Patent US3766897A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0117983A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0117983A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Thermally integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1984-01-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-01-19
Abstract
Abstract An integrated laser/forward looking infrared (FLIR) rangefinder 10 has a rotatable head assembly 12 attached to an optical housing 16. Housing 16 contains a combined visible and laser optics which includes a laser boresight alignment mechanism, and a FLIR system including the infrared optics which includes a scanner position sensor for the laser transmitter 28 and a reflected laser energy amplifier for generating a spiked difference voltage. Attached to the housing 16 is: the laser transmitter 28, which contains a compact TEA laser; manual drive mechanisms for laser boresight control 30, elevation and azimuth drift controls 32, first return/last return selection control 34, focus control 36 and head assembly elevation and azimuth controls; gunner's primary sight display 24; and commander's light pipe optics ' 26. The laser transmitter is in lasing communication with the combined visible and laser optics 18; the gunner's display 24 and commander's light pipe optics 26 are in visible communication with the combined visible and laser optics 18 and FLIR visible optics for viewing and ranging a target. The rotatable head assembly 12 is in communication with both the combined visible and laser optics for viewing and transmitting laser pulses to a target, and infrared optics for receiving reflected laser energy and infrared energy emanating from the scene of the field of view.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas R. Patrick
- 👤 Richard Powell
- 👤 Barry Berdanier
- 👤 Eric H. Ford
- 👤 Stephen B. Stayton
- 👤 John A. Mooney
- 👤 James A. Mckay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 16:02
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/097; H01S3/0971; H01S3/09713; G; G01; G01S; G01S17/00; G01S17/86; G01S7/00; G01S7/48; G01S7/481; G01S7/4811; G01S7/4813; G01S7/483; H01S3/02; H01S3/03; H01S3/038; G01S7/497; G01S7/4972
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
An integrated laser/forward looking infrared rangefinder (FLIR) comprising a FLIR system in an IR channel, said FLIR system having energy detecting means including an energy collecting lens system for focusing energy and a detector means for receiving the focused energy; a preselected laser transmitter in operative association with the FLIR system, said laser transmitter operative to transmit laser energy having a wavelength compatible with the optical bandpass of the energy collecting lens system whereby laser return energy is collected by the energy collecting lens system for detection by the energy detecting means; and means for determining ranging information from laser firing information and laser return information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
An integrated laser/forward looking infrared rangefinder (FLIR) comprising a FLIR system in an IR channel, said FLIR system having energy detecting means including an energy collecting lens system for focusing energy and a detector means for receiving the focused energy; a preselected laser transmitter in operative association with the FLIR system, said laser transmitter operative to transmit laser energy having a wavelength compatible with the optical bandpass of the energy collecting lens system whereby laser return energy is collected by the energy collecting lens system for detection by the energy detecting means; and means for determining ranging information from laser firing information and laser return information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
167 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder comprising: (a) an infrared (IR) energy optic channel means including a forward looking infrared (FLIR) system for producing a visible image of IR energy emanating from a scene and an optic sight means for viewing the visible image and sighting a selected target, said FLIR including a signal means for initiating a laser trigger generating means and a laser return detecting means for producing a signal indicative thereof; (b) a visible light energy optical channel means in juxtaposition to the IR energy optic channel including a telescope sight for sighting a visible target; (c) a laser transmitter means including a laser operatively connected to the visible light energy optical channel for injecting a laser beam therein for transmission to a target; and (d) a laser rangefinder electronic means including a counting means operatively connected to the laser transmitter ) means and laser return detecting means for counting the time between the firing of the laser and detection of the laser return for rangefinding.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
167 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder comprising: (a) an infrared (IR) energy optic channel means including a forward looking infrared (FLIR) system for producing a visible image of IR energy emanating from a scene and an optic sight means for viewing the visible image and sighting a selected target, said FLIR including a signal means for initiating a laser trigger generating means and a laser return detecting means for producing a signal indicative thereof; (b) a visible light energy optical channel means in juxtaposition to the IR energy optic channel including a telescope sight for sighting a visible target; (c) a laser transmitter means including a laser operatively connected to the visible light energy optical channel for injecting a laser beam therein for transmission to a target; and (d) a laser rangefinder electronic means including a counting means operatively connected to the laser transmitter ) means and laser return detecting means for counting the time between the firing of the laser and detection of the laser return for rangefinding.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
104 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 2 wherein the visible light energy optical channel means includes a laser boresight mechanism having: a) a light source for producing a light target; b) adjustable optical-means for projecting the light target along the path of the laser beam; c) a switchable laser boresight reflector means- switchably mounted adjacent to the visable light optics path for selectively switching the light target back through the visible light optics path to the sight eyepiece field of view; and - d) line-of-sight adjustment means for selectively adjusting the-optical means for aligning the light target to the eyepiece line of sight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 3 wherein the adjustable optical means comprises a rotatable afocal assembly, said rotatable afocal assembly mounted for rotation around the laser input axis for adjusting the light target in azimuth, and a tiltable beamsplitter mounted for tilting about an axis adjacent a first end of the beamsplitter for adjusting the light target in elevation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 2 wherein the laser of the laser transmitter means includes a C0 2 laser.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
152 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 2 wherein the laser comprises a pulse forming network and a laser cavity operatively connected to the pulse forming network for producing laser pulses at preselecte-d pulse rates, said laser cavity including a segmented ceramic housing having walls forming a cavity having first and second elongated sides, a plurality of gas ballast cups in open- communication with the cavity, preionizer passages and passages for a plurality of electrodes; a preionization electrode mounted in the preionizer passage of the ceramic housing said ceramic wall separating the preionization electrode from the laser cavity for forming a dielectric between the preionization electrode and laser cavity said preionizer for establishing a uniform glow discharge in the laser cavity, and a plurality of electrodes mounted in the plurality of electrode passages in a transverse excitation configuration adjacent to the preionizer whereby the uniform glow discharge develops with substantially no arcing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
105 words
' An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 6 further comprising a housing base member for supporting: the laser cavity housing, the pulse forming network adjacent to the first elongated side of the laser cavity housing, a first transformer adjacent to a preselected end of the pulse forming network, a power converter adjacent to the second side of the laser cavity housing, a power conditioner adjacent to the pulse forming network, and a cover member attached in sealing engagement to the housing base member whereby a compact laser transmitter is formed in a package convenient for incorporation into a larger system as a component thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 2 wherein the FLIR System includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED's) and a scanner means for reflecting the light from the LED's responsive to the scanner s movement and wherein said signal means for initiating a laser trigger generating means includes at least one of the LED's for use in producing a laser trigger pulse in response to a preselected position of the scanner.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
95 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 8 wherein said signal means for initiating a laser trigger generating means further includes: a light passing reticle means selectively positioned with respect to the line-of-sight optical path for passing said light, and a light detector for detecting light passing through the reticle means and producing an electical signal in response thereto, and control means operatively connected to the light sensor for firing the laser, said control means including a logic gate having a first terminal connected to the light Detector for selectively receiving a light indicating pulse.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 9 wherein the control means further includes a counter and a latch operatively connected to the control gate whereby 5the counter is actuated when a logic signal is received indicating the firing of a suitable rangefinder pulse pursuant to the scanner position sensor signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to pclaim 2 wherein the FLIR system includes an energy collecting lens system for focusing energy and an array of IR detectors and said laser return detecting means includes a detector of the array of detectors for detecting a laser return as well as IR energy from the scene.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 2 wherein the FLIR system includes a plurality of detectors, a cooler for cooling the detectors to a working temperature a first portion of said detectors forming a detector array for detecting IR energy emanating from a scene and a second portion including at least one detector for detecting laser return energy, and a reflecting means for reflecting the focused laser return energy on said second portion of the plurality of detectors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 12 wherein said FLIR system further includes an amplifier means having a trans-resistance amplifier connected to the second portion of detectors and a spike type signal producing means connected to the trans-resistance amplifier for producing a spiked difference voltage signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 13 wherein the spike producing means comprises a delay means'and an operational amplifier, said operational amplifier operatively connected to the trans-resistance amplifier and delay means for substantially reducing the slope of the trailing edge of the trans-resistance amplifier's difference voltage output.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 2 wherein said FLIR system includes an energy collecting lens system for focusing energy, a reflector means for reflecting the focused laser return energy, a laser return detector for receiving the reflected laser return energy, and a cooler for cooling the detector to a working level for producing a laser return energy detection signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 2 wherein the laser transmitter means includes a laser firing detector means for generating a signal indicative of the laser firing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
352 words
An integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder according to Claim 2 wherein the laser rangefinder electronic means further includes: (a) a charge enable means having input terminals connected to a fire laser switch and a first/last/safe laser pulse selection switch, and first and second output terminals for charge enabling signals, said first output terminal connected to the laser transmitter for charging the laser transmitter; (b) a pulse selection and offset means having a first input terminal connected to the FLIR signal means for receiving scan position pulses and a second input terminal for receiving a signal indicating whether range information is available and output terminals connected to the laser transmitter for connecting laser firing trigger signals thereto and to the FLIR system for selectively connecting a boresight pulse thereto for producing a FLIR boresight target for the IR energy optic channel means; (c) a counter of said counter means having an input terminal connected to the laser transmitter for receiving a laser firing pulse and first and second output terminals for producing counter enabling pulses; (d) a detected video gate means having first, second, and third input terminals the first input terminal connected to the first output terminal of the counter for receiving a counter enabling signal, the second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of the charge enable means for selectively receiving a first/last pulse selection signal and the third input terminal connected to the laser return detecting means for receiving a laser return energy detection signal and an output terminal for a latching signal; and (e) a data latching means including data latches having first input terminals connected to the second output terminal of the counter for receiving the count thereof and second input terminals connected to the output terminal of the detected video gate means for receiving a count latching signal and first and second outputs, the first output connected to the second input terminal of the pulse selection and offset means for providing a "no range" information signal to the pulse selection and offset means, and the second output for providing the latched count for range information determining purposes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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