Patents by Inventor Herbert C. Towle

Herbert C. Towle has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4923402
    Abstract: The invention is a marksmanship trainer that can accommodate a plurality of trainees. The trainer includes a long range light pen to measure sighting accuracy and tracking steadiness. It is set with the sight of a simulated or operational weapon, and achieves resolution to the pixel level by using telescope optics and special purpose circuitry in addition to its computer board. Each trainee is provided with a raster scan display and a computer that provide a target image and corrective feedback to the trainee. Bridge configured dual strain gauges are used to sense breathing, and a force sensing resistor is used to monitor trigger squeeze. Recoil is simulated mechanically, and a simulated report of the weapon is provided through a headset. The feedback of corrective action is provided aurally/graphically from a stored expert library.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Albert H. Marshall, Robert T. McCormack, Edward J. Purvis, Ronald S. Wolff, Herbert C. Towle
  • Patent number: 4439156
    Abstract: A training device for simulated anti-armor weapons system utilizes a microcessor system to perform a number of functions including solving dynamic flight equations of a simulated missile and determining the gunner's aiming error. A miniature terrain board having a miniature target with an infrared source provides the aim point for a gunner using a simulated weapon launcher. An infrared sensing device mounted in the weapon provides input to the microprocessor while a CCTV provides an instructor with a gunner's view. Sound, visibility, and recoil associated with weapons use are simulated by peripheral devices under the control of the microprocessor. The gunner's aiming error and view are displayed in real time on an instructor's console which provides for instructor input and recording of gunner performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Albert H. Marshall, Herbert C. Towle, Gary M. Bond, Bon F. Shaw
  • Patent number: 4340370
    Abstract: A linear motion and pop-up target training system is disclosed for training a marksman to fire a simulated weapon. Located upon the terrain surface of a modelboard are six pop-up targets and three bi-directional linear motion targets, each of which emits, when activated by a first microprocessor computer, a pulsed beam of infrared light. Mounted upon the weapon is a sensor which will sense the pulsed beam of infrared light emitted by the activated target. The sensor then supplied to a rifle electronics circuit an analog signal proportional to the amount of light received by the sensor, and the rifle electronics circuit converts the analog signal to a digital logic signal to be supplied to a second microprocessor computer. The second microprocessor computer then processes the digital logic signal in accordance with a predetermined computer program so as to determine whether the marksman has scored a hit, a miss, or a near miss upon the activated target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1982
    Inventors: Albert H. Marshall, Bon F. Shaw, Paul D. Grimmer, Herbert C. Towle, Gary M. Bond
  • Patent number: 4336018
    Abstract: An electro-optic infantry weapons training system for simulating the firing f a quintet of weapons at a visual target which appears upon a screen. A quintet of trainee riflemen, each of whom is holding a weapon, aim and fire the weapons at the visual target. A visual projector projects upon the screen a background scene including the visual target, while an infrared projector simultaneously projects upon the screen an infrared target. Each weapon includes a sensor element for sensing the infrared target whenever the weapon is correctly aimed at the visual target. The sensor elements are connected in a unique combination with sensor circuits, enable circuits, and an interface circuit so as to provide to a microprocessor computer and an eight-bit microcomputer data words which indicate whether each of the quintet of trainee riflemen have scored a hit upon the visual target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1982
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Albert H. Marshall, Bon F. Shaw, Herbert C. Towle, Thomas J. Riordan, George A. Siragusa
  • Patent number: 4290757
    Abstract: A weapons simulator for training a marksman on an anti-armor weapon. The pons simulator includes first and second broadcasting means for projecting on a reflective display screen a background scene, a visual target, and an infrared target spot in alignment with the visual target, and a two-axis laser spot positioning servo system for moving the aligned visual target and infrared target spot upon the reflective display screen. A matrix detector mounted within the weapon will sense the position of the infrared target spot upon the reflective display screen whenever the marksman fires the weapon, and then supply to a microprocessor computer digital information indicative of the position of the infrared target spot upon the reflective display screen. The microprocessor computer, in turn, processes the digital information so as to determine whether the marksman has scored a hit, a miss, or near miss upon the visual target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Albert H. Marshall, Herbert C. Towle
  • Patent number: 4240212
    Abstract: A technique for simulating the thermal appearance of objects. Electrical rgy is applied to conductive material that is attached to a mounting surface shaped in the form of the selected object. The conductive material is placed to simulate the radiation pattern that the object has been shown to demonstrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1980
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Albert H. Marshall, Bon F. Shaw, George A. Siragusa, Herbert C. Towle