Optoelectronic system of assistance in attack and navigation missions

• US 5,077,609 A
• Filed: 10/05/1990
• Issued: 12/31/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson-CSF (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson-CSF (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Manelphe, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US07/593,746
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 358/113, 358/110, 358/109, 358/180, 358/93, 358/125, 358/126, 358/103
• US Class Current: 348/144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A wide-field infrared camera, with a fixed focal distance, generates a wide-field image which is displayed by a first monitor adapted to display and superimpose the wide-field image on a scene viewed in a head-up visor for example. An image processor generates a signal representing a small-field image, which is a portion of the wide-field image, with an adjustable enlargement and an adjustable position within the wide-field image, and computes the elevation of the bearing of a point of interest at the center of the small-field image. A second monitor is provided to display the small-field image as is a laser telemeter and an aiming device to servo-control the line of sight of the telemeter in such a way that it always corresponds to the center of the small-field image. The arrangement can be applied to the three-dimensional localization of a point of interest, for a navigational resetting operation or for a firing control operation.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic system of assistance in aerial attack and navigation missions comprising:

a wide-field infrared camera, with a fixed focal distance, for generating a wide-field image; and

first display means to display the wide-field image generated by the wide-field infrared camera;

wherein said system further comprises;

image processing means comprising means to provide a signal representing a small-field image, which is a portion of the wide-field image, with an adjustable enlargement and an adjustable position within the wide-field image;

adjusting means for the manual adjustment of the enlargement of the small-field image and the position of the small-field image; and

second display means to display the small-field image.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing means includes means to determine an elevation and bearing of a point of interest that is visible at a center of the small-field image, as a function of the adjustable position adjusted by the adjusting means.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein, to determine the distance between the system and a point of interest, said system further includes:

a laser telemeter; and

an aiming device having a range of movement covering an entire field of the camera, a line of sight of this laser telemeter being servo-controlled as a function of the elevation and the bearing determined by the image processing means.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein, to stabilize the display of the point of interest and the line of sight of the telemeter on this point of interest, the image processing means further includes means to track the point of interest in the wide-field image.