Sensor system with improved operator input devices

• US 7,253,398 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hughes, Michael R., Sommer, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Que T.
• Application Number:
  US10/897,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20060016966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 396/427, 348/143, 250/239, 250/208.1, 250/221
• US Class Current: 250/239
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/006 Apparatus mounted on flying objects
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

A sensor system includes a sensor payload (20) capable of generating image signals, an electronic control unit (ECU) (40) for controlling the sensor payload and a hand held control unit (80) in communication with the ECU for use by an operator to input control commands to the ECU. The hand held control unit (80) includes a front facing control panel surface (84) having control elements distributed thereon and an orthogonally disposed bottom surface (94). A handle (96) extends from the enclosure bottom surface (94) with the handle longitudinal axis disposed at an angle (A) of between 175 and 135 degrees with respect to the control panel surface (84). In a second embodiment, the senor system includes a lap top control unit (LCU) (300) reconfigurable by an operator to swap movable control module (312, 306) from a base unit left side receiving port (320) to a base unit right side receiving port (318) to accommodate both left and right-handed users.

Claims

1. A sensor system comprising:

a sensor payload capable of generating image signals in response to radiation falling thereon, said sensor payload having a field of view from which radiation is received and a pointing direction substantially centered within the field of view, said payload being rotatable about at least one rotation axis for directing said pointing direction onto a radiation scene;

an electronic control unit in communication with the sensor payload comprising one or more systems for controlling the sensor payload, for directing the pointing direction, and for receiving the image signals from the sensor payload;

a hand held control unit in communication with the electronic control unit for use by an operator to input control commands to the electronic control unit, said hand held control unit comprising a hollow electronic enclosure for housing input control actuators disposed to protrude through aperture ports passing through the enclosure to provide access to the input control actuators by a gripping hand of an operator and wherein the hollow electronic enclosure comprises a front facing control panel surface having control elements distributed thereon, a bottom surface disposed substantially orthogonal to the control panel surface, and a handle having a handle cross-section disposed along a handle longitudinal axis and wherein the handle extends from the enclosure bottom surface with the handle longitudinal axis disposed at an angle A of between 175 and 135 degrees with respect to the control panel surface.

2. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein said hollow electronic enclosure further comprises:

a top surface, attached to the control panel surface and disposed substantially orthogonal to the control panel surface and also having control elements distributed thereon,

two substantially opposing side surfaces attached to the control panel surface and disposed substantially orthogonal to the control panel surface; and

,

a back surface attached to the top surface, the bottom surface and each of the two side surfaces and disposed substantially opposed to and parallel with the control panel surface.

3. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein the handle longitudinal axis is disposed at an angle A of substantially 161 degrees with respect to the control panel surface.

4. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein said handle cross-section is contoured for fitting comfortably in the palm of the gripping hand of the operator and wherein said cross-section is contoured with a narrow portion for resting against the gripping hand at the intersection of the gripping hand palm and fingers and wherein the handle cross-section includes a broad portion opposed to the narrow portion and wherein said handle extends from the enclosure bottom surface with said narrow portion facing away from the control panel surface.

5. The sensor system of claim 4 wherein said contoured cross-section comprises and ovoid cross-section.

6. The sensor system of claim 4 further comprising a joystick disposed on the control panel surface under the gripping hand thumb and constructed for actuation by the gripping hand thumb for controlling a pointing direction of the sensor payload.

7. The sensor system of claim 6 further comprising a first actuator protruding from the handle narrow portion and wherein the first actuator is positioned on the handle for convenient actuation by the gripping hand middle finger.

8. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein said payload sensor further includes a radiation emitter for emitting a radiation beam directed substantially coincident with said pointing direction.

9. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein each of said electronic control unit and said hand held control unit includes a transmitter and a receiver configured for transmitting and receiving command signals between the electronic control unit and the hand held control unit by a wireless communication interface.

10. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein said handle comprises a hollow thin walled inner tube and a compliant foam cover installed over said hollow inner tube and wherein said compliant foam cover is sufficiently compliant to conform to the gripping hand during use and to thereafter return to its original shape.

11. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein said enclosure has a weight and said handle has a weight and further wherein the weight of said enclosure and the weight of said handle are distributed to substantially balance about the gripping hand location on the handle.

12. The sensor system of claim 1 further comprising a display device in communication with the electronic control unit for displaying an image sensed by the sensor payload.

30. The sensor system of claim 7 further comprising a second actuator protruding from the handle narrow portion and wherein the second actuator is positioned on the handle for convenient actuation by the gripping hand index finger.

31. The sensor element of claim 6 wherein the first actuator comprises a two-direction trigger style actuator for controlling the size of the field of view of the payload sensor.

32. The sensor element of claim 31 wherein the second actuator comprises a push button style actuator.

13. A sensor system comprising:

a sensor payload capable of generating image signals in response to radiation falling thereon, said sensor payload having a field of view from which radiation is received and a pointing direction substantially centered within the field of view, said payload being supported by a turret style mount that provides rotation of the pointing direction in azimuth and elevation for directing said pointing direction onto a desired radiation scene;

an electronic control unit in communication with the sensor payload comprising one or more systems for controlling the sensor payload, for controlling the pointing direction and for receiving the image signals from the sensor;

a display device in communication with the electronic control unit for receiving the image signal and displaying images in accordance with the image signals;

a hand held control unit in communication with the electronic control unit for use by an operator to input control commands to the electronic control unit, said hand held control unit comprising an electronic enclosure for housing input control actuators, disposed to protrude through aperture ports passing through the enclosure to provide access to the input control actuators by a gripping hand of the operator and wherein the hollow electronic enclosure comprises a front facing control panel surface having control elements distributed thereon, a bottom surface disposed substantially orthogonal to the control panel surface, and a handle having a handle cross-section disposed along a handle longitudinal axis and wherein the handle extends from the enclosure bottom surface with the handle longitudinal axis disposed at an angle A of between 175 and 135 degrees with respect to the control panel surface and wherein said handle is formed with a contoured cross-section for fining comfortably in the palm of the gripping hand and wherein said contoured cross-section comprises a narrow portion and an opposed broad portion and wherein said handle is attached to the enclosure with the narrow portion facing away from the control panel surface.

14. The sensor system of claim 13 wherein said contoured cross-section comprises an ovoid cross-section.

15. The sensor system of claim 13 wherein said angle A is substantially 161 degrees.

16. The sensor system of claim 13 further comprising a two-axis joystick disposed on the control panel surface under the gripping hand thumb and constructed for actuation by the gripping hand thumb for controlling a pointing direction of the sensor payload in azimuth and elevation.

17. The sensor system of claim 13 further comprising a two-direction trigger style actuator protruding from the handle narrow portion for controlling the size of the field of view of the payload sensor actuator and wherein the two-direction trigger style actuator is positioned on the handle for convenient actuation by the gripping hand middle finger.

18. The sensor system of claim 13 wherein said payload sensor further includes a radiation emitter for emitting a radiation beam directed substantially coincident with said pointing direction.

19. The sensor system of claim 13 wherein each of said electronic control unit and said hand held control unit includes a transmitter and a receiver configured for transmitting and receiving command signals between the electronic control unit and the hand held control unit by a wireless communication interface.

20. The sensor system of claim 13 wherein said handle comprises a hollow thin walled inner tube and a compliant foam cover installed over said hollow inner tube and wherein said compliant foam cover is sufficiently compliant to conform to the gripping hand during use and to thereafter return to its original shape.

21. The sensor of claim 13 wherein said enclosure has a weight and said handle has a weight and further wherein the weight of said enclosure and the weight of said handle are distributed to substantially balance about the gripping hand location on the handle.

22. A sensor system comprising:

a sensor payload capable of generating image signals in response to radiation falling thereon, said sensor payload having a field of view from which radiation is received and a pointing direction substantially centered within the field of view, said payload being supported for rotation about two rotation axes for directing said pointing direction onto a desired radiation scene;

an electronic control unit in communication with the sensor payload comprising one or more systems for controlling the sensor payload, for controlling the pointing direction and for receiving the image signals from the sensor;

a lap top control unit in communication with the electronic control unit for use by an operator to input control commands to the electronic control unit, said lap top control unit comprising;

a first movable control panel module comprising a primary control element extending through a first top plate that forms a first control panel surface, a first enclosure attached to an underside of the first top plate and including a first bottom side formed with a first electrical connector protruding there through;

a second movable control panel module comprising a secondary control element extending through a second top plate that forms a second control panel surface, a second enclosure attached to an underside of the second top plate and including a second bottom side formed with a second electrical connector protruding there through;

wherein the each of the first and second movable control panel modules is configured for interchangeable installation into a receiving port configuration;

a base unit formed with a left receiving port formed with the receiving port configuration and having a third electrical connector disposed therein and wherein the third electrical connector is configured to interface with either one of said first and said second electrical connectors, and wherein the base unit is formed with a right receiving port formed with the receiving port configuration and having a fourth electrical connector disposed therein and wherein the fourth electrical connector is configured to interface with either one of said first and said second electrical connectors; and

,

a PC board installed in the base unit for controlling the function of the lap top control unit, said PC board being interconnected with the third electrical connector, the fourth electrical connector and further wherein the PC board is in communication with the electronic control unit.

23. The sensor system of claim 22 wherein the said base unit further comprises a third fixed control panel module positioned in a center position between said left receiving port and said right receiving port and further wherein the third fixed control panel module is interconnected with the PCB.

24. The sensor system of claim 22 wherein the primary control element comprises a two-axis joystick actuator extending vertically upward from the first control panel surface and configured to direct said pointing direction.

25. The sensor system of claim 22 wherein said secondary control element comprises a left control actuator and a right control actuator positioned on a left and a right side of the second control panel, with each of the left and right control actuators being configured to perform the same control function, and wherein said sensor system is configured to activate only the left control actuator when the second movable control module is installed in said left receiving port, and to activate only the right control actuator when the second movable control module is installed in said right receiving port.

26. The sensor system of claim 22:

wherein said third electrical connector comprises a multi-port electrical connector with a first set of ports configured to interface with said first movable control panel module and a second set of ports configured to interface with said second movable module; and

,

wherein said fourth electrical connector comprises a multi-port electrical connector with a first set of ports configured to interface with said first movable control panel module and a second set of ports configured to interface with said second movable module.

27. The sensor system of claim 22 wherein each of said electronic control unit and said PCB includes a transmitter and a receiver configured for transmitting and receiving command signals between the electronic control unit and the PCB by a wireless communication interface.

28. The sensor system of claim 22 wherein said payload further includes a radiation emitter for emitting a radiation beam substantially coincident with said pointing direction.

29. The sensor system of claim 22 further comprising a display device in communication with the electronic control unit for displaying an image in accordance with the image signals.

33. The sensor system of claim 22 wherein the secondary control element comprises a joystick actuator extending vertically upward from the second control panel surface for controlling the field of view of the sensor payload.