Computerized binoculars

• US 5,579,165 A
• Filed: 10/29/1992
• Issued: 11/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson-CSF (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson-CSF (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Michel, Claude, Giry, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THONG Q
• Application Number:
  US07/968,177
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 359/407-410, 359/470, 359/482, 359/629-631, 359/430, 250/491.1, 250/203.1-203.2, 250/203.6-203.7
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/02 using an independent line of sight
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/06 with rangefinder rangefinders per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/10 reflecting into the field of view additional indications, e.g. from collimator
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/12 with means for image conversion or intensification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/14 Viewfinders for photographic apparatus G03B13/02

Abstract

The invention is an optical device, similar to a pair of binoculars, which includes, between the objective lens and the eyepiece a miniature screen displaying an image controlled by a computer, and an optical reflex device capable of superimposing the screen image on the image seen through the objective lens. The device also includes, selectively or cumulatively, a variable light attenuator, a light amplifier for night vision, sensors to detect the line of sight of the optical device, and a computer which can also be selectively or cumulatively connected to a localization receiver of the "global positioning system" type and a transceiver. The device can be used to add further information on geographic positions, friends, enemies, infrared images, etc. into the scene seen through the binoculars.

Claims

1. A viewing device comprising a casing for housing optical components including an objective lens and an eyepiece, these components providing a view along an optical axis (AA'"'"'), and a focusing component operator adjustable from outside the casing, the optical components forming an image of a field of view, said viewing device also including, inside the casing:

components to display a luminous image formed of pixels which can be controlled by a computer,

at least one reflex optical component to superimpose the image from the display components on the image of the field of view,

and, mounted on the casing, sensors to determine direction of the device line of sight and to measure an angle relative to a geographical reference, with the possibility of connecting these sensors to a computer via links.

2. The device of claim 1, in which the direction sensors are a magnetometer and an inclinometer.

3. The device of claim 1, in which the direction sensors are three gyrometers which can be connected to a computer by links.

4. The device of claim 1 in which the components that generates a luminous image is a light-emitting screen.

5. The device of claim 1, in which the components which generate a luminous image consists of a liquid crystal screen illuminated by lighting components.

6. The device of claim 5, in which the lighting components consist of a light-emitting plate and a reflex mirror.

7. The device of claim 1, in which the image reflex device consists of at least one lens and a semi-transparent mirror.

8. The device of claim 1, in which the reflex device consists of a least one lens, a mirror and a semi-transparent slide.

9. The device of claim 1, in which the reflex device is a hologram which acts as a mirror and fulfils a focussing function.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising between the objective lens (13) and the reflex optical component (10) an electrically-controlled variable optical transmission attenuator (15).

11. The device of claim 10, in which the attenuator consists of a liquid crystal held between two thin transparent slides to which electrodes are fixed.

12. The device of claim 1, in which the casing also includes a range finder whose line of sight is parallel to a line of sight of the optical axis.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a connector on said casing to connect the device to computer components outside said casing.

14. The device of claim 13, said components outside said casing comprising a computer to which the casing can be connected, a link running between the computer and the casing via said connector;

the computer having sets of instructions in which at least one of the sets allows calculation of memory addresses from data which includes values coming from the sensor.

15. A device as described in claim 14, in which the computer is also connected to a localization receiver via a link.

16. The device of claim 14 in which the computer is also connected to a transceiver via a link.

17. The device of claim 1, which also includes, mounted on the casing, at least one keypad, each pad containing one or several buttons which can be connected to a computer via links.

18. The device of claim 17, in which one of the keypads has only two 3-position buttons and the other has only one button.

19. A viewing device comprising

(a) a casing for housing

an objective,

an eyepiece,

means to display a luminous image formed of pixels which can be controlled by a computer having memories each having an address, and

at least one reflex optical component to superimpose the displayed image to an image of a field of view of the viewing device, this field of view being determined by an optical axis and an aperture angle of the viewing device,

the improvement comprising

(b) sensors attached to the casing to determine a direction of the device line of sight,

(c) means to link data coming from the sensors to a computer,

(d) the computer having sets of instruction in which at least one of the sets allows calculation of memories addresses from data which include values coming from the sensors.

20. A viewing device comprising a casing for housing optical components including an objective lens and an eyepiece, these components providing a view along an optical axis (AA'"'"'), and a focusing component operator adjustable from outside the casing, the optical components forming an image of a field of view, said viewing device also including, inside the casing:

components to display a luminous image formed of pixels which can be controlled by a computer,

at least one reflex optical component to superimpose the image from the display components on the image of the field of view,

and, mounted on the casing, a sensor to determine direction of the device line of sight and to measure an angle relative to a geographical reference, with the possibility of connecting these sensors to a computer via links,

a connector on said casing to connect the device to components outside said casing,

said components comprising a computer to which the casing can be connected,

a link running between the computer and the casing via said connector; and

the computer having sets of instructions in which at least one of the sets allows calculation of memory addresses from data which includes values coming from the sensor.