Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Telescope
Patent
1998-06-04
1999-11-09
Henry, Jon
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Telescope
359403, 345 1, G02B 2308, G02B 2330
Patent
active
059825367
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a display system, and in particular but not exclusively to a panoramic display system.
There is a common requirement in military vehicles for panoramic vision, to assist the vehicle crew in surveillance and target acquisition, situational awareness and vehicle control. In daylight conditions this may be provided by windows. To reduce the vulnerability of the vehicle due to penetration of the windows by shrapnel or small-arms fire it is common to provide the windows with "episcopes" which comprise glass rhomboid blocks which act as unity-magnification periscopes. The episcopes may be arranged in a ring with their viewing apertures aligned to provide a panoramic field of view. During night operation, or in the presence of smoke or intense light sources, the utility of these episcopes is limited and their use may even present a hazard. It is thus necessary to provide some other form of panoramic sensor, such as a thermal imaging system. Advances in such sensors now allow information to be gathered over 360.degree. with resolution comparable to that of the eye, but there is considerable difficulty in displaying such information in an easily assimilated form within the confines of a typical armoured fighting vehicle (AFV). Displays of moderate size have inadequate resolution to provide a panoramic display, such that an operator will typically have to select a limited field of view for display on a single relatively small screen. In this situation it is generally not possible to locate the position of a threat within the 360.degree. arc with the same rapidity as is possible with the direct-view episcopes.
It is among the objects of the embodiments of the present invention to provide a indirect viewing system which obviates and mitigates these disadvantages.
According to the present invention there is provided a panoramic display system for use in a vehicle equipped with a plurality of episcopes, including an information gathering sensor and a plurality of displays for the gathered information, each display being associated with a respective episcope and being operable to display the information gathered from a field of view corresponding to the respective episcope.
In use, the operator may utilise the episcopes in the normal manner while conditions permit. However, in poor visibility the sensor and displays may be utilised to provide indirect viewing of the same or a similar scene. Operators will thus only require minimal retraining to acquire an indirect viewing capability comparable with the existing direct view capability, as the display will closely mimic the views obtained from the episcopes.
As used herein, the term episcopes is intended to encompass conventional episcopes as described above, as well as periscopes and other direct viewing arrangements in which a reflected or redirected image is viewed.
Preferably, the gathered information is provided with substantially unit magnification, to correspond with the unit magnification provided by a typical episcope. The facility to increase magnification selectively may be provided to permit an operator to zoom in on a particular scene.
The indirect displays may be viewed in conjunction with the respective episcopes, or may be arranged for exclusive viewing. The indirect display may be provided adjacent the episcope aperture, or may be overlaid on the directly viewed scene. Conveniently, the latter arrangement is achieved by injecting the indirectly viewed scene into the visual path of the respective episcope such that it appears at the episcope aperture.
Preferably also, each display is collimated, to allow relaxed viewing. The display and associated collimator may be separate from the episcope, but savings in space may be achieved by integrating one or both of the collimator and display with the episcope. The collimating optics may introduce residual distortions which may be compensated by distorting the electronic image sent to the display.
The displays may be moveable to cover the episcope apertures, or the episcopes may be provide
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Runciman Herbert Morrison
Sillito Hillary
Swan Gordon
Barr & Stroud Limited
Henry Jon
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