Navigation System with Monocentric Lens and Curved Focal Plane Sensor

• US 20150124103A1
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Inventors: Dawson, Robin Mark Adrian, Laine, Juha-Pekka J., Chaparala, Murali V., Arant, Charles, Jamula, Matthew T.
• Granted Patent: US 11,131,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/169
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/007 Preparatory measures taken before the launching of the guided missiles
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2253 Passive homing systems, i.e. comprising a receiver and do not requiring an active illumination of the target
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/025 with the use of startrackers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules

Abstract

A navigation system includes a monocentric lens and one or more curved image sensor arrays disposed parallel and spaced apart from the lens to capture respective portions, not all, of the field of view of the lens.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a monocentric objective lens; and

a first curved image sensor array disposed parallel to, and spaced apart from, the lens.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the lens has a focal length; and

the first curved image sensor array is spaced apart from the lens by about the focal length.

3. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the lens has a field of view; and

the first curved image sensor array is sized to receive light from less than about 80% of the field of view.

4. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the lens has a field of view; and

the first curved image sensor array is sized to receive light from less than about 25% of the field of view.

5. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the lens has a field of view; and

the first curved image sensor array is sized to receive light from a first portion, less than all, of the field of view;

the navigation system further comprising;

a plurality of optical fibers optically coupling the first curved image sensor array to the monocentric objective lens.

6. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the first curved image sensor array and configured to use image data from the first curved image sensor array to automatically determine a location of the navigation system.

7. A navigation system according to claim 6, wherein:

the first curved image sensor array is configured to send the image data in a compressed form; and

the controller is configured to use the image data in the compressed form to determine the location of the navigation system, without decompressing the image data.

8. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the lens has a field of view; and

the first curved image sensor array is sized to receive light from a first portion, less than all, of the field of view;

the navigation system further comprising;

a second curved image sensor array;

disposed parallel to, and spaced apart from, the lens; and

sized and positioned to receive light from a second portion, spatially discontiguous with the first portion, of the field of view.

9. A navigation system according to claim 8, wherein a sum of the first portion of the field of view and the second portion of the field of view is less than all of the field of view.

10. A navigation system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a first plurality of optical fibers optically coupling the first curved image sensor array to the monocentric objective lens; and

a second plurality of optical fibers optically coupling the second curved image sensor array to the monocentric objective lens.

11. A navigation system according to claim 8, further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the first curved image sensor array and to the second curved image sensor array and configured to use image data from the first and second curved image sensor arrays to automatically determine a location of the navigation system.

12. A navigation system according to claim 11, wherein:

the first curved image sensor array is configured to send the image data from the first curved image sensor array in a compressed form;

the second curved image sensor array is configured to send the image data from the second curved image sensor array in a compressed form; and

the controller is configured to use the image data from the first and second curved image sensor arrays in the compressed form to determine the location of the navigation system, without decompressing the image data.

13. A navigation system according to claim 8, further comprising an image-based guidance controller communicatively coupled to the first curved image sensor array and to the second curved image sensor array and configured to:

use image data from the first curved image sensor array to provide course guidance information during a first phase of a mission; and

use image data from the second curved image sensor array to provide course guidance information during a second phase of the mission.

14. A navigation system according to claim 13, wherein:

the first curved image sensor array is configured such that the first portion of the field of view provides a downward-looking view, relative to the lens;

the first phase of the mission comprises a mid-course portion of the mission;

the second curved image sensor array is configured such that the second portion of the field of view provides a forward-looking view, relative to the lens; and

the second phase of the mission comprises a terminal portion of the mission.

15. A weapon system, comprising:

an image-based guided round comprising;

a monocentric objective lens;

a first curved image sensor array disposed parallel to, and spaced apart from, the lens; and

a guidance system communicatively coupled to the first curved image sensor array and configured to guide the round based at least in part on image data from the first curved image sensor array and an image of a target;

an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising a digital camera and a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit ground images captured by the digital camera; and

a ground station comprising;

a receiver configured to receive the ground images from the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

a targeting module communicatively coupled to the receiver and configured to upload the image of the target to the round based on the received ground images.

16. A weapon system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a round launcher; and

wherein;

the targeting module is further configured to;

calculate a firing direction based at least in part on the received ground images; and

provide the firing direction to the round launcher.

17. A navigation system, comprising:

a monocentric objective lens having a field of view;

a first plurality of optical fibers;

a first image sensor array optically coupled to the lens via the first plurality of optical fibers and configured to receive light from a first portion, less than all, of the field of view;

a second plurality of optical fibers; and

a second image sensor array optically coupled to the lens via the second plurality of optical fibers and configured to receive light from a second portion, spatially discontiguous with the first portion, of the field of view.