Gunnery training scoring system with laser pulses

Claim 1

A method of scoring practice firing of a weapon having a barrel with an axis against a moving target which comprises reflector means, and wherein firing of the weapon is simulated by emitting radiation substantially coaxially with the weapon barrel from a radiation emitter such as a laser, said method being characterized by the steps of: A. producing a first radiation emission from the radiation emitter comprising at least one pulse emitted substantially concurrently with simulated firing of the weapon toward said moving target; B. preserving information about the orientation of the barrel axis at the time of emitting said first radiation emission; C. utilizing reflected return radiation of said first radiation emission to ascertain a time interval required for a real round of a selected type of ammunition to traverse the distance between the weapon position and the target; D. at substantially said ascertained time interval after the beginning of said first radiation emission producing a second radiation emission toward said moving target comprising at least one pulse; E. utilizing 1. said preserved information about barrel axis orientation and 2. reflected return radiation from said second radiation emission, to calculate a relationship between the point of impact of said real round of ammunition in relation to the position of the target at the time of said second radiation emission; and F. issuing an output that corresponds to a function of said relationship which signifies the scoring result.

Claim 2

A method of scoring practice firing of a weapon having a barrel with an axis against a moving target which comprises reflector means, and wherein firing of the weapon is simulated by emitting radiation substantially coaxially with the weapon barrel from a radiation emitter such as a laser, said method being characterized by the steps of: A. producing a first radiation emission from the radiation emitter comprising at least one pulse emitted substantially concurrently with simulated firing of the weapon toward said moving target; B. preserving information about the orientation of the barrel axis at the time of emitting said first radiation emission; C. utilizing reflected return radiation of said first radiation emission to ascertain a time interval required for a real round of a selected type of ammunition to traverse the distance between the weapon position and the target; D. at substantially said ascertained time interval after the beginning of said first radiation emission producing a second radiation emission toward said moving target comprising at least one pulse; E. utilizing 1. said preserved information about barrel axis orientation and 2. reflected return radiation from said second radiation emission, to calculate a relationship between the point of impact of said real round of ammunition in relation to the position of the target at the time of said second radiation emission; and F. issuing an output that corresponds to a function of said relationship which signifies the scoring result.