Historical Document · 1983
Filed 1980-06-16. A raster-timing light gun that reports the hit position, with an infrared link back to the console.
I United States Patent [191 [111 4,395,045 Baer [45] Jul. 26, 1983 [54] [75] TELEVISION PRECISION TARGET 4,068,847 1/1978 Lukkarila et a]. .............. .. 273/85 G SHOOTING APPARATUS AND METHOD 4,086,711 5/1978 Gammarino et a1. . 4,111,421 9/1978 Mierzwinski ................... .. 273/85 G 4,126,851 11/1978 Okor . . . . . . . . . . Inventor: . Ralph H. Baer, Manchester, NH. _ . [73] Asslgnee' 4,177,462 12/1979 gage“ Asswates’ Inc" Nashua’ ...... .. 434/22 . . . .. 273/DIG. 28 Chung 273/DIG. 28 4,210,329 7/1980 Steiger et a1. ..................... .. 273/313 , Primary Examiner-Vance Y. Hum [21] Appl' No" 159’530 Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Louis Etlinger; Richard I. [22] Filed: Seligman Jun. 16, 1980 Int. (21.3 .............................................. .. [52] 22 US. Cl. .................................. .. 273/312; 273/313; 273/DIG_ 28; 434no; 434/22 [58] ABSTRACT _ _ _ _ Simulated shootmg at displayed Images on the screen of Field of Search ................... .. 273/85 G, 310-316, a television receiver using an “tethered, simulated gun 273/DIG. 28; 358/93; 364/410; 340/323-325; 434/20, 22, 21 . References Clted U-S- PATENT DOCUMENTS provides indication on the screen of where the gun was pointed at the time of trigger pull. This is achieved by ?ashing the screen white subsequent a trigger pull in order that a photosensor within the gun will be respon sive to short segments of horizontal raster lines such Re. 28,507 10/1975 Rausch ..................... .. 273/DIG. 28 that by counting vertical lines and time intervals with Re. 28,598 10/ 1975 2,502,834 4/1950 respect to vertical and horizontal synchronization pulses, respectively, identi?cation of where on the screen the gun was pointing is achieved, permitting a symbol to be displayed upon the screen at that location. [56] 3:829:09?) 8/1974 3,964,178 6/1976 4,053,740 10/1977 13 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures TRIGGER '1 ELECTRONICS 34 24 46 3a A‘ CONTROLLER AND / 54 LOGIC SECTION CHARACTER VIDEO DlSPLAY, ' GENERATOR GENERATOR / / 56 53: US. Patent Jul. 26, 1983 Sheet 1of7 4,395,045 32 26 % so 40 ‘j f- TRIGGER \L ELECTRONICS \ 44 2O )2 46 ‘\ 34 33 CONTROLLER AND K’ LOGIC 54 SECTION 64 CHARACTER GENERATOR VIDEO DISPLAY GENERATOR / / 56 58 66 / .US. Patent Jul. 26, 1983 Sheet 2 of7 3> 4,395,045 B1 US. Patent Jul. 26, 1983 Sheet 3 of7 4,395,045 /9o /94 99 96 ‘l-l/98 US. Patent Jul. 26, 1983 Sheet4 of7 4,395,045 5],] .1 | FIG.5 US. Patent E Jul. 26, 1983- EMPDQEOOKQE Sheet 5 of7 4,395,045 US. Patent ( Jul. 26, 1983 START SET - FULL Sheet 6 of7 4,395,045 ) /|6O SCREEN GRAPHICS CLEAR ,-|62 SCREEN INITIALIZE /Is4 HIGH SPEED RIFLE BOARD FLASH CRT A72 SCREEN WHITE CALL RIFLE SUBROUTINE TO .LL COMP PULSES '92 LOW RESOLUTION COORDINATES j TURN PLOT A WHITE A94 DOT AT H LOC I AND Y LOC 2 F|G.7 OFF WHITE SCREEN FUNCTION FIG.8 A76 US. Patent! Jul. 26, 1983 Sheet 7 of7 4,395,045 LOOK FOR 4 VSYNC PULSES ISSUE HREAD COMMAND ISSUE VREAD COMMAND TO /|93 INITIALIZE RIFLE INTERFACE /'84 STORE HREAD /|ee DATA IN LOC | ISSUE VREAD / I88 COMMAND STORE VREAD DATA IN LOC 5 FIG. 9 I90 4,395,045 I 2 The system further puts up on the screen of the televi sion receiver an indication, such as a bright spot, where TELEVISION PRECISION TARGET SHOOTING APPARATUS AND METHOD the gun was pointing. By viewing the screen the user can now determine readily if in fact a “hit” or miss was BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 achieved and how close to the target was the “hit”, which will permit the user on subsequent “?rings” to This invention relates to television games and train realign the gun to improve capability at target shooting. ing systems and more particularly to television target shooting games and training systems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Television games providing photosensitive guns ca The above-mentioned and other features and objects pable of sensing large, bright target symbols on the of this invention will become. more apparent by refer screen of a television receiver are well known and dis ence to the following description taken into conjunction closed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,599,221; 3,728,480; 3,829,095; with the accompanying drawings, in which: Re. 28,507 and Re. 28,598, all assigned to the assignee of FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a television precision the present application. All of the target shooting games of the above-men 15 target shooting system according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the target shooting sys tioned patents provide for the display of a distinct target tem of FIG. 1; spot on the screen of a television receiver which when FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the electronics em imaged on a gunmounted, electro-optical sensor results ployed in the gun for the television target shooting in a series of output pulses indicating that the gun was system of FIGS. 1 and 2; indeed lined up properly with the target and, therefore, FIG. 4 is a number of waveforms illustrating the a “hit” had been scored. None of these systems at operation of the system of FIGS. 1 and 2; tempted to show the user just where he was aiming FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the infrared data when he pulled the trigger preceding a miss or for that receiver of the system of FIGS. 1 and 2; matter how closely to the center of the target on screen 25 he was aiming when he made a “hit”. ' Furthermore, all of these systems require relatively bright target spots, and if the targets are relatively dark FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a video electronics unit which may be used in place of that set forth in FIG. 2 of the drawings; and FIGS. 7 through 9 are ?ow charts of the program it is difficult for the electro-optical sensor to detect the employed by the microcomputer used in the embodi fact that a “hit” has been made. 30 ment of FIG. 6. These systems are further limited by the fact that the ri?e is attached via a cable to some portion of the sys DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS tem limiting the mobility of the user in target shooting practice. Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved means of shooting at displayed illustrated thereby one embodiment of a target shooting images on a television screen. presently being sold wherein a player, using a simulated video system. This system is similar to video games It is another object of this invention to permit shoot ri?e, aims the ri?e at a symbol (target) displayed on a ing at a simulated target, displayed on a television television receiver; “shoots” at the symbol; and if his screen, which may be relatively dark so as not to offer 40 ri?e is aligned properly with such symbol, then an elec suf?cient brightness to allow its detection by practical electro-optic sensing means. tro-optical sensor within the ri?e will receive light from the displayed symbol indicating that a “hit” has been It is a further object of this invention to enable the made. The primary difference of this system from those user to “shoot” at a target displayed on a television 'of the prior art video games is that in addition to indicat screen and have the impact point of the “projectile” 45 ing when “hits” are made, this system also indicates on displayed on the screen whether or not the target was in fact “hit”. It is yet another object of this invention to allow free standing, untethered operation of a simulated gun for a television target shooting system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Brie?y, a target shooting system, for playing games and/or for training, is provided which employsan un the screen where the user was pointing his ri?e when he “?red” it, whether or not he made a “hit”. By using the techniques employed in this video shooting system, the point on the video screen where the user was pointing is 50 indicated, thus, displaying “hits” and “misses”. The primary elements of this embodiment include a television receiver 10 having displayed on the screen 11 thereof a target symbol 12. While a television receiver is described as the preferred display in this embodiment, tethered gun having an electro-optical sensor contained 55 the invention also contemplates the substitution thereof therein to “shoot” at images displayed on a television of a television monitor wherein video signals would be screen. The electrical output from the gun is applied to applied to the monitor rather than RF signals as in the a video electronic system such as a video game or per television receiver embodiment. The system also in sonal computer by an infrared transmitting subsystem. cludes an actual but modi?ed ri?e or a simulated or The system does not require a displayed bright target 60 (toy) ri?e 14 which the user employs to “shoot” at the as in prior art systems since upon receiving acknowl target symbol 12 displayed on the television receiver edgement that the user has pulled the trigger of the gun, screen 11. In this embodiment, ri?e 12 includes an elec it causes brightening of the screen whereby the gun detects a portion of one or more raster scan lines from tro-optical sensor 16 which is responsive to light re ceived from the screen 11 of the television receiver. the white screen. In conjunction with synchronization 65 Sensor 16 is preferably positioned within and coaxial signals, this information is used to calculate where the with the barrel of the ri?e 14 and, preferably, near the gun was pointed at the time of “?ring” such that not only are “hits” indicated by the system but also misses. breach end thereof. Ri?e 14 also includes an electronic pulse ampli?er 18 and a trigger and associated switch 3 4,395,045 4 20. An infrared (IR) transmitter 22 is also located on the Upon receipt of the trigger-pull signal along line 62, ri?e. Lastly, the ri?e includes a power source such as a the controller and logic section 54 causes an unblanking of the television screen via line 64. When this occurs, the electro-optical sensor 16 will “see” a bright screen area, which will cause it to output a series of pulses battery 24. The system further includes an IR data receiver 26 having a photo-responsive element 28 thereon which is adapted to receive signals from the IR transmitter 22. A video electronics unit 30 receives its inputs from the IR data receiver 26 and applies an output to the television receiver 10, by way of connection 32 in conventional fashion, and supplies symbology for display on the screen of the television receiver. Video electronics unit 30 is typically a video game. However, other embodi ments thereof will be described hereinafter. (corresponding to several raster scan-line portions si multaneously within its ?eld of view). These pulses are applied to the video electronics unit 38 via ampli?er 40, circuit 42, ampli?er 46, photodiode transmitter 22, pho totransistor 28 and ampli?er 52. The leading edge of these pulses identi?es the horizontal position of the area imaged by the ri?e-mounted electro-optical sensor 16. For example, if the ri?e is pointed at the center of the screen of receiver 10, the output pulses from ampli?er Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, there is 40 will occur approximately 25 microseconds after hori shown in greater detail a block diagram of the overall zontal sync has occurred. The video electronics unit is target shooting system. In addition to the television arranged to count, for example, from 1 to 100 in one receiver 10, the system includes three major electronic half microsecond intervals. It can therefore identify and subsystems: the ri?e electronics 34, the infrared data store the number of 0.5 microsecond intervals that have receiver 36 and the video electronics unit 38. The ri?e electronics 34 includes an electro-optical 20 elapsed since the last horizontal sync pulse, and there fore, provide a numerical horizontal position value for sensor 16, such as a photodiode, the output from which the position on the screen where the ri?e was pointing. is supplied to an ampli?er 40. The output from ampli?er This counting function is essentially the same as that 40 is applied to a circuit 42 as one input thereto. Also contained as part of the ri?e electronics is the trigger switch 20 coupled to trigger electronics circuit 44 and having an output to the circuit 42. The output from circuit 42 is coupled to a current ampli?er 46. Circuit 42 permits a trigger-pull signal to be applied to current employed to increment and store scores as is accom plished in every video game. The numerical value is temporarily stored. Simultaneously the video electron ics unit 38 receives vertical sync via line 66 from the video display generator. This sync signal starts a counter which keeps track of which number line is ampli?er 46 which is coupled to IR transmitter 22, but 30 being displayed. The “hit” signal from line 62 stops this inhibits ampli?er 40 developed outputs from exciting counter. Thus, the place where the ri?e was pointing is transmitter 22 unless preceded by a trigger pull. A resis determined both horizontally and vertically to within a tor 48 is employed to limit the peak pulse current l to 2% accuracy. Note that ?ashing the screen of the through the IR transmitter 22. The resistor 48 thus television receiver for one ?eld or frame appears to determines (to a large extent) the range over which produce a very brief ?ash which for aesthetic purposes reliable infrared data communications can be obtained. can be looked upon as the muzzle ?ash of the ri?e. By way of example, a demonstration unit constructed in Both coordinates of the portion of the screen the ri?e accordance with the teachings of this invention, permits was pointed at are now known to at least within 2 to an eight foot distance between the IR transmitter 22 and 5%. Accordingly, the video electronics unit outputs a the IR sensor 28 when the peak current of the diode 22 40 symbol within this area on the screen where the ri?e is approximately 300 milliamperes. was pointed indicating “hits” or “misses”. In addition to the phototransistor 28 the IR data re Furthermore, if a hit was made on a moving target ceiver includes a resistor 50 and an ampli?er 52. whose position is known at all times, the video electron The remaining portions of the system comprise a ics unit can calculate the direction and amount of the video game including a controller and logic section 54, 45 target’s motion, add these to the horizontal and vertical a character generator 56 and a video display generator position information (coordinates) obtained above and 58 for formatting the information to be displayed into keep the “hit” mark in place on the moving target raster scan con?guration. The output signal from the within a reasonable degree of accuracy. This feature of video display generator 58 is applied to television re obtaining the coordinates of a moving target is not part ceiver 10 via a connecting line 60. 50 of this invention, but rather is disclosed in US. Patent The IR signals from the photodiode 22 to the photo transistor 28 are ampli?ed and applied to the controller and logic section 54 of the video electronics unit 38. Each time the trigger switch 20 of the ri?e 14 is actu Application Ser. No. 090,830, ?led Nov. 1, 1979, now US. Pat. No. 4,359,223, for an Interactive Video Play back System. Referring now to FIG. 3 of the 'drawings, there is ated, an output pulse is generated which is applied to 55 illustrated thereby a schematic diagram of the elec tronic circuitry built into the ri?e 14. The circuitry of the photodiode 22 and transmitted to phototransistor FIG. 3 corresponds to the ri?e electronics 34 of FIG. 2 28. The ?rst pulse received by phototransistor 28 and and includes electro-optical sensor 16, which is coupled applied to the video electronics unit 38 via a line 62 will to ampli?er 40. The output of ampli?er 40 is applied to be recognized as an actuation of trigger 20. If desired, this pulse can be used to increment a numerical display 60 logic inverters 68 and 70. The output from inverter 70 is on the screen of television receiver 10 which represents the number of rounds ?red. This number would be generated in the same manner in which video games normally generate and display scores and other numer coupled to a one-shot multivibrator 72. The circuit further includes the trigger switch 20 and a reset switch 74 coupled to a set-reset-?ip-?op (latch) 76. The output of latch 76 isapplied to a differentiating als on the screen of a television receiver. The numeral 65 circuit 78 and inverter 79, the output from which is applied to a pair of one-shot multivibrators 80 and 82. would be produced by character generator 56 and for matted for raster scan display by video display genera One-shot 80 is coupled to a NAND gate 84 having as a tor 58 in conventional fashion. second input thereto the output from one-shot 72. 5 4,395,045 6 NAND gate 84 is coupled to a NAND gate 86 having as a second input thereto the output from one-shot 82. The trigger 20 when the raster is scanned near the bottom of the screen of the television receiver. Waveform C output of NAND gate 86 is applied to the infrared emit ting diode 22 via a transistor ampli?er 46. Power is derived from battery 24 via a voltage regulator 25. Electro-optical sensor 16, when aimed at the screen shows the resultant 250 microsecond pulses 95 from the output of the one-shot multivibrator 82 while waveform D shows the 30 millisecond gate generated by one-shot of the television receiver 10, subtends a screen area of waveform E) are passed. approximately one-half inch by one-half inch by virtue of its location, in one embodiment, at the end of a barrel with a length of 24 inches and a bore of 0.2 inches, while the rifle to screen distance is approximately 4 to 5 feet. Ampli?er 40 raises the output of the sensor 16 to rail-to-rail levels when raster scan line segments of rea 80 during which optical pulses 98 and 99 (shown in . The video electronics system 38 “looks” for a “high” signal from the line 62, FIG. 2, (which corresponds to the signal from one-shot 82 of FIG. 3). Then it “knows” that the trigger has just been depressed. The system is then cycled to wait until the next vertical ?eld before it again “looks” at the output of the IR receiver 26. Then sonable brightness are viewed by it. The logic inverters during this next ?eld if a bright target has been imaged 68 and 70 square up the waveform and the output there 5 onto the ri?e optics a signal from flip-?op 72 will be from triggers one-shot multivibrator 72, which outputs received by the IR receiver, detected and presented to a pulse of roughly 600 microseconds wide, that is, wide the video electronic system. While signal 98 (waveform E of FIG. 4) will be ignored, signal 99 will be recog enough to produce a logic “1” (high) output (when nized as a target signal. The video electronics system triggered by the upper raster scan line segment viewed by the photodiode 16) which will last longer than the successive (l or 2 microseconds wide) bursts resulting meanwhile has been counting predetermined intervals from the 10 or 20 raster line segments in view by the what interval the received optical pulse has arrived. starting with horizontal sync and therefore “knows” at Thus, horizontal target location is identi?ed. In addi tion, as described earlier, the video electronic system to have a rise time of less than a microsecond. Since the 25 continuously monitors the number of horizontal lines scanned in each vertical interval (after vertical sync visible horizontal line raster scan time is approximately pulse starts). Hence it also “knows” the vertical position 50 microseconds, the determination of the time interval of the target. between horizontal sync and the leading edge of the Referring now to FIG. 5, there is illustrated thereby signal from the one-shot 72 can ?x its position on the a schematic diagram of the IR receiver 36. It comprises screen (with respect to its left edge) to within 2%. a photodiode 28, the output from which is coupled to 3 When transistor ampli?er 46 is turned on, it energizes stages of transconductance ampli?er pairs 100, 102 and the IR emitting diode 48. 104. The output of the last pair is applied to a biased When the rifle is ?rst used, reset switch 74 is de diode 106 and then to a dc coupled ampli?er 108 and pressed momentarily. This sets latch 76 to its initial emitter follower 110. state. At that time one-shot 80 is also in its resting condi The transconductance ampli?er pairs 100, 102 and tion such that the output thereof is low and inhibits 104 raise the signals from the photodiode 28 to a level NAND gate 84 from passing any output pulses from the sufficient to result in rail-to-rail square pulses. The bi one-shot 72 that might result from pointing the ri?e at ased diode 106 clips off base line noise and then passes bright portions of the screen. When the trigger 20 is sensor 16. The output of the circuit of FIG. 3 has been measured pulled, closing the switch, the latch 76 is toggled which 40 the pulses through the ampli?er 108 and emitter fol lower 110. This results in clean output logic level signal outputs a positive going transition via differentiating network 78 to inverter 79. The output from inverter 79 then goes negative brie?y, triggering one-shot 82, the pulses with rise and fall times of less than 1 microsec ond. These pulses are inputted to the video electronics system as described above which recognizes trigger and output from which goes “low” for approximately 2.5 microseconds and pulls one of NAND gate 86’s inputs 45 target pulses based on pulse width (duration) and/or real time occurrence, and subsequently records “hits” low for that period of time. This is a period roughly or “misses” by indicating the exact position on the equal to 2% of a ?eld interval. The negative pulse out screen of the television receiver at which the rifle was put from inverter 79 also triggers one-shot multivibra pointed and, accordingly, occasions the generation of a tor 80 which develops a “high” output lasting for ap proximately 30 milliseconds (or a little less than two 50 spot or other symbol on the screen of the television receiver at that position. ?elds). It is during this period that pulses from the one An alternate embodiment of the present invention shot multivibrator 72, derived from the action of the employs a standard personal computer instead of the photodiode circuit, can pass through NAND gate 84 video electronic system 38. The computer provides all which goes “low” during optical signal outputs from of the functions of the video electronic system including the one-shot multivibrator 72. This causes NAND gate generation of the required synchronization pulses, 86 output to go “high” driving transistor 46 into satura screen unblanking pulse, video display generator cir tion and causing the IR emitting diode 48 to emit an other 250 microseconds wide pulse whose leading edge then provides the information required for horizontal cuitry and the character generator capability. The only problem in employing standard personal computers for target location, as described hereinbefore. this application is the fact that they are relatively slow and cannot be used at the present time to keep track of raster line numbers and (horizontal) incremental line FIG. 4 of the drawings illustrates the operation of the circuit of FIG. 3. Waveform A represents the vertical intervals. Consequently, a hard wired high speed circuit board is employed in conjunction with the personal waveform B represents typical points in time when trigger switch 20 might be activated during a particular 65 computer. That portion of the system, the high speed circuit ?eld. Pulse 92 of waveform B represents activation of synchronization timing signal comprising pulses 90 and the trigger near the top of the screen of television re ceiver 10 while pulse 94 represents activation of the board and the personal computer, is shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings. The circuit comprises a personal com 4,395,045 7 puter ‘120, a horizontal counter 122, a vertical counter 124, a trigger latch 126 and a position latch 128. The FIG. 8 ?ashed the screen white it enabled the position latch 128 to monitor position pulses via line 141 coming from the IR Receiver 36. If a position pulse is received personal computer generates the horizontal and vertical synchronization signals which are applied to the hori zontal and vertical counters, respectively, via lines 130 and 132. A clock signal from computer 120 is applied to ing function: it latches the current content of the hori zontal counter 122 and the vertical counter 124; it also the horizontal counter at the clock input thereto via a line 134. This is the internal clock for the computer been received and latched. via line 141, the position latch 128 performs the follow informs the microcomputer that a position pulse has which is typically 4 times chroma frequency or approxi mately 14 MHz. The clock input for the vertical Referring again to the ?ow chart of FIG. 9; the ?ow takes the yes branch from step 182 and a step 184 issues an H (or X) read command and stores data from the horizontal counter in a ?rst location at step 186. The ?ow then at step 188 issues a V (or Y) read command and at step 190 stores the information in another loca counter 124 is received from the carry output of the horizontal counter 122 via a line 136. The carry output occurs at the normal horizontal line rate. Counter 124 can accumulate counts up to 263 lines and counter 122 can identify up to 364 time elements along any horizon tal sweep interval. tion. At this point in time the ?ow branches to a new position shown in FIG. 7. In step 192 thereof the H read and the V read data are converted to the microcom The trigger latch 126 receives as the input thereto, via line 138, the output from the infrared data receiver 36. This signal is also applied to one input of position latch 128. The second input to position latch 128 is a signal puter’s low resolution coordinates and are plotted at step 194. The call is then made to the ri?e subroutine via path 196 where a loop is performed on subsequent trig ger pulses. along line 140 indicating the ?ashing of the display screen after the trigger pull. The output of the trigger Referring again to FIG. 9, if a position pulse was not received and latched in position latch, then the software latch 126 is applied as one input to the computer 120 via ‘line 142. The output of position latch 128 is likewise applied to the computer 120 via line 144 and also ap plied to the vertical and horizontal counters 124 and 122 NO branch is taken, and at step 198 a V read command is issued which reinitializes the ri?e interface and soft ware branches to the ri?e subroutine of FIG. 8 to look for subsequent trigger pulses. via line 146. The outputs of the counters 122 and 124 are applied to the computer 120 via an OR gate 148 and a The software for carrying out the ?ow shown in FIGS. 7 through 9 is set forth hereinafter at the end of this speci?cation. This program is set forth in assembly code and to enter it into the microcomputer (in this embodiment an Apple II) a cross assembler is employed to convert from the assembly language to the machine language code. It is not necessary to go through this program in detail since along with the mnemonics there line 150. Computer output 152 is applied to the televi sion receiver. Operation of this portion of the system will be de scribed in conjunction with the block diagram of FIG. 6 and the ?ow charts of FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. Reference to FIG. 7 shows that the microcomputer 120 is ?rst set for full screen graphics mode at step 160 of the ?owchart. The CRT screen of the television receiver 10 is then cleared at step 162 of the ?ow. At step 166 of the ?ow, the ri?e subroutine of FIG. 8 is then called for. are various comments to the program user indicating upon position latch setting. Position latch setting is the the principles of the invention herein disclosed and de?ned by the appended claims. the function of the program instructions. For example, the set full screen graphics of step 160 of the ?ow chart The ?rst loop 168 of this subroutine looks for a trig is disclosed in lines 150 and 160 of the program listing. ger pulse which would be delivered by the IR data The call for the ri?e subroutine, step 166, is disclosed in line 430 of the program. The ?ashing of the CRT screen receiver 36. Note in FIG. 6 that this pulse is applied to white is disclosed in lines 31 through 32 of the program trigger latch circuit 126. This trigger latch circuit rec and the turning off of the white screen function is ognizes the arrival of a trigger pull. The output of trig ger latch circuit 126 alerts the microcomputer 120 via 45 shown in lines 41 through 42 of the program. The posi tion latch set, step 182 of the ?ow chart, is illustrated in line 142 of the receipt of the trigger pull signal. lines 55 through 56 of the program. The issuance of the Referring back to the ?ow chart of FIG. 8, the ?ow H (or X) read command is shown in lines 65 through 69, branches to the next block where at loop 170 it looks for and the issuance of the V (or Y) read command in lines two vertical sync pulses and if detected at step 172 of 82 through 86. Lines 440 through 460 are the convert the subroutine, ?ashes the screen of the television re ing of the coordinates to the microcomputer low resolu ceiver 10 white until the next vertical sync pulse is tion coordinates. detected at the loop 174 of this subroutine. Then at step 176 thereof, it turns off the white screen function. Two embodiments of the invention have been dis The ?ow now branches to the routine shown in FIG. closed: one making use of conventional video games, 9 and at a loop 180 thereof counts four vertical sync 55 the other making use of a personal computer. Thus, it is pulses. This is to allow the ri?e optics electronics time to be understood that the embodiments shown are to be to settle. The flow then at step 182 monitors the position regarded as illustrative only and that many variations latch 128 and branches one of two ways depending and modi?cations may be made without departing from function of the hardware of FIG. 6. When the ?ow of 60 LIST 150 GR 160 170 180 190 200 F'OKE -16302:O: REM COLOR=0 FOR I=4O TO 47 HLIN 0139 AT I NEXT I _ FULL SCREEN GRAPHICS 4,395,045 10 205 410 CALL 4608: REH INITIALFIZE RIFLEv INTERFACE 030 CALL 4.3523 REM GET HIT COORIIINATES 4M0 ELEHX = PEEK (1) 3ELEHY= PEEK (2) 450 COLOR=I08 F'LOT XvY 460 . 4170 COLOR =15: F'LOT XvY 490 SOTO 430 520 END RIFLE INTERFACE. . o 1 o .F'AOE 0001 LINE 0 LOC 0002 0003 0004 0005 0006 0007 0008 0009 0010 0011 0012 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0014 0000 0015 1100 0016 1103 0017 1105 0018 110a CODE ' LINE AHATA ASTAT BOATA BSTAT SET RESET COORUX COORIIY TEMP XF‘OS YF'OS B1 B2 B3 1¥=$1 100 AUB3C0 TRIGER LIIA BSTAT 3003 BN1 FIG-5 4C0011 JMP TRIGER AIIB2CO UBLlL LIIA BIIATA iUBL‘ = VERTICAL} BLANKING F'ULSE " 0019 0020 0021 0022 0023 0024 110B 3003 4COB11 AIIBZCO UBLIH 1003 4C1011 AHB2C0 $+5 UBL1L BDATA X+5 UBLIH BIIATA 110]] 1110 1113 1115 1118 'iLOOF' UNTIL SET’ iUAIT FOR URL TO GO LOU 1551p one §1_1»:Lr1__For< _ 0025 1113 3003 0026 1111i 401811 0027 1120 M18200 UBL2H 0028 1123 1003 0029 1125 4132011 0031 0032 0033 0034 0035 1128 112A 1121! 112F 1132 SYNCHRONIZATION ' 1+5 UBLZL 'HJAIT FOR UBL T0 60 Lou ,LIIA STA LIIA STA LIIA n20 $COFO t$FF Emma Emma iFLASH SCREEN ON iSET FLASH INDICATOR _‘ §LE_AUE SCREENON FOR ONE FULL FIELD 0036 0037 0038 0039 0040 1135 1137 113A 1131] 113F 3003 4C3211 AIIB2CO VBL3H 1003 4C3A11 ‘(+5 UBL3L BIIATA 3+5 VBL3H HJAIT FOR UBL TO GO LOU 4,395,045 11 0041 0042 0043 0044 0045 1142 1144 1147 1149 1140 A9FE 8DB2C0 A204 0046 0047 0048 0049 0050 0051 0052 0053 0054 0055 114E 114F 1151 1154 1156 1159 1150 115E 1161 1164 CA 3013 AIIB2CO 3003 485111 AUB2C0 1003 485911 4C4E11 AI'JB1C0 A900 LIIA STA LIIA STA BIIATA LIIX #4 813F000 LOOF' UBL4L VBL4H SLOOF‘ DEX BHI LIIA BHI JMF' LIIA BF'L JMF' JMF' LIIA SLOOF‘ BITATA #4-5 UBL4L BIIATA *+5 UBL4H LOOF' ASTAT 12 iFLASH SCREEN OFF FRESET FLASH INDICATOR HJIAT FOUR URL '8 FOR DF'TICS TO TURN OFF HJAIT FOR ‘UBL TO GO LOU iF'OSITION INFO SENT BY IR LINK '? RIFLE INTERFACEQHHF'AGE 0002 CODE LINE NOHIT HIT 0056 1167 1003 0057 1169 407911 LIIA STA LIIA STA JMF‘ #SET BSTAT #RESET BSTAT TRIGER iRESET TRIGGER UITH YRII/ HIT 0065 1179_ A936 0066 117B 8IIB1C0 0067 117E AIIBOCO 0068 1181 49FF 0069 1183 8504 0070 1185 A93E 0071 1187 8138180 0072 118A A504 LIIA STA LIIA EOR STA LIIA STA LIIA #SET ASTAT 61mm 1=$FF XF'OS #RESET iSET XRII/ 0073 118D 38 SEC 0074 0075 0076 0077 0078 0079 0080 SEC STA LSR LSR CLC ADC STA 0059 0060 0061 0062 0063 1168 116E 1171 1173 1176 118D 118F 1191 1192 1193 1194 1196 A936 NOHIT 813E300 A93E 8IIB3C0 480011 E930 8503 4A 4A 18 6503 8501 iGET X F'OSITION iRESET XRII/ ASTAT, XF‘OS iCOORIlINATE X f-' #48 TEMP §STORE TEMF'ORY 1198 119A 1191:! 11A0 11A2 11A4 A936 8DB3C0 AIIBOCO 49FF 8505 , iIIEUIIIE BY 4 (TEMP 1.! TEHF‘ GOORIIX 9 .25TEMF' + TEMP EBASIC PROGRAM F‘EEKS THIS EOOATION 0082 0083 0084 0085 0086 0087 RESULTS A A LIIA STA LIIA EOR STA wanLRESFT ., 182T YRD/ iGET Y POSITION .25) " ' ‘13 0.088 11A6 0089 11A9 0090 11AB Y ‘14 » Y FRESET YRU/vTRIGGERvF‘OSITION UF'IIATE STA' BSTAT ' LIIYA YPOS SEC .LQQQRI'INQTE. Y 21111300?!“ A505 38. -v ' (Y POSITION - 39) / 4' 1190 E927 116E 4A4 ' 11AF 4A 1130 8502 ,Issc #39 0096 1 182 60 0097 1 133 ' 0098 1200 A900 0099 1202 8138100 0100 1205 BIIBOCO 0101 1208 8113300 0102 120B A901 ' v 0103 120]] BUBZCO 0104 1210 A93E 0105 1212 8118100 0106 1215 A936 0107 1217 0108 121A ms x=s1 200 ' LIIA #SOO 0091 0092 0093 0094 ' HIEUIIIE BY 4 FOR LOU RES LSR A LSR A STA COORIIY . asAsrc PROGRAM F‘EERS THIS LOCATION 8113300 STA RETURN TO BASIC PROGRAM iINITIALIZE RIFLE INTERFACE scom ' M‘ STA $0020 STA $0023 LIIA . #101 STA $0092 LnA as»: STA s $0031 111A use; - - ' - asst F'BO As OUTPUT iSET CA1 HIGH ' _ iISSUE UREAII INIT PULSE ssss scone; ~ ‘iSETC.--._E:'BOWLQU- 18-051mm PULSE ENABLE)‘ 0109 1218 anszco 0110 121E A93E w; STA $0032 LIIA #SBE ‘RIFLE INTERFACE. . . ‘. .QPAG-E 00.03: LINEt LDC com: LINE ' 0111 1 221 Qanszcb‘ 0112 1 224 so 0113 1 225 _ ERRORS STA- soon: RTS .END i=v 000010000} SYMBOL TABLE I ' SYMBOL ADATA BSTAT HIT ' RESET coso 0on1 ‘1179 . LOOP‘ 114E 0035 0036 UBL3H 551 BIIATA vC2032 - COORIIY '0‘0-02 NOHIT 116C SLOOF' 1164 00.03 » TRIGER 1100 UEL1Hv 110a 113A 1151 VBL2L. 1118 VBL4H 1159'. UBL'2H 1121.31. xpos Aswan-151.1v OF Iclaim: ASTAT vcons- coormx 0001 TEHF' VBLiL I ’ END VALUE 1120 1132 0004 1110 0005 \ I 1. Apparatus for shooting at targets displayed on the 65 screen of a raster scan display, comprising: -a simulated weapon having means for ‘sensing at a distance brightened raster scan segments on the» ‘means responsive to a trigger pull for generating a signal to brighten the raster to thereby permit said simulated weapon to sense brightened raster scan segments. 2. Apparatus as de?ned in claim 1, wherein said sens screen of a raster scan display and trigger means; v ing means includes an electro-optical sensor responsive and to brightened raster scan segments. 4,395,045 ~15 16 > 3. Apparatus as de?ned in claim 2, further including 11. The method of claim 10, further including the step means coupled to said electro-optical sensor for cou~ of displaying a symbol at the determined position pling signals associated therewith to said means respon thereby indicating where the weapon was aimed. sive. 12. Apparatus for shooting at targets displayed on the 4. Apparatus as de?ned in claim 3, wherein said cou- 5 screen of a raster scan display, comprising: pling means includes an infrared transmitter and re means for optically sensing short segments of a dis ceiver. played television raster, said sensing means includ 5. Apparatus as de?ned in claim 4, wherein said trans ing an electro-optical sensor, switching means and mitter includes a photo diode. means responsive to said switching means for en 6. Apparatus as de?ned in claim 4 wherein said re- 10 hancing the brightness of the raster such that said ceiver includes a photo-responsive element. electro-optical sensor will respond thereto; and 7. Apparatus as de?ned in claim 1, further including means responsive to sensed, brightened raster scan seg means coupled to said sensing means for resolving screenof a raster scan display with a simulated weapon means including an electro-optical sensor, switch ing means and means responsive to said switching means for enhancing the brightness of the raster such that said electro-optical sensor will respond which of the raster segments were sensed thereby ‘ments for generating signals resolving the location on permitting a determination of where on the screen the screen of the sensed, brightened segments. 15 said sensing means was directed. 8. Apparatus as de?ned in claim 7, further including means for generating signals to display a symbol on the 13. Apparatus for shooting at targets displayed on the screen at the resolved location thereby indicating where screen of a raster scan display, comprising:' the weapon was aimed. means for optically sensing short segments of a dis 9. A method of shooting at targets displayed on the 20 played complete television raster, said sensing having a trigger and electro-optical sensing means, comprising the steps of: aiming at the displayed target; pulling the trigger; 25 brightening the display screen; and sensing short segments of the brightened display ras thereto; and means coupled to said sensing means for resolving which of the raster segments were sensed thereby ter. 10. The method of claim 9, further including the step of determining the position of the sensed short segments 30 of the brightened display raster. 35 45 55 65 permitting a determination of where on the screen said sensing means was directed. # i i ‘I i