Range compensating scope with ballistic effect compensating reticle, aim compensation method and adaptive method for compensating for variations in ammunition or variations in atmospheric conditions

Abstract

A range-finding and ballistics effect compensating scope 804 with a ballistic effect compensating reticle aim point field 650 and ammunition adaptive aim compensation method for rifle sights or projectile weapon aiming systems includes (a) a primary aiming point 658 adapted to be sighted-in at a first selected range and (b) the locus of the RF beam for sensing range 29 to a selected target 28. When firing, the reticle's aim point field also includes a sloped array of wind dots (e.g., 660) illustrating aim points for a range of crosswind conditions. The method for compensating for a projectile's ballistic behavior permits the shooter to sense or measure the LOS range to target 29 and sense or input the slope angle 27 and local or nominal air density ballistic characteristics (e.g., air density), and then display corrected hold points.

1 . A range compensating scope with a ballistic effect compensating reticle and system to adjust the point of aim of a projectile firing weapon or instrument firing a projectile under varying atmospheric and wind conditions, comprising:
 a rifle scope assembly configured to be associated with a rifle or projectile firing weapon or instrument, the rifle scope assembly including a ballistics effect compensating reticle display field representing a corrected Effective Hold Point range to a selected target, the ballistics effect compensating reticle display field being viewable through the scope assembly and including a plurality of aiming points, the plurality of aiming points being positioned for proper aim at the corrected Effective Hold Point range and wind conditions and including at least a first array of windage aiming marks spaced apart along a non-horizontal axis, the first array of windage aiming marks defining a sloped row of windage aiming points having a slope which is a function of the direction and velocity of a stabilizing spin of the projectile or a rifling twist rate and direction of the projectile firing weapon or instrument, the windage aiming points being configured to compensate for crosswind jump.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A range-finding and compensating scope assembly operable in a sensing display mode and a shoot display mode, comprising:
 a reticle comprising a ballistic effect compensating reticle display field disposed or projected along an optical path viewable through the scope assembly, the ballistic effect compensating reticle display field comprising a main aiming point above a plurality of downrange aiming points positioned for proper aim and a variety of wind conditions, the ballistic effect compensating reticle display field further comprising a plurality of sloped rows of windage aiming marks spaced apart along a non-horizontal axis;   a laser range finder configured to, when the range-finding and compensating scope assembly is in the sensing display mode and the primary aiming mark is aimed or aligned with a target, sense a line-of-site range to a target;   a microprocessor and non-transitory program code executable by the microprocessor to calculate an effective hold point (EHP) range from at least the line-of-sight range and, in the shoot display mode, cause a representation of the EHP range to be displayed on the reticle.   
     
     
         5 . The range-finding and compensating scope assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the range-finding and compensating scope assembly is switchable between the aiming display mode and the shoot display mode. 
     
     
         6 . The range-finding and compensating scope assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the ballistic effect compensating reticle display field further comprises a substantially vertical, skewed crosshair, and wherein the downrange aiming points on opposite first and second sides of the substantially vertical, skewed crosshair are asymmetrical to each other. 
     
     
         7 . The range-finding and compensating scope assembly of  claim 6 , wherein lateral distances between the downrange aiming points on the first side of the substantially vertical, skewed crosshair are spaced apart from one another by different lateral distances than the corresponding downrange aiming points on the opposite second side of the substantially vertical, skewed crosshair. 
     
     
         8 . The range-finding and compensating scope assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the differences in lateral distances between the downrange aiming points on the first side of the substantially vertical, skewed crosshair and the corresponding downrange aiming points on the opposite second side of the substantially vertical, skewed crosshair increase for downrange aiming points representing higher wind speeds. 
     
     
         9 . The range-finding and compensating scope assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the representation of the EHP range comprises a numerical distance displayed on the reticle. 
     
     
         10 . The range-finding and compensating scope assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the representation of the EHP range comprises illumination of a selected sloped row of the plurality of sloped rows of the windage aiming marks. 
     
     
         11 . The range-finding and compensating scope assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the representation of the EHP range comprises highlighting of a selected sloped row of the plurality of sloped rows of the windage aiming marks. 
     
     
         12 . The range-finding and compensating scope assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the EHP range corresponds to a wind speed between adjacent first and second sloped rows of the plurality of sloped rows, and wherein the representation of the EHP range comprises illumination or highlighting of the adjacent first and second sloped rows. 
     
     
         13 . The range-finding and compensating scope assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the ballistic effect compensating reticle display field and the laser range finder are housed in separate housings. 
     
     
         14 . The range-finding and compensating scope assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the non-transitory program code is executable by the microprocessor to calculate the EHP range based upon the line-of-sight range and slope angle, air density, ammunition ballistics information, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . A method of operating a range-finding and compensating scope assembly, comprising:
 providing a reticle comprising a ballistic effect compensating reticle display field disposed or projected along an optical path viewable through the scope assembly, the ballistic effect compensating reticle display field comprising a main aiming point above a plurality of downrange aiming points positioned for proper aim and a variety of wind conditions, the ballistic effect compensating reticle display field further comprising a plurality of sloped rows of windage aiming marks spaced apart along a non-horizontal axis;   sensing a line-of-site range to a target while the primary aiming mark is aimed or aligned with the target;   calculate an effective hold point (EHP) range from at least the line-of-sight range; and   display a representation of the EHP range on the reticle.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the ballistic effect compensating reticle display field further comprises a substantially vertical, skewed crosshair, and wherein the downrange aiming points on opposite first and second sides of the substantially vertical, skewed crosshair are asymmetrical to each other. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein lateral distances between the downrange aiming points on the first side of the substantially vertical, skewed crosshair are spaced apart from one another by different lateral distances than the corresponding downrange aiming points on the opposite second side of the substantially vertical, skewed crosshair. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the differences in lateral distances between the downrange aiming points on the first side of the substantially vertical, skewed crosshair and the corresponding downrange aiming points on the opposite second side of the substantially vertical, skewed crosshair increase for downrange aiming points representing higher wind speeds. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the representation of the EHP range comprises a numerical distance displayed on the reticle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the representation of the EHP range comprises illumination of a selected sloped row of the plurality of sloped rows of the windage aiming marks. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the representation of the EHP range comprises highlighting of a selected sloped row of the plurality of sloped rows of the windage aiming marks.