REMOTE VIEW AND DIRECT VIEW CAMERA-POINTING SYSTEM

• US 3,634,622 A
• Filed: 06/04/1969
• Issued: 01/11/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bryce A. Wheeler
• Original Assignee: Bryce A. Wheeler
• Inventors: Wheeler, Bryce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Farley, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moskowitz, N.
• Application Number:
  US04/830,590
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 178/7.8,7.88,7.89,6.7 356/4
• US Class Current: 348/369
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/09 for electromagnetic radiation in the invisible region, e.g. infrared

Abstract

The camera is an image-forming device which has an optical axis which is stationary with respect to a main frame, and the camera optical axis is directed to a mirror which rotates about the optical axis. The mirror forms a second optical axis at right angles to the camera axis. The second optical axis intersects with an optical objective and a second mirror. The second mirror is rotatable about the second axis. Thus, the image-forming device is able to see in any direction by mere rotation of the mirrors without changing the direction of the optical axis of the image former. Upright image orientation is maintained by rotation of the image former on its axis as a function of rotation of the second mirror on its axes.

Claims

1. A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising:

a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured;

image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means;

a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis to define an image path at an angle to said axis so that rotation of said first mirror on said axis causes said image path to describe a conical surface about said axis;

a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction so that rotation of said second mirror on said image path causes the axis of view direction to described a conical surface about said image path, so that the direction of orientation of said axis of view direction is determined by the rotation of said first and second mirrors on their respective axes, without motion of said axis of said image-forming device.

2. The camera-pointing system of claim 1 wherein first drive means is connected to said first mirror to rotate said first mirror about said axis of said image-forming means and second drive means is connected to rotate said second mirror about said image path, and control means is connected to said drive means to control the direction of view.

3. A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising:

a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured;

image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means;

a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis, first drive means connected to said first mirror to rotate said first mirror about said axis of said image-forming means, said first drive means including a first ring gear connected to rotate said first mirror and a first motor connected to drive said first ring gear;

a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, second drive means connected to rotate said second mirror about said image paTh, said second drive means including a second ring gear connected to rotate said second mirror and a second motor connected to drive said second ring gear, so that the direction of orientation of said axis of view direction is determined by rotation of said first and second mirrors on their respective axes, without motion of said axis of said image-forming device; and

control means connected to said first and second drive means to control the direction of view.

4. A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising:

a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured;

image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means;

a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis to define an image path at an angle to said axis, first drive means connected to said first mirror to rotate said first mirror about said axis, first sensing means connected to said first mirror to sense motion of said first mirror with respect to said frame;

a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, second drive means connected to rotate said second mirror about said image path, sensing means connected to said second mirror to sense motion of said second mirror with respect to said frame; and

control means connected to said drive means to control the direction of view, said sensing means being connected to said control means to feed back a signal to said control means indicating the positions of said first and second mirrors.

5. The camera-pointing system of claim 4 wherein said sensing means comprises at least one gyro mounted upon said second mirror.

6. A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising:

a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured;

image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means;

a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis to define an image path at an angle to said axis;

a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, so that the direction of orientation of said axis of view direction is determined by rotation of said first and second mirrors on their respective axes, without motion of said axis of said image-forming device; and

a lens positioned between said first and second mirrors to focus an image on said image-forming means.

7. A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising:

a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured;

image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means, said image-forming means comprising an image intensifier, said image intensifier being rotatably mounted in said frame on said axis;

a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis to define an image path at an angle to said axis;

a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, so that the direction of orientation of said axis of view direction is determined by the rotation of said first and second mirrors on their respective axes, without motion of said axis of said image-forming device.

8. The camera-pointing system of claim 7 wherein drive means is connected to rotate said image intensifier with respect to said frame on said axis, sensing means connected to said mirrors tO detect rotation of said mirrors on said mirror rotation axes, said sensing means being connected to said drive means to rotate said image intensifier as a function of mirror rotation.

9. The camera-pointing system of claim 8 wherein a vidicon is mounted on said axis of said image intensifier, said vidicon-receiving optical signals from said image intensifier and rotating with said image intensifier.

10. The camera-pointing system of claim 8 wherein a fiber optic bundle has its first end connected to said image intensifier, said first end of said fiber optic bundle rotating with said image intensifier.

11. The camera-pointing system of claim 8 wherein said function of image intensifier angular rotation is that the image intensifier rotates an angle equal to the sum of the angles of rotation of said first and second mirrors.