Telescopic sight and method for automatically compensating for bullet trajectory deviations

Abstract

A telescopic sight ( 10 ) for automatically compensating for bullet trajectory deviations is disclosed. The sight ( 10 ) includes a user input ( 20 ) and an electronic port ( 22 ) for communicating ballistic, calibration and user preference information to the sight ( 10 ). The sight ( 10 ) further includes a ranger finder ( 24 ) and an array of ambient condition sensors ( 26,28,30,32,34,36 ) for automatically generating target distance information and ambient condition information. A processor ( 38 ) uses the ballistic, calibration, user preference, distance and ambient condition information to calculate bullet trajectory deviation compensation information. The processor ( 38 ) presents the compensation to the user in the form of a compensation reticle ( 48 ) or a compensation value ( 50 ).

1 . A method of automatically compensating for deviations in a bullet trajectory, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) receiving target distance information from a range finder;    (b) receiving ambient condition information from an ambient condition sensor;    (c) calculating bullet trajectory compensation information based on the distance information and ambient condition information; and    (d) presenting the compensation information to the user by presenting a compensation reticle within a field of view of a telescopic sight, wherein the compensation reticle is adjusted according to the compensation information to indicate a point of impact of the bullet.    
   
   
       2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 (e) receiving ballistic information from the user and using the ballistic information to calculate the compensation information.    
   
   
       3 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , step (e) further comprising the step of receiving a size, weight, shape and grain of a bullet, a muzzle velocity, and firearm barrel characteristics from the user to calculate the compensation information.  
   
   
       4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 (f) receiving calibration information from the user and using the calibration information to calculate the compensation information.    
   
   
       5 . The method as set forth in  claim 4 , step (f) further comprising the step of receiving from the user a value representing a range at which a telescopic sight was zeroed and a value representing a scope-barrel separation distance and using the values to calculate the compensation information.  
   
   
       6 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 (g) receiving user preference information from the user and using the user preference information to calculate the compensation information and to present the compensation information to the user.    
   
   
       7 . The method as set forth in  claim 6 , step (g) further comprising the step of receiving from the user a list of ambient conditions to include in a trajectory deviation calculation.  
   
   
       8 . The method as set forth in  claim 7 , step (b) further comprising the step of selectively receiving ambient condition information from a sensor chosen from the group consisting of an altimeter, a wind sensor, an inclinometer, a barometer, a thermometer, and a humidity sensor.  
   
   
       9 . The method as set forth in  claim 6 , step (g) further comprising the step of receiving from the user a preferred manner of presenting compensation information to the user, wherein a compensation reticle may be preferred and a numerical value may be preferred.  
   
   
       10 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , further comprising the step of: 
 (h) presenting the compensation value to the user by presenting a compensation reticle within the field of view of the telescopic sight if the user preference information indicates that a compensation reticle is preferred.    
   
   
       11 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  further comprising the step of: 
 (i) presenting the compensation value to the user by presenting a numerical value within the field of view of the telescopic sight if the user preference information indicates that a numerical value is preferred.    
   
   
       12 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , step (a) further comprising the step of receiving target distance information from a laser range finder and using the target distance information to calculate the compensation information.  
   
   
       13 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , step (a) further comprising the step of receiving target distance information from a triangulation range finder.  
   
   
       14 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 (j) downloading ballistic information from the Internet to a computer, wherein the ballistic information includes a size, weight, shape and grain of a bullet, firearm barrel characteristics, and muzzle velocity.    
   
   
       15 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising the step of: 
 (k) saving the ballistic information in a computer file on the computer.    
   
   
       16 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , further comprising the step of: 
 (l) adding calibration information to the computer file, wherein the calibration information includes a distance at which a telescopic sight was zeroed and a scope-barrel separation distance.    
   
   
       17 . The method as set forth in  claim 16 , further comprising the step of: 
 (m) adding user preference information to the computer file, wherein the user preference information includes a list of ambient conditions to include in a trajectory deviation calculation and a preferred manner of presenting compensation information to the user, wherein a compensation reticle may be preferred and a numerical value may be preferred.    
   
   
       18 . The method as set forth in  claim 17 , further comprising the step of: 
 (n) electronically communicating the computer file to the telescopic sight.    
   
   
       19 . The method as set forth in  claim 18 , further comprising the step of: 
 (o) storing the computer file in a nonvolatile memory in the telescopic sight.    
   
   
       20 . A method of automatically compensating for deviations in a bullet trajectory, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) communicating ballistic information to a telescopic sight via a number pad, wherein the ballistic information includes a size, weight, shape and grain of a bullet and a muzzle velocity of a firearm;    (b) communicating calibration information to the telescopic sight via the number pad, wherein the calibration information includes a range at which a telescopic sight was zeroed and a scope-barrel separation distance;    (c) communicating user preference information to the telescopic sight via the number pad, wherein the user preference information includes a list of ambient conditions to include in a trajectory deviation calculation, and further includes a preferred manner of presenting compensation information to the user, wherein a compensation reticle may be preferred and a numerical value may be preferred;    (d) receiving distance information from a laser range finder, wherein the distance information includes a distance to a target indicated by a fixed reticle within a field of view of the sight;    (e) receiving ambient condition information from an ambient condition sensor housed within the sight if the condition is included in the list of ambient conditions;    (f) storing the ballistic information, calibration information, user preference information, distance information, and ambient condition information in a nonvolatile memory;    (g) calculating bullet trajectory deviation compensation information using the ballistic information, calibration information, and ambient condition information;    (h) presenting the compensation information to the user by superimposing a compensation reticle over the fixed reticle within the field of view of the telescopic sight if the user preference information indicates that a compensation reticle is preferred, wherein the compensation reticle indicates a point of impact of the bullet in light of bullet trajectory deviations; and    (i) presenting the compensation value to the user by superimposing a numerical value over the field of view of the telescopic sight if the user preference information indicates that a numerical value is preferred, wherein the numerical value indicates a distance between the point of impact indicated by the fixed reticle and an actual point of impact.