APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR POWERING AN ELECTRONIC WEAPON SIGHT

Abstract

A sight for a handheld weapon includes an electronic component that is powered by a power source. The sight includes an electronic controller and a motion detector. When the sight is moved, the motion detector generates signals and the electronic controller receives the signals. The electronic controller determines whether power should be supplied to the electronic component based on the received signals.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 61/147,069 titled “Apparatus and Method for Powering an Electronic Weapon Sight,” filed on Jan. 23, 2009, which is fully incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The field of the present disclosure relates to regulating power for an electronic weapon sight, specifically, based on movement of the weapon sight.

BACKGROUND

Weapon sights using electronic components, such as an illuminated aiming mark, are well known. Such weapon sights typically use a battery as a source of electrical power to drive a light source, such as a light emitting diode (“LED”) or a laser diode (“LD”), to form the aiming point. It is common for electronic sights to include an on/off switch as a mechanism for controlling whether electrical power is supplied to the light source. Another known arrangement uses a photo-diode to sense ambient light surrounding an electronic sight and adjust the amount of electrical power supplied to the light source based on the ambient light level. An example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,806. Yet other approaches use an inclinometer to sense a weapon's inclination to determine whether electrical power should be supplied to a light source, as in U.S. Pat. No. 7,346,400.

The present inventors have recognized certain disadvantages with current electronic sights. On/off switches require extra time and an extra step of activating the switch when a weapon is picked up and the electronic sight is off. Requiring a user to operate a switch to activate the electronic sight slows down the initial speed with which the weapon and sight combination can be used. If the user picks up a weapon in response to a threatening situation and forgets to activate the switch, or does not have time to activate the switch, the electronic sight is essentially useless as a sighting device at a time when it may most be needed. Another disadvantage associated with an on/off switch is that a user may forget to turn an electronic sight off, thus draining the battery while the weapon is stored or otherwise not used.

The present inventors have also recognized disadvantages with using a photo-diode to regulate the amount of power supplied to a light source. One disadvantage is that the power may be reduced, but not cut-off, when a photo-diode is used. Thus, a battery's life may be extended, but the battery is still supplying electrical power to the light source when a weapon is stored or otherwise not being used. Another disadvantage is that photo-diodes commonly require access to ambient light to operate effectively. If a photo-diode, or an access port in or on an electronic sight body, becomes covered with dirt, lint, water droplets, or other obstructions, the photo-diode may not correctly sense ambient light conditions and may cause the light source to illuminate at too low an illuminance to be well seen.

The present inventors have also recognized disadvantages with using an inclinometer to regulate power supplied to a light source. An inclinometer may be used in an electronic sight to deactivate the light source when the sight, and thus the weapon, is held at a predetermined angular relationship with respect to a reference. Thus, the electronic sight is essentially useless when a weapon user needs to use the weapon in an orientation outside the predetermined angular relationships that dictate when the light source is illuminated.

SUMMARY

The present inventors have recognized disadvantages associated with current electronic sights, and have recognized needs to overcome those disadvantages. Accordingly, embodiments described herein may overcome some or all of the above identified disadvantages, or may address other disadvantages or needs. An exemplary embodiment provides an electronic sight that controls power to an electronic component in response to movement of the electronic sight. Other embodiments may recognize motion patterns, and may control power based on recognizing or not recognizing various motion patterns.

Another exemplary embodiment includes an electronic sight having a body that retains a lens. An electronic controller is attached to the body and includes operative connections to a motion detector and a light source. The light source is used to create or illuminate an aiming point, for example, on the lens, on a transparent substrate or reticle plate, reflected from the lens onto a user's retina or other suitable location, holographically, or projected in front of the sight. A power source, such as a battery, is attached to the body and preferably supplies power to the motion detector and to the light source. The electronic controller receives signals from the motion detector when the motion detector senses that the electronic sight is being moved, and uses the signals from the motion detector to determine whether power should be supplied to the light source. One or more of the received signals from the motion detector may also be used to “wake up” the electronic controller from a low power mode to a full power mode.

An exemplary method for supplying power to a light source in an electronic sight includes generating a motion signal by a motion detector when an electronic sight is moved, receiving such motion signal by an electronic controller, and changing the power consumption of the electronic controller from a low power mode to a normal power mode in response to the received motion signal. Another method further includes the electronic controller providing, or preventing, electric power to flow to the light source based on the received motion signal, or absence thereof.

Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top rear-quarter elevation view of a sight attached to a pistol.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the sight of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cut away view of an electronic controller.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating the connection of electrical components.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of supplying power to an electronic component in a sight.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of another method of supplying power to an electronic component in a sight.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of another method of supplying power to an electronic component in a sight.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of another method of supplying power to an electronic component in a sight.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of another method of supplying power to an electronic component in a sight.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the connection of electrical components including a charging device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments for regulating a power supply to an electronic component in a weapon sight may be implemented in a variety of sight configurations and for a variety of electronic components. Exemplary electronic sights include sights with a light source commonly referred to as reflex sights, laser sights, illuminated reticle sights, holographic sights, and other aiming devices with light sources or other electronic components.

Throughout the disclosure, the term “motion detector” collectively refers to two categories of devices. The first category includes sensors that incorporate or include an electronic processor and generate one or more signals necessarily carrying kinematic information representative of movement, such as magnitude of displacement, velocity, acceleration, direction of movement, direction of acceleration, or any combination of the foregoing. Examples of such devices include piezoelectric accelerometers, motion transducers, micro-electromechanical system (“MEMS”) accelerometers, MEMS gyroscopes, and the like. The electronic processor used in devices of the first category may cooperate with the electronic controller that regulates power to the light source or other electronic device, or may operate independently of the electronic controller that regulates power to the light source or other electronic device.

The second category includes devices that include sensors that generate one or more signals when the sensors are moved, but the signals do not necessarily carry kinematic information. The sensors of this second category of devices are generally operatively connected to an electronic processor, such as a microprocessor or signal processing circuitry, that is configured via programming, hardware, software, or firmware, or any combination of the foregoing, to recognize, receive, or detect motion in response to one or more signals generated in response to movement of the sensor. Examples of sensors used in devices of this second category include photodiodes, phototransistors, and vibration sensors. The electronic processor used in devices of the second category may be integrated with or may be separate from the electronic controller that regulates power to the light source or other electronic device.

Sensors useful in motion detectors may include mechanical, electro-mechanical, electronic, optical, or other suitable devices that create a signal, whether electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, or otherwise, when the sensor is moved. Exemplary sensors include, but are not limited to, accelerometers, including piezoelectric accelerometers, acceleration transducers, motion transducers, ball-tube sensors, vibration sensors, mercury switches, photodiodes, and phototransistors

FIG. 1 illustrates a sight 100 mounted to a pistol 200. Because of the rigid connection between the sight 100 and the pistol 200, when the pistol 200 is moved, the sight 100 is also moved. In other embodiments a sight 100 may be affixed to a different handheld weapon such as, but not limited to, a rifle, bow, or crossbow.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate external and internal components of the sight 100. The sight 100 includes a body, such as housing 1, that supports a lens 5, which is preferably a transparent material that may or may not magnify an image viewed through the lens 5. Alternate embodiments may include a body that supports multiple lenses that have magnification, or other optical properties, or may support no lenses, for example, a laser pointer, a riflescope, or a pin sight for a bow. The sight 100 is fixed to the pistol 200 by screws 10. Other suitable mounting arrangements may be used such as mounting rails (for example, Picatinny or Weaver), or other suitable mechanisms for rigidly securing the sight 100 to the pistol 200. Elevation adjustment screws 15 and windage adjustment screw 45 may be used to alter the relationship between an aiming point generated by a light source 50 and a point of impact of a projectile fired from the pistol 200.

An electronic controller 35 is retained in or on the housing 1, preferably where the electronic controller 35 is substantially protected from the outside environment surrounding the housing 1. The electronic controller 35 may include a number of circuits on a printed circuit board, a microcontroller (with or without firmware), and/or other suitable electronics. The electronic controller 35 is preferably a single device, but alternately may encompass multiple devices. For example, the electronic controller 35 may include a microcontroller operatively coupled to a processor integrated in a motion detector 55 and/or a processor separate from the motion detector 55. The electronic controller 35 operates through hardware, firmware, software, or a combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. A contact 20 electrically connects the electronic controller 35 to a power source, such as a battery 25.

As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the electronic controller 35 is operatively connected to a light source 50 such that the electronic controller regulates or controls the flow of electric power from battery 25 to the light source 50. The light source 50 may include an LED, LD, or other suitable source of illumination. A motion detector 55 is also rigidly attached to or supported on the housing 1, and is operatively connected to and/or in communication with the electronic controller 35. A suitable motion detector 55 preferably includes the model SQ-SEN-200 ball-tube type vibration sensor made by SignalQuest, Inc. of Lebanon, N.H., the design and operation of which are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,326,866. Another suitable motion detector 55 includes the part number LIS331 DLF MEMS digital accelerometer made by STMicroelectronics of Geneva, Switzerland. Other suitable motion detector types are described above. A timer 60 (FIG. 3) may also be operatively connected to the electronic controller 35. For example, timer 60 may be an independent timing circuit operatively coupled to the electronic controller as illustrated in FIG. 3. Alternatively, a timer 60 may be part of the electronic controller 35, for example when the electronic controller 35 includes a microcontroller with an internal clock such as a quartz oscillator. The electronic controller 35, the light source 50, the motion detector 55, and/or the timer 60 are preferably encapsulated in a protective cover 65 (FIG. 3) that protects against environmental conditions and/or shock associated with firearm discharge.

In one embodiment, the electronic controller 35 is preferably connected to a light detector 57, such as a phototransistor, photodiode, or other suitable device. Light level signals generated by the light detector 57 are used by the electronic controller to determine ambient light levels, and the electronic controller 35 adjusts the brightness of the light source 50 in response to the light level signals generated by the light detector 57. For example, the electronic controller 35 sets the brightness of the light source 50 at a relatively high level when a light level signal corresponding to a relatively bright ambient light level is received by the electronic controller 35, while the electronic controller 35 sets the brightness of the light source 50 at a relatively low level when a light level signal corresponding to a relatively low ambient light level is received by the electronic controller 35. Preferably, the brightness of the light source 50 is adjusted to be readily visible in the ambient light. Adjusting the brightness of the light source 50 preferably occurs in conjunction with motion detection and power regulation, described below. Alternately, the light detector 57 is used as an optical motion detector to detect motion and generate motion signals. In other alternate arrangements, the light detector 57 may be used for both motion signal generation and illuminance detection. Motion signals in one embodiment are preferably signals only indicative of motion of the sight 100, that is, signals corresponding to motion of the sight 100, but not carrying any kinematic information regarding such motion. Alternately, motion signals correspond to motion of the sight 100 and also carry kinematic information regarding such motion such as magnitude of displacement, velocity, acceleration, direction of movement, direction of acceleration, or any combination of the foregoing.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment where the motion detector 55 generates motion signals in response to movement of the pistol 200 at step 400. The motion signals may simply represent detected motion by the motion detector 55 that is sufficient to overcome the sensitivity floor (threshold) of the motion detector 55, which is preferably set by the manufacturer and/or adjustable by a user. For example, motion detector 55 detects movement of the pistol 200 in any one of the six degrees of freedom of a Cartesian coordinate system, singularly or in any combination, sufficient to trigger the motion detector 55. For example, one or more model SQ-SEN-200 sensors may be configured as an omnidirectional movement or omnidirectional vibration sensing motion detector. Alternately, the motion detector 55 may include other sensors that determine kinematic information corresponding to movement in any of the six degrees of freedom of a Cartesian coordinate system, singularly or in any combination, of the sight 100, or the motion signal may not carry kinematic information.

The electronic controller 35 is preferably configured to receive or detect motion signals generated by the motion detector 55 via hardware, firmware, or software, singularly or in any combination. In a preferred embodiment, after the electronic controller 35 detects or receives a motion signal at step 405, the electronic controller 35 transitions, or wakes up, from a low power setting to a full power setting at step 410, then establishes a connection between the battery 25 and the light source 50 at step 415, thus causing the light source 50 to generate an aiming mark. Aiming marks generated by the light source 50 may include a single dot, a series of dots, one or more lines, or other suitable marks or images. Generating an aiming mark may instead or in addition include lighting or otherwise enhancing or highlighting existing lines, dots, or other suitable markings, for example, on a transparent disc, of a reticle, of a sighting pin, or other suitable arrangement. The electronic controller 35 may prevent electric power from flowing from the battery 25 to the light source 50 at step 420. For example, electrical power is prevented from flowing from the battery 25 to the light source 50 when no motion signals generated by the motion detector 55 are detected or received by the electronic controller 35, or when no motion signals have been detected or received during a predetermined period of time. Thus, the electronic controller 35 preferably provides power from the battery 25 to the light source 50 during a time period when motion signals are detected or received, for example, in response to movement of the pistol 200.

An alternate embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 5. The motion detector 55 generates motion signals at step 500 when the pistol 200 is moved. The electronic controller 35 detects the motion signals at step 505 and provides power from the battery 25 to the light source 50 at step 510. Alternately, the electronic controller 35 may first “wake up” as illustrated in FIG. 4 prior to providing power from the battery 25 to the light source 50. The electronic controller 35 continues providing power to the light source 50 while motion signals are detected or received, and for a predetermined time measured by the timer 60 or by an internal clock, after the last detected motion signal at step 515. A predetermined time may be in the range of ½ a minute to 60 minutes, and is preferably 30 minutes. Other suitable predetermined time periods may be used.

In other embodiments, the electronic controller 35 may further be configured, through hardware, firmware, software, or a combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware, to recognize patterns exhibited by the motion signals. For example, FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment where a pistol 200 is bumped at step 600 and the motion detector 55 generates one motion signal in response to the bump at step 605. The electronic controller 35 provides power from the battery 25 to the light source 50 upon detecting or receiving the motion signal at step 610. But, if a second motion signal is not detected within a predetermined time period at step 615, for example, 0.25 second, the electronic controller 35 prevents power from flowing from the battery 25 to the light source 50 at step 620.

Alternate programming is illustrated in FIG. 6A. The electronic controller 35 is programmed to recognize motion signal density, in other words, the number of motion signals generated per unit of time. At step 630 the electronic controller 35 detects motion signals. At step 635 the electronic controller 35 determines whether a signal density is at or above a predetermined threshold. At step 640, the electronic controller 35 is set to a low power mode and/or prevents power from flowing from the battery 25 to the light source 50 if the motion signal density is below the predetermined threshold. At step 645, the electronic controller 35 is set to a full power mode, and/or provides power from the battery 25 to the light source 50 if the motion signal density is at or above the predetermined threshold. In an alternate embodiment, the electronic controller 35 remains at a full power mode for a predetermined time period after the motion signal density changes from above the predetermined threshold to below the predetermined threshold and the predetermined time period is reset if the motion signal density rises to or above the predetermined threshold.

For example, a relatively high motion signal density detected by the electronic controller 35 preferably causes the electronic controller 35 to switch from a low power mode to a full power mode, and preferably causes the electronic controller 35 to provide power from the battery 25 to the light source 50. On the other hand, a relatively low motion signal density detected by the controller 35 preferably sets the electronic controller to a low power mode and/or causes the electronic controller 35 to keep the light source 50 without power, or prevents power from flowing from the battery 25 to the light source 50. What is considered a relatively high or relatively low motion signal density will depend on various factors such as environmental conditions, user preference, the type of weapon a sight is attached to, or other suitable factors. One example is to treat detection of 4 or fewer motion signals in a tenth of a second as a relatively low motion signal density and detection of 5 or more motion signals in a tenth of a second as a relatively high motion signal density.

Alternate programming is illustrated in FIG. 7. The electronic controller 35 is programmed to recognize certain patterns exhibited by motion signals and to either supply or not supply power to the light source based on the recognized patterns. Exemplary motion pattern analysis and recognition is discussed in US Patent Publication No. 2008/0175443, which is incorporated herein by reference, and attached as Exhibit A. For example, motion signals are generated by the motion detector 55 at step 700 when the pistol 200 is carried in a holster and the holster wearer is walking. The human gait has discernable characteristics and patterns that may be modeled and recognized. See Motor Patterns for Human Gait: Backwards Versus Forward Locomotion, the Journal of Neurophysiology, Vol. 80 No. 4, October 1998, pp. 1868-1885 (R. Grasso, L. Bianchi, and F. Lacquaniti), which is incorporated herein by reference, and attached as Exhibit B.

In one embodiment, the electronic controller 35 is programmed to recognize a pattern that corresponds to an activity the pistol 200, and thus the sight 100, is undergoing at step 705, for example, when a human is walking with the pistol 200. At step 710, the electronic controller determines a sight motion status based on the recognized pattern, for example, whether the pistol 200 is in a holster. If the electronic controller 35 recognizes that the pistol 200 is being carried in a holster by a walking human at step 710, the electronic controller 35 preferably prevents power from flowing from the battery 25 to the light source 50 at step 715. On the other hand, if the electronic controller 35 recognizes a pattern exhibited by the motion signals associated with the pistol 200 being out of a holster while a human is walking at step 710, the electronic controller 35 provides power from the battery 25 to the light source 50 at step 715. A wide range of patterns associated with various human activities may be recognized by the electronic controller 35. Depending on the activity, the electronic controller may be programmed to supply or not supply electrical power to an electronic component when a pattern associated with an activity is recognized, or alternately is not recognized.

Alternately, the electronic controller 35 may provide power from the battery 25 to the light source 50 when the electronic controller 35 does not recognize any pattern exhibited by the motion signals. For example, the electronic controller 35 may be programmed to recognize a pattern associated with a pistol 200 being carried in a holster, and to prevent power from flowing from the battery 25 to the light source 50 when such a pattern is recognized. If motion signals are detected, and a pattern associated with a pistol 200 being carried in a holster is not recognized, the electronic controller 35 is preferably programmed to provide power from the battery 25 to the light source 50. Thus, certain embodiments may define specific instances, that is, motion patterns, when power should not be supplied to the light source 50 and designate that other detected motion causes power to be supplied to the light source.

Depending on motion and kinematics associated with various weapons and environments in which different weapons are typically used, different motion patterns may be exhibited by the motion signals and recognized by the electronic controller 35. Each pattern, or groups of patterns, may be associated with the electronic controller 35 supplying power to the light source 50 or not supplying power to the light source 50.

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate embodiment where, at step 810, the electronic controller 35 records motion signals generated by the motion detector 55 at step 800. The electronic controller 35 is programmed to recognize a pattern that is the same, or similar, to a pattern exhibited by the recorded motion signals by comparing future motion signals against the recorded motion signals. Recognizing patterns in signals related to motion is discussed in Flexible Signature Descriptions For Adaptive Motion Trajectory Representation, Perception And Recognition, Pattern Recognition, Vol. 42, Issue 1, January 2009, pp. 194-214, Shandong Wu and Y. F. Li, which is hereby incorporated by reference, and attached as Exhibit C. One pattern may be similar to another pattern based on point-to-point differences that fall within a predetermined tolerance; best fit, B-spline, or other curve matching algorithm; motion perception analysis; motion signature matching; cluster signature analysis; or other suitable technique.

The electronic controller 35 is also preferably programmed with a learning mode to learn patterns corresponding to signals at step 820. For example, the electronic controller 35 learns patterns corresponding to signals by correlating recorded, and thus future recognized, patterns of signals with either a power on or a power off condition. In one embodiment, the sight 100 includes two buttons 70 and 75. Pressing the button 70 at step 800, moving the pistol 200, and thus the sight 100, at step 805, recording the motion signals at step 810, then pressing the button 70 again at step 815 causes the electronic controller 35 to detect and record signals generated by the motion detector 50 between the two presses of the button 70. Because button 70 was used to record the motion signals, the electronic controller 35 correlates the recorded signals, and thus patterns corresponding to the recorded signals, with a power on condition at step 820. Future signals are generated at step 825 and detected at step 830. At step 835 the electronic controller 35 recognizes a pattern corresponding to the signals detected at step 830 that is identical, or similar, to the pattern recorded at step 810. The electronic controller 35 provides electric current to the light source 50 at step 840 in response to the comparison of the pattern corresponding to the signals generated at step 825 to the pattern corresponding to the signals recorded at step 805.

In a similar manner, the electronic controller 35 learns patterns of signals correlating to a power off condition. For example, the button 75 is used at steps 800 and 815 to teach the electronic controller 35 patterns corresponding to signals that are correlated with a power off condition. Alternate suitable arrangements, including a single button on the sight 100 or a remote control, for teaching the electronic controller 35 which patterns corresponding to signals are correlated with power on conditions and which patterns corresponding to signals are correlated with power off conditions may be used.

An alternate embodiment including an on-board charging device 58 for recharging the battery 25 is illustrated in FIG. 9. The on-board charging device 58 may be a piezoelectric device that transforms mechanical movement into electrical energy to recharge a discharged battery, such as a monolithic piezoceramic material lead-zirconate-titanate device, a bimorph Quick Pack actuator, or a macro-fiber composite device. Such an on-board charging device 58 may be operatively connected to the battery 25 through the electronic controller 35, or may be operatively connected directly to the battery 25. In certain embodiments, the motion detector 55 may include a piezoelectric device for detecting motion, and the motion detector 55 that includes a piezoelectric device may also serve as the charging device 58. Alternately, the on-board charging device 58 may include a photovoltaic (PV) device that transforms light energy into electrical energy, for example, a thin-film PV device or a silicon based PV device. Other suitable charging devices may be used.

It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. Preferred embodiments are described above with reference to FIGS. 1-9, but the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A sighting device for a handheld weapon comprising:

a body;

a motion detector attached to the body, wherein the motion detector is configured to generate motion signals in response to movement of the sighting device;

an electronic component;

a power source for supplying electric current to the electronic component; and

an electronic controller operatively coupled to (a) the motion detector and (b) the electronic component, wherein the electronic controller is configured to receive motion signals generated by the motion detector and is further configured to provide electric current to flow from the power source to the electronic component in response to receiving motion signals from the motion detector.

2. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component includes a light source.

3. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 1, further comprising:

a timer operatively coupled to the electronic controller;

wherein the electronic controller is further configured to determine when a predetermined time period elapses after receiving a motion signal from the motion detector;

wherein the electronic controller is further configured to provide electric current to flow from the power source to the electronic component during the predetermined time period; and

wherein the electronic controller is further configured to prevent electric current from flowing to the electronic component in response to not receiving a second motion signal from the motion detector during the predetermined time period.

4. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 3, wherein:

the electronic controller is further configured to restart determining when the predetermined time period elapses in response to receiving a second motion signal from the motion detector during the predetermined time period; and

the electronic controller is further configured to prevent electric current from flowing to the electronic component in response to not receiving a third motion signal from the motion detector during the restarted predetermined time period.

5. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic controller is further configured to determine signal information from a motion signal received from the motion detector;

the electronic controller is further configured to compare the signal information to a signal threshold; and

the electronic controller is further configured to control the flow of electric current to the electronic component in response to comparing the signal information to the signal threshold.

6. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 5, wherein

the electronic controller is configured to determine signal information including a magnitude of acceleration; and

the signal threshold includes a threshold magnitude of acceleration.

7. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 5, further comprising:

a timer operatively connected to the electronic controller;

wherein the signal threshold includes a threshold signal density;

wherein the electronic controller is further configured to determine (a) an elapsed time and (b) the signal information including a signal density based on the elapsed time and a total number of the motion signals received during the elapsed time;

wherein the electronic controller is further configured to provide electric current to flow to the electronic component in response to comparing the signal density to the threshold signal density and determining the signal density is at or above the threshold signal density; and

wherein the electronic controller is further configured to prevent electric current from flowing to the electronic component in response to comparing the signal density to the threshold signal density and determining the signal density is below the threshold signal density.

8. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic controller is further configured to recognize a pattern in the motion signals; and

the electronic controller is further configured to control the flow of electric current from the power source to the electronic component in response to recognizing the pattern in the motion signals.

9. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 8, wherein:

the electronic controller is further configured to prevent electric current from flowing to the electronic component in response to recognizing the pattern in the motion signals; and

the electronic controller is further configured to provide electric current to flow to the electronic component in response to not recognizing the pattern in the motion signals.

10. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 8, wherein:

the electronic controller is configured to learn the pattern by recording motion signals received from the motion detector during a first time period and correlating the recorded motion signals to a power on condition or to a power off condition for the electronic component.

11. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 9, wherein the pattern corresponds to carrying the sighting device attached to a handgun in a handgun holster.

12. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 1, further comprising a charging device operatively connected to the power source for recharging the power source.

13. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 1, wherein the motion detector includes a piezoelectric device and the motion detector also functions as a charging device for recharging the power source.

14. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic controller includes a low power mode and a full power mode;

in the low power mode, the electronic controller is further configured to monitor for motion signals generated by the motion detector; and

the electronic controller is further configured to switch from the low power mode to the full power mode in response to receiving a motion signal generated by the motion detector.

15. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 14, further comprising a light detector operatively coupled to the electronic controller for generating light level signals corresponding to ambient light levels; and

wherein the electronic component includes a light source; and

wherein the electronic controller is further configured to receive the light level signals and adjust a brightness of the light source in response to the light level signals.

16. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 1, wherein the motion detector includes a ball-tube sensor.

17. A sighting device for a handheld weapon according to claim 1, wherein the motion detector includes a MEMS accelerometer.

18. A sighting device for a handheld weapon comprising:

motion detecting means for generating signals in response to movement of the sighting device;

electronic means for performing a sighting device function;

power source means for supplying electric current to the electronic means; and

controller means operatively coupled to (a) the motion detecting means and (b) the electronic means for controlling electric current to the electronic means.

19. A method for supplying power to an electronic component in a handheld weapon sight, comprising:

detecting motion of the handheld weapon sight; and

controlling the flow of electric current from a power source to the electronic component based on the detected motion of the handheld weapon sight.

20. A method for supplying power to an electronic component in a handheld weapon sight according to claim 19, wherein controlling the flow of electric current from a power source to the electronic component includes providing electric current to the electronic component in response to the detected motion of the handheld weapon sight.

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)