Firearm Training Systems and Methods

Abstract

An imaging device captured images of a scene that includes at least one shooter. Each shooter of the at least one shooter operates an associated firearm to discharge one or more projectile. A positioning mechanism positions an infrared filter in and out of a path between the imaging device and the scene. A processing system processes images of the scene when the infrared filter is positioned in the path to detect projectile discharges in response to each shooter of the at least one shooter firing the associated firearm. The processing system processes images of the scene captured when the infrared filter is positioned out of the path to identify, for each detected projectile discharge, a shooter of the at least one shooter that is associated with the detected projectile discharge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A firearm training system, comprising:
 an imaging device deployed to capture images of a scene, the scene including at least one shooter, each shooter of the at least one shooter operating an associated firearm to discharge one or more projectile;   an infrared filter;   a positioning mechanism operatively coupled to the infrared filter, the positioning mechanism configured to position the infrared filter in and out of a path between the imaging device and the scene;   a control system operatively coupled to the positioning mechanism and configured to:
 actuate the positioning mechanism to position the infrared filter in and out of the path, and actuate the imaging device to capture images of the scene when the infrared filter is positioned in and out of the path; and 
   a processing system configured to:
 process images of the scene captured when the infrared filter is positioned in the path to detect projectile discharges in response to each shooter of the at least one shooter firing the associated firearm, and process images of the scene captured when the infrared filter is positioned out of the path to identify, for each detected projectile discharge, a shooter of the at least one shooter that is associated with the detected projectile discharge. 
   
     
     
         2 . The firearm training system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one shooter includes a plurality of shooters, and wherein each shooter operates the associated firearm with a goal to strike a target with the discharged projectile, the firearm training system further comprising:
 an end unit comprising an imaging device deployed for capturing images of the target, and   wherein the processing system is further configured to:
 process images of the target captured by imaging device of the end unit to detect projectile strikes on the target, and 
 correlate the detected projectile strikes on the target with the detected projectile discharges to identify, for each detected projectile strike on the target, a correspondingly fired firearm associated with the identified shooter. 
   
     
     
         3 . The firearm training system of  claim 2 , wherein the target is a physical target. 
     
     
         4 . The firearm training system of  claim 2 , wherein the target is a virtual target. 
     
     
         5 . The firearm training system of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning mechanism includes a mechanical actuator in mechanical driving relationship with the infrared filter. 
     
     
         6 . The firearm training system of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning mechanism generates circular-to-linear motion for moving the infrared filter in and out of the path from the scene to the imaging device. 
     
     
         7 . The firearm training system of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging device includes an image sensor and at least one lens defining an optical path from the scene to the image sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The firearm training system of  claim 1 , further comprising: a guiding arrangement in operative cooperation with the infrared filter and defining a guide path along which the infrared filter is configured to move, such that the infrared filter is guided along the guide path and passes in front of the at least one lens so as to be positioned in the optical path when the positioning mechanism is actuated by the control system. 
     
     
         9 . The firearm training system of  claim 1 , wherein the projectiles are live ammunition projectiles. 
     
     
         10 . The firearm training system of  claim 1 , wherein the projectiles are light beams emitted by a light source emanating from the firearm. 
     
     
         11 . The firearm training system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system and the processing system are implemented using a single processing system. 
     
     
         12 . The firearm training system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system is deployed as part of a server remotely located from the imaging device and in communication with the imaging device via a network. 
     
     
         13 . A firearm training system, comprising:
 a shooter-side sensor arrangement including:
 a first image sensor deployed for capturing infrared images of a scene, the scene including at least one shooter, each shooter of the at least one shooter operating an associated firearm to discharge one or more projectile, and 
 a second image sensor deployed for capturing visible light images of the scene; and 
   a processing system configured to:
 process infrared images of the scene captured by the first image sensor to detect projectile discharges in response to each shooter of the at least one shooter firing the associated firearm, and 
 process visible light images of the scene captured by the second image sensor to identify, for each detected projectile discharge, a shooter of the at least one shooter that is associated with the detected projectile discharge. 
   
     
     
         14 . The firearm training system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one shooter includes a plurality of shooters, and wherein each shooter operates the associated firearm with a goal to strike a target with the discharged projectile, the firearm training system further comprising:
 an end unit comprising an imaging device deployed for capturing images of the target, and   wherein the processing system is further configured to:
 process images of the target captured by imaging device of the end unit to detect projectile strikes on the target, and 
 correlate the detected projectile strikes on the target with the detected projectile discharges to identify, for each detected projectile strike on the target, a correspondingly fired firearm associated with the identified shooter. 
   
     
     
         15 . The firearm training system of  claim 14 , wherein the target is a physical target. 
     
     
         16 . The firearm training system of  claim 14 , wherein the target is a virtual target. 
     
     
         17 . A firearm training method, comprising:
 capturing, by at least one image sensor, visible light images and infrared images of a scene that includes at least one shooter, each shooter of the at least one shooter operating an associated firearm to discharge one or more projectile; and   analyzing, by at least one processor, the captured infrared images to detect projectile discharges in response to each shooter of the at least one shooter firing the associated firearm, and analyzing, by the at least one processor, the captured visible light images to identify, for each detected projectile discharge, a shooter of the at least one shooter that is associated with the detected projectile discharge.   
     
     
         18 . The firearm training method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one image sensor includes exactly one image sensor, and wherein infrared images are captured by the image sensor when an infrared filter is deployed a path between the image sensor and the scene, and wherein the visible light images are captured by the image sensor when the infrared filter is positioned out of the path between the image sensor and the scene. 
     
     
         19 . The firearm training method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one image sensor includes: an infrared image sensor deployed for capturing the infrared images of the scene, and a visible light image sensor deployed for capturing the visible light images of the scene. 
     
     
         20 . The firearm training method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one shooter includes a plurality of shooters, and wherein each shooter operates the associated firearm with a goal to strike a target with the discharged projectile, the firearm training method further comprising:
 capturing, by an imaging device, images of the target;   analyzing, by the at least one processor, images of the target captured by imaging device to detect projectile strikes on the target; and   correlating the detected projectile strikes on the target with the detected projectile discharges to identify, for each detected projectile strike on the target, a correspondingly fired firearm associated with the identified shooter.