Automatic scope zoom sensing for rifle mounted clip-on fire control displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11940244-B2
Application number	US-202217880454-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2022
Priority date	Aug 3, 2021
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

An automatic zoom-sensing riflescope display adapter (RDA) system can illuminate an iris of a user with a beam from a light emitter. The RDA system can activate a display which includes at least one graphical element visible by the user through an eyepiece. Additionally, the RDA system can focus an image of the iris on a sensor. The RDA system can determine a diameter of the iris from the image of the iris using an iris analyzer. The RDA system can develop a calibration table that correlates the diameter of the iris to a zoom level of an optical scope. The RDA system can estimate the zoom level of the optical scope from the diameter of the iris via the calibration table. Additionally, the RDA system can adjust, to match the zoom level, a font size of the at least one graphical element of the display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic zoom-sensing method for a riflescope display adapter (RDA), the method comprising:
illuminating an iris of a user with a beam from a light emitter;
activating a display comprising at least one graphical element visible by the user through an eyepiece;
focusing an image of the iris on a sensor;
determining a diameter of the iris from the image of the iris using an iris analyzer;
developing a calibration table that correlates the diameter of the iris to a zoom level of an optical scope;
estimating the zoom level of the optical scope from the diameter of the iris via the calibration table; and
adjusting, to match the zoom level, a font size of the at least one graphical element on the display.

2. The automatic zoom-sensing method of claim 1 , wherein developing the calibration table comprises:
receiving a first input from the user, the first input specifying a minimum zoom level for the optical scope;
determining the diameter of the iris of the user at the minimum zoom level;
receiving a second input from the user, the second input specifying a maximum zoom level for the optical scope; and
determining the diameter of the iris of the user at the maximum zoom level.

3. The automatic zoom-sensing method of claim 1 , wherein the RDA removably attaches to the optical scope.

4. The automatic zoom-sensing method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a camera or a focal plane array.

5. The automatic zoom-sensing method of claim 1 , further comprising:
authenticating an authorized user based on the diameter of the iris;
upon authenticating the authorized user, unlocking the RDA.

6. The automatic zoom-sensing method of claim 1 , wherein activating the display comprises illuminating the display with a beam from a visible light emitting diode (LED).

7. The automatic zoom-sensing method of claim 1 , wherein the light emitter is an infrared (IR) illuminator.

8. An automatic zoom-sensing riflescope display adapter (RDA) system comprising:
a light emitter configured to illuminate an iris of a user with a beam;
a display comprising at least one graphical element visible by the user through an eyepiece;
a sensor configured to focus an image of the iris; and
an RDA controller communicatively coupled to the light emitter, the display, and the sensor and configured to perform operations comprising:
determining a diameter of the iris from the image of the iris using an iris analyzer,
activating the display,
developing a calibration table that correlates the diameter of the iris to a zoom level of an optical scope,
estimating the zoom level of the optical scope from the diameter of the iris via the calibration table, and
adjusting, to match the zoom level, a font size of the at least one graphical element on the display.

9. The RDA system of claim 8 , wherein developing the calibration table comprises:
receiving a first input from the user, the first input specifying a minimum zoom level for the optical scope;
determining the diameter of the iris of the user at the minimum zoom level;
receiving a second input from the user, the second input specifying a maximum zoom level for the optical scope; and
determining the diameter of the iris of the user at the maximum zoom level.

10. The RDA system of claim 8 , wherein the RDA removably attaches to an optical scope.

11. The RDA system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a camera or a focal plane array.

12. The RDA system of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
authenticating an authorized user based on the diameter of the iris; and
upon authenticating the authorized user, unlocking the RDA.

13. The RDA system of claim 8 , wherein activating the display comprises illuminating the display with a beam from a visible light emitting diode (LED).

14. The RDA system of claim 8 , wherein the light emitter is an infrared (IR) illuminator.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a riflescope display adapter (RDA) controller of an automatic zoom-sensing RDA for causing the RDA controller to perform operations comprising:
determining a diameter of the iris from the image of the iris using an iris analyzer;
activating the display;
developing a calibration table that correlates the diameter of the iris to a zoom level of an optical scope;
estimating the zoom level of the optical scope from the diameter of the iris via the calibration table; and
adjusting, to match the zoom level, a font size of the at least one graphical element on the display.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein developing the calibration table comprises:
receiving a first input from the user, the first input specifying a minimum zoom level for the optical scope;
determining the diameter of the iris of the user at the minimum zoom level;
receiving a second input from the user, the second input specifying a maximum zoom level for the optical scope; and
determining the diameter of the iris of the user at the maximum zoom level.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the RDA removably attaches to an optical scope.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the tracking sensor is a camera or a focal plane array.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
authenticating an authorized user based on the diameter of the iris; and
upon authenticating the authorized user, unlocking the RDA.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the display is a visible light emitting diode (LED) display.

Assignees

• Cubic Corp

Inventors

• Maryfield Tony J
• Dadkhah Mahyar
• Cugnetti Christian Marcello
• Roes Michael Andre

Classifications

• F41G1/38 Primary

  Telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance (telescopic sights in general G02B); Supports or mountings therefor · CPC title

• G02B23/145

  Zoom viewfinders · CPC title

• G02B23/16

  Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight · CPC title

• F41G11/00 Primary

  Details of sighting or aiming apparatus; Accessories {(tools for adjustment of sights F41G1/545)} · CPC title

• G02B27/34

  illuminated · CPC title