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System and method for automatically acquiring a target with a narrow field-of-view gimbaled imaging sensor

  • US 20050218259A1
  • Filed: 03/23/2005
  • Published: 10/06/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for automatically acquiring a target with a narrow field-of-view gimbaled imaging sensor, the system comprising:

  • (a) a target-detection subsystem including at least one target-detection imaging sensor having a first field-of-view;

    (b) a target-tracking subsystem including;

    (i) a target-tracking imaging sensor having a second field-of-view significantly smaller than said first field-of-view, and (ii) a gimbal mechanism for controlling a viewing direction of said target-tracking imaging sensor; and

    (c) a processing system in communication with said target-detection subsystem and said target-tracking imaging subsystem, said processing system including a target transfer module responsive to detection of a target by said target-detection subsystem to;

    (i) process data from said target-detection subsystem to determine a target direction vector, (ii) operate said gimbal mechanism so as to align the viewing direction of said target-tracking imaging sensor with said target direction vector, (iii) derive an image from said target-tracking imaging sensor, (iv) correlate said image with at least part of an image from said target-detection subsystem to derive a misalignment error, and (v) supply said misalignment error to said target-tracking subsystem for use in acquisition of the target.

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