Elevatable observation and target system for combat vehicles

• US 4,742,390 A
• Filed: 06/19/1985
• Issued: 05/03/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Krauss-Maffei
• Original Assignee: Krauss Maffei Corporation (KraussMaffei Group GmbH)
• Inventors: Adler, Heinrich, Francke, Erwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US06/746,577
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 358/109, 358/108, 358/93, 358/103, 358/125, 358/113, 358/87, 358/229, 358/105, 89/41.21, 89/41.19, 89/41.17, 89/41.05
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/165 using a TV-monitor
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/22 for vehicle-borne armament, e.g. on aircraft

Abstract

An elevatable observation and target for combat vehicles increases safety and the reaction velocity by a stabilized vision line camera, that is remotely controlled from the combat compartment with an adjustable focal width prepared on an elevatable platform, with the camera comprising angle indicators for the generation of the prevailing sight line coordinates and the platform being capable of following the sight line of the panoramic camera as a function of the angle indicator signals.

Claims

1. Combat vehicle observation and targeting system comprising:

a weapons platform;

means for elevating and pivoting said platform;

a line of sight stabilized scanning television camera located on said platform;

means for connecting said camera to a monitor arranged in a combat compartment of said vehicle;

means for remotely controlling elevation, azimuth, and focal width of said camera located in said combat compartment and connected to said camera;

angle indicator means for indicating prevailing vision line coordinates connected to said camera; and

signal processing means connected to said camera for comparing stored visual information with current visual information to detect movements and display them by blending signals at relevant locations into an image displayed on said monitor with said camera means for azimuthally aligning said weapons platform.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein said camera is rigidly mounted on the platform and further comprises a zoom lens and interchangeable objective lenses;

and a stabilized mirror head adjustable in azimuth and elevation, wherein said angle indicator means is correlated with said mirror head.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein said camera is a high resolution (HDTV) camera and said monitor is a small screen flying spot tube with a binocular optical viewing device.

4. System according to claim 1, further comprising a thermal imaging device integrated in said camera and means for selectively displaying thermal images on said monitor associated with said monitor.

5. System according to claim 1, further comprising means for extending use of said camera to twilight and night, including a residual light amplifier pivotable into a position between an objective and the camera.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein said signal processing means comprises means for detecting and displaying magnitude and position of said movements.

7. System according to claim 1, further comprising means for scanning a scenic contour by a line of sight associated with said camera.

8. System according to claim 1 wherein said signal processing means further comprises means for displaying information in the form of data markings by blending said information into said monitor image.

9. System according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of monitors, connected in parallel.

10. System according to claim 1, further comprising weapon launchers and means for aligning elevation of said launchers with said camera.

11. System according to claim 1 further comprising means for effecting azimuth movement at said camera by sectors and adjusting a sector angle to a pickup angle of the camera so that the sectors overlap in each case.

12. System according to claim 11, wherein said means for effecting azimuth movement further effects a dark monitor phase during a change of sectors, said dark phase is shorter than the reaction ability of the human eye.