Firing range

Claim 2

Apparatus for determining the location in a predetermined two-dimensional target area adjacent a target member through which the trajectory of a projectile passes, said projectile originating from a firing point and directed toward said target member, the apparatus comprising: at least four transducers, means for positioning said at least four transducers in a generally horizontal elongate array adjacent an edge of the predetermined target area, said transducers positioned spaced apart one from the other at respective predetermined locations, each said transducer comprising means for providing an output signal in response to an airborne pressure wave generated by the projectile, individual threshold circuit means coupled to each transducer and responsive to said output signal for providing an indication signal when said output signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, the indication signal representing a time at which said airborne pressure wave generated by the projectile impinges on the transducer, and processing means, provided with data representing the respective predetermined locations at which the transducers are positioned, and operative for (1) determining time differences between the indication signal associated with one of said transducers relative to the indication signal associated with each of the remainder of the transducers, (2) calculating, from said determined time differences and from the data representing the respective predetermined transducer locations, the location in said predetermined target area through which said trajectory passes, and (2) providing an indication of said calculated location.

Claim 3

Apparatus for determining the location in a predetermined two-dimensional target area adjacent a target member through which the trajectory of a projectile passes, said projectile originating from a firing point and directed toward said target member, the apparatus comprising: at least three transducers, means for positioning said at least three transducers in a generally horizontal elongate array adjacent an edge of the predetermined target area, said transducers positioned spaced apart one from the other at respective predetermined locations, each said transducer comprising means for providing an output signal in response to an airborne pressure wave generated by the projectile, individual threshold circuit means coupled to each transducer and responsive to said output signal for providing an indication signal when said output signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, the indication signal representing a time at which said airborne pressure wave generated by the projectile impinges on the transducer; and processing means, provided with data representing the respective predetermined locations at which the transducers are positioned and with data representing the velocity of the projectile and the speed of sound propagation in air, and operative for (1) determining time differences between the indication signal associated with one of said transducers relative to the indication signal associated with each of the remainder of the transducers, (2) calcuating, from said data representing the respective predetermined transducer locations, said data representing the velocity of the projectile and the speed of sound propagation in air, and said determined time differences, the location in said predetermined target area through which said trajectory passes, and (3) providing an indication of said calculated location.

Claim 4

Apparatus for determining the location in a predetermined two-dimensional target area adjacent a target member through which the trajectory of a projectile passes, said projectile originating from a firing point and directed toward said target member, the apparatus comprising: at least three transducers, means for positioning said at least three transducers in a generally horizontal elongate array adjacent an edge of the predetermined target area, said transducers positioned spaced apart one from the other at respective predetermined locations, each said transducer comprising means for providing an output signal in response to an airborne pressure wave generated by the projectile, individual threshold circuit means coupled to each transducer and responsive to said output signal for providing an indication signal when said output signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, the indication signal representing a time at which said airborne pressure wave generated by the projectile impinges on the transducer; and processing means, provided with data representing the respective predetermined locations at which the transducers are positioned and with data representing the velocity of the projectile and the speed of sound propagation in air, and operative for (1) determining time differences between the indication signal associated with one of said transducers relative to the indication signal associated with each of the remainder of the transducers, (2) calcuating, from said data representing the respective predetermined transducer locations, said data representing the velocity of the projectile and the speed of sound propagation in air, and said determined time differences, the location in said predetermined target area through which said trajectory passes, and (3) providing an indication of said calculated location.

Claim 5

Apparatus for determining the location in a predetermined two-dimensional target area adjacent a target member through which the trajectory of a projectile passes, said projectile originating from a firing point and directed toward said target member, the apparatus comprising: at least five transducers, means for positioning said at least five transducers in a generally horizontal elongate array adjacent an edge of the predetermined target area, said transducers positioned spaced apart one from the other at respective predetermined locations, each said transducer comprising means for providing an output signal in response to an airborne pressure wave generated by the projectile, individual threshold circuit means coupled to each transducer and responsive to said output signal for providing an indication signal when said output signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, the indication signal representing a time at which said airborne pressure wave generated by the projectile impinges on the transducer, and processing means, provided with data representing the respective predetermined locations at which the transducers are positioned, and operative for (1) determining time differences between the indication signal associated with one of said transducers relative to the indication signal associated with each of the remainder of the transducers, (2) comparing the determined time differences with one another and selecting a number of said time differences which will produce at least three independent equations from which the location in said predetermined equations from which the location in said predetermined target area through which said trajectory passes may be calculated, (3) calculating, from said selected three time differences and from the data representing the respective predetermined transducer locations, the location in said predetermined target area through which said trajectory passes, and (4) providing an indication of said calculated location.

Claim 6

Apparatus for determining the location in a predetermined two-dimensional target area adjacent a target member through which the trajectory of a projectile passes, said projectile originating from a firing point and directed toward said target member, the apparatus comprising: at least five transducers, means for positioning said at least five transducers in a generally horizontal elongate array adjacent an edge of the predetermined target area, said transducers positioned spaced apart one from the other at respective predetermined locations, each said transducer comprising means for providing an output signal in response to an airborne pressure wave generated by the projectile, individual threshold circuit means coupled to each transducer and responsive to said output signal for providing an indication signal when said output signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, the indication signal representing a time at which said airborne pressure wave generated by the projectile impinges on the transducer, and processing means, provided with data representing the respective predetermined locations at which the transducers are positioned, and operative for (1) determining time differences between the indication signal associated with one of said transducers relative to the indication signal associated with each of the remainder of the transducers, (2) comparing the determined time differences with one another and selecting a number of said time differences which will produce at least three independent equations from which the location in said predetermined equations from which the location in said predetermined target area through which said trajectory passes may be calculated, (3) calculating, from said selected three time differences and from the data representing the respective predetermined transducer locations, the location in said predetermined target area through which said trajectory passes, and (4) providing an indication of said calculated location.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said threshold comparator includes adjustable means for setting said predetermined minimum value.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising: means responsive to said indication signals, for generating and temporarily storing information signals representing times at which said indication signals are provided in response to said output signals, and means for subsequently transferring said information signals to said processing means.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: said information signal generating said storing means comprises a source of clock signals representing respective instants of time, a latch associated with each transducer and operatively connected for storing an information signal comprising a clock signal from said source representing a time at which an indication signal is provided in response to a transducer output signal, and means for providing a signal identifying each said latch; and said transferring means comprises a buffer, a control device for authorizing transfer of said information signal from each latch to said buffer along with a corresponding identifying signal, and means for transferring signals from said buffer to said processing means.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a fifth transducer positioned adjacent said lower edge of the target area and spaced from said at least four transducers, wherein said at least four transducers and said fifth transducer are positioned at respective predetermined locations defining two vertically spaced-apart rows, transducers of one said row being staggered relative to transducers of the other said row such that no transducer lies directly above another transducer.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said display signal generating means comprises a television camera, and wherein said display signal is modified by inverting a portion of the display signal.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising means for determining x, y coordinates of the point of the visual image being scanned by the television camera at any instant, and means for comparing said x, y coordinates with x, y coordinates representing said calculated location.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein each said transducer is mounted such that a flat face of each said disc-shaped member is generally vertical, whereby a pressure wave generated by the projectile will impinge tangentially on a circumferential edge of the disc-shaped member, each point on said circumferential edge being substantially equidistant from a central point of the disc-shaped member such that the output signal of the transducer is substantially independent of the direction of arrival of a pressure wave at said circumferential edge.