Electro-optical process for the static harmonization of weapon systems and aircraft

• US 6,040,854 A
• Filed: 11/19/1997
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland Gmbh (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Esser, Thomas, Schneidereit, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/974,399
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 348/61, 348/113, 348/115, 348/117, 348/144, 348/159, 348/143, 89/41.01, 89/41.09, 89/41.21, 704/300
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/323 for checking the angle between the muzzle axis of the gun and a reference axis, e.g. the axis of the associated sighting device testing alignment of axes in general G01B11/27

Abstract

The invention provides an electro-optical process and apparatus for the static harmonization of aircraft having onboard systems which are to be measured with respect to one another and on the fuselage axis. Adapters are arranged at preset measuring points on the aircraft, each of which accommodates a video camera which generates an external environment as a reference. The actual arming axes of an onboard systems which are measured are displayed against the external environment, based on the system coordinates of the aircraft.

Claims

1. An electro-optical process for static harmonization of weapon systems and aircraft having onboard systems which are to be measured relative to one another and on the fuselage axis, by means of video cameras, said process comprising:

at all points of an aircraft to be measured, arranging mechanical adapters in which at least one video camera can be mounted to display, on an external harmonization environment as a reference, a reproduction of an actual core axis of the onboard systems to be measured from a system of coordinates of the aircraft and thus permits a simultaneous harmonization of axes; and

generating an external environmental reference generated by means of one or two projectors mounted at the main references.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein by means of several transmitting and receiving channels, a simultaneous measuring of the points of the aircraft which are to be measured can be carried out, without any remounting.

3. Device for carrying out the process according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical adapters are structured to receive the video cameras, are adapted to mechanical conditions existing at the receiving and fastening site, and are fixedly arranged at points of the aircraft to be measured.

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein short-range video transmitters are integrated in network-independent video cameras, and monitors are assigned to one or several video signal receivers, which monitors can be operated directly from the cockpit or from a single measuring point.

5. Device according to claim 3, wherein for defining a harmonization reference environment, at least two video cameras are arranged at main references of the aircraft to be measured.

6. Device according to claim 3, wherein video cameras with a computer generated measuring target grid are used.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein laser TV is used as a projector.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein by using a calibration bank on which each measuring camera with the pertaining attached adapter is mounted, a centering calibration of an ideal optical camera axis takes placed by tracking the target cross generated in a computer-assisted manner with respect to all mechanical and system-caused errors.