MAGNIFIER SCANNER TRACKER

• US 3,772,516 A
• Filed: 11/06/1969
• Issued: 11/13/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Burton J. Askowith, George Lamar Harmon, Michael J. Colpack, Richard E. Roberts
• Original Assignee: Burton J. Askowith, George Lamar Harmon, Michael J. Colpack, Richard E. Roberts
• Inventors: Roberts, Richard E., Harmon, George Lamar, Colpack, Michael J., Askowith, Burton J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Borchelt, Benjamin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moskowitz, N.
• Application Number:
  US04/874,538
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 250/201,203,234 244/14 178/7.81-7.92,54S 356/29
• US Class Current: 250/203.1
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2226 comparing the observed data with stored target data, e.g. target configuration data
• 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: F41G 7/2293 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7865 using correlation of the live video image with a stored image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1066 for enhancing image performance, like resolution, pixel numbers, dual magnifications or dynamic range, by tiling, slicing or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/108 for sampling a portion of a beam or combining a small beam in a larger one, e.g. wherein the area ratio or power ratio of the divided beams significantly differs from unity, without spectral selectivity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence

Abstract

An electro mechanical optical device utilizing concentric multiple optical paths through which light indicative of a target scene can be displayed upon photosensitive devices, with means for processing voltage analogs of the light to provide positional information for controlling the positioning of the device, as well as means for deriving a plurality of scans indicative of the target scene, which scans can thereafter be used in other related devices.

Claims

1. A multiple field of view electro optical device comprising a controllable rate stabilized gimbaled housing in which a pair of objective lenses are mounted, said lenses having coincident axes and having partially independent optical paths each leading to the same television vidicon tube, said vidicon tube being arranged to receive light entering from either of said lenses, selectively positionable means for preventing light from more than one lens at any given moment from reaching said vidicon tube, said vidicon tube having an output representative of the scene beheld by said lenses, said output passing to a television display system, and a correlation tracker embodying a rotating mechanical scanner, to which light from one or the other of said lenses is selectively directed, said tracker functioning to provide more precise position stabilization of the optical axis with respect to a target scene.

2. A multiple field of view electro optical device comprising a controllable rate stabilized gimbaled housing in which a pair of objective lenses are mounted, said lenses having coincident axes and having partially independent optical paths each leading to the same television vidicon tube, said vidicon tube being arranged to receive light entering from either of said lenses, selectively positionable means for preventing light from more than one lens at any given moment from reaching said vidicon tube, said vidicon tube having an output representative of the scene beheld by said lenses, said output passing to a television display system, and a correlation tracker, said tracker comprising a rotating scanner mounted in said gimbaled housing, and arranged to receive light from one or the other of said lenses, the light passing through said scanner being directed to a photodetector, said photodetector serving to convert the light into a voltage signal analogous to the light passing through said scanner, said voltage signal being correlated with voltage signals received from subsequent scans to provide error voltages for more precise position stabilization of the optical axis with respect to a target scene.

3. The device as defined in claim 2 in which the initial positioning of the gimballed housing is determined by data from other scene sensing devices.

4. A multiple field of view electro optical device comprising a controllable rate stabilized gimbaled housing in which a pair of objective lenses are mounted, said lenses having coincident axes and having partially independent optical paths each leading to the same television vidicon, said vidicon being arranged to receive light entering from either of said lenses, selectively positionable means for preventing light from more than one lens at any given moment from reaching said vidicon, said vidicon having an output representative of the scene beheld by said lenses, said output passing to a television display system indicating a desired aimpoint;

said optical paths each leading to the same rotating scanner mounted in said gimballed housing, the light passing through said scanner being directed to a photo-detector, said photodetector serving to convert the light into a voltage signal analogous to the light passing through said scanner, which voltage signals are processed to represent a plurality of related signals representing the immediate appearance of the target scene at successively closer ranges to the desired aimpoint, said processed signals being delivered to the prestored area correlation tracker in a missile.

5. The device as defined in claim 4 in conjunction with synchronization means for assuring that scanners in said gimballed housing and in the missile rotate in phased relation.

6. The device as defined in claim 4 with which a correlation tracker is utilized, said tracker comprising said rotating scanner mounted in said gimbaled housing, and being arranged to receive light from one or the other of said lenses, the light passing through said scanner being directed to said photodetector serving to convert the light into the voltage signal analogous to the light passing through said scanner, said voltage signal being correlated with voltage signals received from subsequent scans to provide error voltages for more precise position stabilization of the optical axis with respect to a target scene.

7. The device as defined in claim 5 in which the initial positioning of the gimballed housing is determined by data from other scene sensing devices.

8. A multiple field of view electro optical device comprising a controllable gimballed housing in which a pair of objective lenses are mounted, said lenses having coincident axes and having partially independent optical paths each leading to the same television vidicon, said vidicon being arranged to receive light entering from either of said lenses, selectively positionable means for preventing light from more than one lens at any given moment from reaching said vidicon, said vidicone having an out put representative of the scene beheld by said lenses, said output passing to a television display system indicating a desired aimpoint;

said optical paths also leading to a correlation tracker having a rotating scanner mounted in said gimbal housing, said scanner arranged to receive light from one or the other of said lenses, the light passing through said scanner being directed to a photodetector, said photodetector serving to convert the light into a voltage signal analogous to the light passing through said scanner, said voltage signals being correlated with voltage signals received from the prestored area correlator tracker in a captive missile for continuous aligning of the said gimbals with respect to the prestored area correlator tracker in such captive missile.

9. The device as defined in claim 4 in which at least one optical mask is utilized, said mask being located at an image plane in an optical path, said optical path leading to said rotating scanner, said mask serving to control the radii of the scanned scene such that an elliptical shape is scanned, thus causing said voltage signals being processed to accurately represent the immediate appearance of the target scene at the successively closer ranges to the desired aim point.

10. The device as defined in claim 4 in which a correlation tracker is utilized, said tracker comprising said rotating scanner mounted in said gimbaled housing, and being arranged to receive light from one or the other of said lenses, and at least one optical mask utilized to control the radii of the scene scanned by said rotating scanner, such that an elliptical shape is scanned.

11. An electromechanical optical device utilizing at least one optical path through which light indicative of a target scene can be manifested, a photosensitive device positioned with respect to said optical path such that the light falls thereon, said photosensitive device, as a result of such light, generating voltage analogs of the incoming light, means for processing such voltage analogs in order to extract positional information usable for controlling the position of said electromechanical optical device, and means for deriving data representative of such voltage analogs of the incoming light, in order to provide successive, concentric references related to the target scene.

12. An electromechanical optical device for providing a series of references relatable with a target scene to a missile that not only has a memory for storing such references, but also which has means for sequentially using such references in guiding the missile to such target scene, said electromechanical optical device comprising at least one optical path through which light indicative of the target scene can be conducted to a photosensitive device, said photosensitive device being capable of providing a voltage analog of such incoming light, means for processing such voltage analog information in order to provide digitized information for controlling the positioning of the electromechanical optical device, means for deriving a plurality of voltage analogs representing a succession of concentric scenes at predetermined ranges to the target, and means for delivering digitized data derived from such voltage analogs to a missile so that such digitized data can be used in a pre-established order for guiding the missle to the target.

13. The electromechanical optical device as defined in claim 12 in which a vidicon is utilized, means for conducting light indicative of the target scene to said vidicon, and a display device connected to said vidicon, such that an operator can view a representation of the same target scene from which the voltage analogs representative of the target scene are derived.

14. An arrangement for providing a positioning function in response to a pair of inputs, each of which inputs is derived from a respective optical device arranged to have a line of sight to substantially the same area or scene, the first of such devices having means for performing a scanning function and for converting the scene it views into voltage signals, the second device being gimbaled, and positionable by servo means, said second device not only having means for performing a scanning function upon substantially the same scene as viewed by said first device and for converting such scene into voltage signals, but also serving to compare the two sets of voltage signals so as to determine the spatial difference between the lines of sight of the two devices as represented by said voltage signals, and means utilizing error signals representative of such differences for operating the servo means of said second device to move the line of sight of latter device in the appropriate direction so as to minimize the differences between the two voltage signals, thereby precisely pointing sAid second device at the same scene as viewed by said first device, independent of any mechanical or structural interconnection between the two devices.

15. The arrangement for providing a positioning function as defined in claim 14 in which said first optical device has a plurality of focal lengths, providing different fields of view, and said second optical device has a plurality of focal lengths, providing fields of view matching those of said first optical device, and means in said second device for selecting at any given instant, the appropriate focal length in order to match the focal length being used in said first device.

16. The arrangement for providing a positioning function as defined in claim 14 in which the scene as viewed by said second device is presented to a vidicon, latter device making possible the immediate observation of such scene.

17. The arrangement for providing a positioning function as defined in claim 14 in which a vidicon is used, said vidicon having as its input, the scene as viewed by the second device, said vidicon serving to provide as an output, an optical indication of the scene, and recording means attached to said vidicon for permanently storing a representation of gimbal positions over a period of time.