Optics: measuring and testing – Angle measuring or angular axial alignment – Automatic following or aligning while indicating measurement
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-25
2001-01-09
Felber, Joseph L. (Department: 2732)
Optics: measuring and testing
Angle measuring or angular axial alignment
Automatic following or aligning while indicating measurement
C348S169000, C250S203100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06172747
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tracking systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to an optical tracking system which is computer controlled and which is adapted for use on board an airborne platform such as aircraft, helicopter or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past optical tracking systems have been extensively used for acquiring, locating, and tracking objects of interest from an airborne platform. For example, in tracking the movement of illegal drugs via a land based vehicle from the air, an optical tracking system on board a helicopter can be extremely useful in that it continually provides updated information as to the movement, direction and location of the vehicle. By accurately identifying the movement, direction and location of the vehicle to law enforcement personnel on the ground an arrest can be made without undue endangerment to the individuals making the arrest.
An airborne optical tracking system can also be extremely useful in tracking illegal aliens entering the United States across its many boarders which cover several hundred miles of rugged terrain and which are not easily accessible by land. Other uses for airborne optical tracking system include search and rescue missions at sea and on land where the terrain is very rugged.
Generally, an optical tracking system for an airborne platform utilizing video cameras is referred to as an Airborne Video Tracking System (AVTS). These Airborne Video Tracking Systems are often manually controlled by either the pilot of the aircraft or a crew member. However, optical tracking systems which are manually controlled often lack the ability to quickly acquire a target. In addition, the manually controlled airborne optical tracking systems are generally unable to steer the optics to point to a specific latitude and longitude for the target in a rapid response time or to slave the optics of the optical tracking system with another tracking system and thereby follow the other tracking system. Such a tracking system may be an acquisition sight tracking system or an infrared or radar tracking system.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an airborne tracking system which allows for the immediate acquisition of a target of interest by the user of the system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide instantaneous location including longitude and latitude coordinates for the target of interest.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an airborne optical tracking system which may slaved with another tracking system so as to follow the other tracking system.
Various other advantages and objectives of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art by the detailed description of the invention and its preferred embodiments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes some of the disadvantages mentioned above in that it comprises a highly accurate and reliable airborne video tracking system located on board an aircraft such as a helicopter or airplane for use in tracking a target of interest and then providing instantaneous location information including the longitude, latitude and altitude for the target.
The airborne video tracking system comprises an acquisition sight for use by a pilot of an aircraft to acquire and begin tracking the target. Once the pilot acquires the target an operator at an operator's console in the aircraft can use a track handle to manually take control of tracking the target from the pilot. The operator monitors the target utilizing a narrow field of view monitor and a wide field of view monitor located at the operator console. When the target is visible within the narrow field of monitor the operator can switch tracking of the target from the track handle to an automatic video tracking system. The automatic video tracking system tracks the target based upon the contrast between the target and its surroundings.
An airborne video tracking system computer receives azimuth and elevation positional signals from the tracking device being used to track the target. The tracking device may be the acquisition sight, the track handle, the automatic video tracking system or a tracking radar which is coupled to an infrared display system. The airborne video tracking system computer then processes the azimuth and elevation data from the tracking device and provides azimuth and elevation angle signals in an analog format to a gimballed mirror to steer the gimballed mirror to the target.
The gimballed mirror receives image forming light from the target and then directs the image forming light via a first turning mirror to a wide field of view camera and a zoom telescope. The wide field of view camera is connected to the wide field of view monitor via the airborne video tracking system computer at the operator console allowing a wide field of view image to be displayed to the operator at the operator's console.
The zoom telescope, which also receives image forming light from the gimballed mirror via a second turning mirror, provides a narrow field of view image ranging from about 0.1 degree to about one degree. The zoom telescope directs a narrow field of view image to a narrow field of view camera. The narrow field of view camera is connected to the narrow field of view monitor via the airborne video tracking system computer at the operator console allowing the narrow field of view image of the target to be displayed to the operator at the operator's console.
The computer includes a video time inserter/video data inserter which overlays time and positional information of the target on the narrow field of view display. The video time inserter/video data inserter also overlays time and positional information of the aircraft as well as positional indicators of the gimballed mirror on the wide field of view display.
The airborne video tracking system also provides for automatic calibration of analog signals (azimuth and elevation angles) received by the computer from the gimballed mirror which indicate the direction the gimballed mirror is pointing. The automatic calibration of analog signals supplied to the gimballed mirror by the computer to steer the gimballed mirror is provided for by the computer of the airborne video tracking system. In addition, automatic calibration of the acquisition sight and the infrared display system is also provided for by the computer of the airborne video tracking system.
The airborne video tracking system includes a cue point buffer in the computer which automatically saves a target's positional information including latitude, longitude and altitude whenever target location is determined by marking or triangulation. By depressing the F
5
key on the computer's keyboard the operator can steer the gimballed mirror to the latest marked or triangulated target location. Prior marked or triangulated target locations are saved in a CUEPOINT.DAT file in the computer software. The operator may restore a prior target location in the CUEPOINT.DAT file by using the <ALT> and F
5
keys on the computer's keyboard.
The airborne video tracking system also provides positional data in the National Marine Electronics Association protocol via its computer to a moving map display located on board the aircraft. The positional data which includes latitude and longitude information is provided for target locations, the aircraft or platform location and first, second, third, fourth and fifth waypoints.
To improve the accuracy of marking target locations an averaging function is included in the computer software program for the airborne video tracking systems computer. The resulting average of the calculated latitude and longitude for the target is within 600 feet of the actual target location.
To improve the accuracy of triangulating target locations, each line of sight vector used in triangulating target locations is weighted equally. When triangulation is used to locate a target, the
Felber Joseph L.
Kalmbaugh David
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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