Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Photocell controls its own optical systems
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-01
2001-03-13
Le, Que T. (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Photocell controls its own optical systems
C250S203200, C356S139080
Reexamination Certificate
active
06201231
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a testing system, wherein field tests can be very substantially obviated.
Hitherto the procedure involved for example is such that, in laboratory tests, the target movement is simulated by means of a robot; in cases in which high-speed targets such as for example missiles are to be tracked however the dynamics of the robot are often not sufficiently great enough so that expensive field tests become necessary.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Warm et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,434 which is commonly assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses an apparatus for repelling an air target missile with an infra-red search head, for attacking an aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with a laser source whose laser beam can be directed against the attacking air target missile by way of the optical follower arrangement of a target tracking system. The laser beam operates in a given frequency band which is in the region of the detection frequency of infra-red search heads. The laser beam is cyclically operated at a frequency which corresponds to the usual reticle frequency of infra-red search heads.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,434 describes an apparatus for repelling an air target missile with search head target tracking, for attacking an aircraft. In this case also the aircraft has a laser source whose laser beam can be directed against the attacking missile by way of an optical follower arrangement of a target tracking system, as a defence beam. In that arrangement, to eliminate the influence of vibrations of the aircraft on target tracking the target tracking system, in addition to the tracking regulating circuit provided, is equipped with a high-frequency anti-vibration regulating circuit which is connected to an associated optical anti-vibration system which is arranged in the beam path of the optical tracker arrangement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to optimise a target tracking system without the need for field tests as have been referred to in the opening part of this specification.
In accordance with the invention a light source which is projected by means of a two-axis deflection device onto a wall is used as a target simulator. A tracking light source is superimposed on the target tracking system to be tested, for the purposes of visualisation of the orientation.
The testing system according to the invention affords the advantage that reproducible experiments can be implemented at any time without the limitations which are involved with field tests. The testing system according to the invention also enjoys the advantages that it is inexpensive to produce and can be used irrespective of weather. Furthermore any reproducible target movements can be implemented with the testing system according to the invention. Tracking differences can be perceived directly at the intermediate wall which preferably has a ground glass screen. In the case of the testing system according to the invention absolute or relative target movements are projected onto the said intermediate wall. Those target movements are followed by the target tracking system. In that situation the target tracking system, that is to say the tracking light source, by means of the two-axis scanner device associated therewith, projects its own path, preferably in a different colour, onto the same wall, that is to say onto the above-mentioned intermediate wall. In order to avoid the target tracking system being disturbed by its own light source, arranged between the scanner device and the tracking sensor is a selective filter or beam splitter which prevents radiation from its own light source impinging on the tracking sensor. The target point computer and the tracking computer serve to bring into alignment the flight path curves of the target point light source and the tracking paths of the tracking light source. As already mentioned above, tracking differences can be perceived directly on the intermediate wall, that is to say the ground glass screen.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4349838 (1982-09-01), Daniel
patent: 5600434 (1997-02-01), Warm et al.
patent: 44 02 855 C2 (1995-08-01), None
patent: 44 30 830 A1 (1996-03-01), None
Kassens Peter
Regensburger Martin
Diehl Stiftung & Co.
Le Que T.
Scully Scott Murphy & Presser
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