled to a firearm, the target marker comprising
a beam source configured to emit a beam,
a motion sensor configured to sense movement of the firearm along at least a first axis and a second axis different from the first axis, and to generate a signal indicative of the sensed movement, and
a controller in communication with the beam source and the motion sensor, the controller configured to operate the beam source in response to the signal generated by the motion sensor, wherein:
the controller causes the beam source to emit a first beam having a first pulse rate or a first duty cycle in response to sensed movement along the first axis, and
the controller causes the beam source to emit a second beam having a second pulse rate or a second duty cycle in response to sensed movement along the first and second axes.

15. The target marking system of claim 14 , wherein the sensed movement along the first and second axes indicates at least one of walking and running of a person bearing the firearm.

16. The target marking system of claim 15 , wherein the sensed movement along the first axis reduces a relative contribution of the sensed movement along the second axis when the controller causes the beam source to emit the first beam.

Assignees

• Lasermax Inc
• Lasermax Inc

Inventors

• Allen Michael W
• Balonek Daniel J

Classifications

• H01H9/54

  Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the switching device and for which no provision exists elsewhere · CPC title

• F41G1/36

  with infrared light source · CPC title

• F41G1/34

  combined with light source, e.g. spot light · CPC title

• F41G3/06

  with rangefinder (rangefinders per se G01C) · CPC title

• F41G1/35 Primary

  for illuminating the target {, e.g. flash lights} · CPC title