Mapping signal display apparatus

Claim 2

Multiple-sensor means for detecting a multiple-energy target comprising: pulsed energy monopulse scanning means for providing signals indicative of the range and direction of a detected target; passive radiant energy means in cooperation with said monopulse means for providing signals indicative of radiant energy radiated from said direction other than said pulsed energy; and signal combining means responsive to said pulsed energy means and said passive sensor means for providing a display signal indicating the presence of a target which both reflects said pulsed energy and radiates said radiated energy.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 in which there is further provided mapping display means responsive to said range and direction signals and to said signal combining means, whereby the resolution of the display provided by said indicator is improved.

Claim 4

In a radar system having an antenna and a mapping display indicator, means for providing a target display having improved resolution, comprising: a passive optical sensor having a view angle smaller than the beamwidth of said antenna and an optical axis slaved to the boresight axis of said antenna in a first one of two mutually orthogonal planes containing said boresight axis; means responsive to said antenna for directing said optical axis of said optical sensor in a second one of said mutually orthogonal planes toward a target detected by said radar; and coincidence gating means responsive to said radar system and an output of said optical sensor for providing a display signal to said mapping display indicator.

Claim 5

In a radar system having an antenna and a mapping display indicator, means for providing a target display having improved resolution, comprising: a passive optical sensor having a view angle smaller than the beamwidth of said antenna and an optical axis slaved to the boresight axis of said antenna in a first one of two mutually orthogonal planes containing said boresight axis; means responsive to said antenna for directing said optical axis of said optical sensor in a second one of said mutually orthogonal planes toward a target detected by said radar; and coincidence gating means responsive to said radar system and an output of said optical sensor for providing a display signal to said mapping display indicator.

Claim 6

In a radar system having a scanning antenna, means for providing a mapping display of improved angular resolution comprising: a passive optical sensor having a field of view smaller than the beamwidth of said antenna and further having an optical axis; means responsive to said radar system for directing said optical axis of said sensor in elevation toward a detected target detected by said radar system; PPI display means having an azimuthal directional input and range input responsive to said radar system and an intensity modulation input responsive to said passive sensor.

Claim 7

In a radar system having a scanning antenna, means for providing a mapping display of improved angular resolution comprising: a passive optical sensor having a field of view smaller than the beamwidth of said antenna and further having an optical axis; means responsive to said radar system for directing said optical axis of said sensor in elevation toward a detected target detected by said radar system; PPI display means having an azimuthal directional input and range input responsive to said radar system and an intensity modulation input responsive to said passive sensor.

Claim 8

In a radar system adapted for airborne mapping use, and having an azimuth-scanning directional antenna whose boresight axis of directivity is declined, the combination comprising: a passive optical sensor having an optical axis proximate to and electronically slaved parallel in azimuth to said boresight axis of said antenna and providing an electrical output signal indicative of a sensed optical target; means responsive to said radar system for directing said optical axis in elevation toward a detected target detected by said radar system; display means responsive to said radar system and said passive sensor for providing a mapping display indicative of the angular extent, shape and range of said target.

Claim 9

In a radar system adapted for airborne mapping use, and having an azimuth-scanning directional antenna whose boresight axis of directivity is declined, the combination comprising: a passive optical sensor having an optical axis proximate to and electronically slaved parallel in azimuth to said boresight axis of said antenna and providing an electrical output signal indicative of a sensed optical target; means responsive to said radar system for directing said optical axis in elevation toward a detected target detected by said radar system; display means responsive to said radar system and said passive sensor for providing a mapping display indicative of the angular extent, shape and range of said target.

Claim 10

In a directionally-scanning pulsed radar system having a directional antenna and providing a first signal having a time-occurrence indicative of the range of a detected target, and a second signal having an amplitude indicative of the target angle of said target detected by said radar system, the combination comprising: a vidicon device for providing an output voltage indicative of sensed light energy, the optical beamwidth to which said vidicon responds being less than the beaMwidth of said antenna of said radar system, said vidicon being further responsive to said second signal for directing an optical axis of said optical beamwidth toward said radar-detected target; display means responsive to the coincidence of the outputs from said vidicon device and said first received signal of said radar system for providing a PPI display having improved target image resolution.

Claim 11

In a directionally-scanning pulsed radar system having a directional antenna and providing a first signal having a time-occurrence indicative of the range of a detected target, and a second signal having an amplitude indicative of the target angle of said target detected by said radar system, the combination comprising: a vidicon device for providing an output voltage indicative of sensed light energy, the optical beamwidth to which said vidicon responds being less than the beaMwidth of said antenna of said radar system, said vidicon being further responsive to said second signal for directing an optical axis of said optical beamwidth toward said radar-detected target; display means responsive to the coincidence of the outputs from said vidicon device and said first received signal of said radar system for providing a PPI display having improved target image resolution.

Claim 12

In a pulsed energy type monopulse radar system providing radar signals severally indicative of the range and angle-off-boresight of a detected target and having a directional scanning antenna, improved radar mapping means comprising: a passive optical sensor having a field of view smaller than the beamiwdth of said antenna and further having an optical axis slaved in azimuth to the direction of said directional antenna; first means responsive to said received signals for orienting said optical axis in elevation toward said radar-detected target; second means responsive to the coincidence of said radar signals and an output of said oriented optical sensor for providing a display signal, whereby a display of improved resolution is provided.

Claim 13

In a pulsed energy type monopulse radar system providing radar signals severally indicative of the range and angle-off-boresight of a detected target and having a directional scanning antenna, improved radar mapping means comprising: a passive optical sensor having a field of view smaller than the beamiwdth of said antenna and further having an optical axis slaved in azimuth to the direction of said directional antenna; first means responsive to said received signals for orienting said optical axis in elevation toward said radar-detected target; second means responsive to the coincidence of said radar signals and an output of said oriented optical sensor for providing a display signal, whereby a display of improved resolution is provided.

Claim 14

The device of claim 7 wherein there is further provided time-coherent signal-smoothing means for severally smoothing said radar range signal and said radar angle-off-boresight signal, each said signal smoothing means comprising means responsive to an associated one of said range and angle-off boresight radar signals for continuously combining corresponding portions of the signals received over a preselected number of successive pulse repetition intervals of the pulsed radar system.

Claim 15

The device of claim 7 wherein there is further provided signal smoothing means for severally smoothing said radar range signal and said radar angle-off-boresight signal, each said signal smoothing means comprising; a tapped delay line having an input terminal responsive to said signal to be smoothed and a preselected plurality of output taps providing successively delayed output signals in response to an input signal, each said tap being mutually spaced to provide a time delay corresponding to a successive integer number of pulse repetition periods of said radar; a plurality of summing resistors corresponding to one more than the number of said output taps, a first terminal of each of said resistors being commonly interconnected to provide an output terminal, and a second terminal of each of said resistors being connected to a mutually exclusive one of said input terminal and output taps of said tapped delay line.

Claim 16

The device of claim 7 wherein there is further provided signal smoothing means for severally smoothing said radar range signal and said radar angle-off-boresight signal, each said signal smoothing means comprising a tapped delay line having an input terminal responsive to said signal to be smoothed and a preselected plurality of output taps providing successively delayed output signals in response to an input signal, each said tap being mutually spaced to provide a time delay corresponding to a successive integer number of pulse repetition periods of said radar, a plurality of summing resistors corresponding to one more than the number of said output taps, a first terminal of each of said resistors being commonly interconnected to provide an output terminal, and a second terminal of each of said resistors being connected to a mutually exclusive one of said input terminal and output taps of said tapped delay line, the number of said taps N of said delay line being related to the scan rate d theta /at, and beamwidth Delta theta of said antenna and the pulse repetition period of said radar as follows: