Optical payload electrical system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical payload for directing a primary pointing axis at a target area comprising:
- a yoke assembly rotatably attached to a support structure and driven to rotate about an azimuth axis (A);
an optical payload assembly rotatably attached to the yoke assembly and driven to rotate about an elevation axis (E) wherein the optical payload assembly includes a primary video camera suitable for rendering a primary video image of the target area in a first infrared spectral range and a secondary video camera suitable for rendering a secondary video image of the target area in a second infrared spectral range; and
an electrical control system comprising a payload controller, housed in the optical payload assembly, for operating the primary and secondary video cameras, and a master controller, housed in the yoke assembly for correcting a primary video image of the target area from the primary video camera and for correcting a secondary video image of the target area from the secondary video camera, a network switch for receiving each of the corrected primary and secondary video images therein and a communication processor in communications with a network switch for merging the corrected primary and secondary images into a single network packetized data stream suitable for transmission over a radio transceiver wherein data packets associated with the primary video image are addressed to a first IP address and data packets associated with the secondary video image are addressed to a second IP address.
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Abstract
A compact optical payload for an unmanned aircraft includes two infrared cameras for wide and narrow field viewing, a daylight color camera, a laser pointer and a laser range finder.
30 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An optical payload for directing a primary pointing axis at a target area comprising:
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a yoke assembly rotatably attached to a support structure and driven to rotate about an azimuth axis (A); an optical payload assembly rotatably attached to the yoke assembly and driven to rotate about an elevation axis (E) wherein the optical payload assembly includes a primary video camera suitable for rendering a primary video image of the target area in a first infrared spectral range and a secondary video camera suitable for rendering a secondary video image of the target area in a second infrared spectral range; and an electrical control system comprising a payload controller, housed in the optical payload assembly, for operating the primary and secondary video cameras, and a master controller, housed in the yoke assembly for correcting a primary video image of the target area from the primary video camera and for correcting a secondary video image of the target area from the secondary video camera, a network switch for receiving each of the corrected primary and secondary video images therein and a communication processor in communications with a network switch for merging the corrected primary and secondary images into a single network packetized data stream suitable for transmission over a radio transceiver wherein data packets associated with the primary video image are addressed to a first IP address and data packets associated with the secondary video image are addressed to a second IP address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An optical payload for directing a primary pointing axis at a target area comprising:
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a yoke assembly rotatably attached to a support structure and driven to rotate about an azimuth axis (A); an optical payload assembly rotatably attached to the yoke assembly and driven to rotate about an elevation axis (E), wherein the optical payload assembly includes a plurality of electro-optical components for one of rendering a video image of the target area and directing a beam of radiation onto the target area; an electrical control system comprising one or more electrical subsystems housed inside the optical payload assembly and one or more electrical subsystems housed inside the yoke assembly; a slip ring assembly disposed between the payload assembly and the yoke assembly for exchanged electrical signals there between; and wherein the yoke assembly comprises a cylindrical top section formed by a thin annular wall surrounding a hollow electronics cavity for housing and supporting a plurality of circular PC boards therein with each PC board being formed with a circular peripheral edge and opposing top and bottom surfaces, wherein each of the plurality of circular PC boards is fixedly supported inside the hollow electronics cavity with the top and bottom surfaces thereof disposed substantially normal to the azimuth axis (A). - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for operating an optical payload, the method comprising:
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operating a primary video camera and a secondary video camera to simultaneously render a primary video image of a target area in a first infrared spectral range and a secondary video image of the target area in a second infrared spectral range; correcting each of the primary video image and the secondary video image to simultaneously communicate corrected primary and secondary video images to a network switch operating in cooperation with a communications processor; and merging the corrected primary and secondary video images into a single network packetized data stream suitable for transmission over a radio transceiver wherein data packets associated with the primary corrected image are addressed to a first IP address and data packets associated with the secondary corrected image are addressed to a second IP address. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method for operating an optical payload comprising the steps of:
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operating a primary video camera to render a primary video image of a target area; processing the primary video image to generate a corrected primary video image; operating a second video camera to render a secondary video image of the target area and a third video camera to render a tertiary video image of the target area; selecting to process one of the secondary and the tertiary video images of the target area; compressing the primary video image and the selected video image; and merging the compressed primary and selected video images into a single network packetized data stream suitable for transmission over a radio transceiver with data packets associated with the primary video image addressed to a first IP address and data packets associated with the selected video image addressed to a second IP address. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification