Remote view and direct view camera-pointing system

Claim 2

A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising: a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured; image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means; a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis to define an image path at an angle to said axis so that rotation of said first mirror on said axis causes said image path to describe a conical surface about said axis; a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction so that rotation of said second mirror on said image path causes the axis of view direction to described a conical surface about said image path, so that the direction of orientation of said axis of view direction is determined by the rotation of said first and second mirrors on their respective axes, without motion of said axis of said image-forming device.

Claim 3

The camera-pointing system of claim 1 wherein first drive means is connected to said first mirror to rotate said first mirror about said axis of said image-forming means and second drive means is connected to rotate said second mirror about said image path, and control means is connected to said drive means to control the direction of view.

Claim 4

A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising: a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured; image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means; a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis, first drive means connected to said first mirror to rotate said first mirror about said axis of said image-forming means, said first drive means including a first ring gear connected to rotate said first mirror and a first motor connected to drive said first ring gear; a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, second drive means connected to rotate said second mirror about said image paTh, said second drive means including a second ring gear connected to rotate said second mirror and a second motor connected to drive said second ring gear, so that the direction of orientation of said axis of view direction is determined by rotation of said first and second mirrors on their respective axes, without motion of said axis of said image-forming device; and control means connected to said first and second drive means to control the direction of view.

Claim 5

A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising: a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured; image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means; a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis, first drive means connected to said first mirror to rotate said first mirror about said axis of said image-forming means, said first drive means including a first ring gear connected to rotate said first mirror and a first motor connected to drive said first ring gear; a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, second drive means connected to rotate said second mirror about said image paTh, said second drive means including a second ring gear connected to rotate said second mirror and a second motor connected to drive said second ring gear, so that the direction of orientation of said axis of view direction is determined by rotation of said first and second mirrors on their respective axes, without motion of said axis of said image-forming device; and control means connected to said first and second drive means to control the direction of view.

Claim 6

A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising: a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured; image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means; a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis to define an image path at an angle to said axis, first drive means connected to said first mirror to rotate said first mirror about said axis, first sensing means connected to said first mirror to sense motion of said first mirror with respect to said frame; a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, second drive means connected to rotate said second mirror about said image path, sensing means connected to said second mirror to sense motion of said second mirror with respect to said frame; and control means connected to said drive means to control the direction of view, said sensing means being connected to said control means to feed back a signal to said control means indicating the positions of said first and second mirrors.

Claim 7

A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising: a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured; image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means; a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis to define an image path at an angle to said axis, first drive means connected to said first mirror to rotate said first mirror about said axis, first sensing means connected to said first mirror to sense motion of said first mirror with respect to said frame; a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, second drive means connected to rotate said second mirror about said image path, sensing means connected to said second mirror to sense motion of said second mirror with respect to said frame; and control means connected to said drive means to control the direction of view, said sensing means being connected to said control means to feed back a signal to said control means indicating the positions of said first and second mirrors.

Claim 8

The camera-pointing system of claim 4 wherein said sensing means comprises at least one gyro mounted upon said second mirror.

Claim 9

A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising: a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured; image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means; a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis to define an image path at an angle to said axis; a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, so that the direction of orientation of said axis of view direction is determined by rotation of said first and second mirrors on their respective axes, without motion of said axis of said image-forming device; and a lens positioned between said first and second mirrors to focus an image on said image-forming means.

Claim 10

A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising: a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured; image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means; a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis to define an image path at an angle to said axis; a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, so that the direction of orientation of said axis of view direction is determined by rotation of said first and second mirrors on their respective axes, without motion of said axis of said image-forming device; and a lens positioned between said first and second mirrors to focus an image on said image-forming means.

Claim 11

A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising: a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured; image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means, said image-forming means comprising an image intensifier, said image intensifier being rotatably mounted in said frame on said axis; a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis to define an image path at an angle to said axis; a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, so that the direction of orientation of said axis of view direction is determined by the rotation of said first and second mirrors on their respective axes, without motion of said axis of said image-forming device.

Claim 12

A camera-pointing system, said camera-pointing system comprising: a frame, said frame having an axis, said frame being arranged to be secured; image-forming means mounted in said frame so that the axis of said frame forms the optical axis of said image-forming means, said image-forming means comprising an image intensifier, said image intensifier being rotatably mounted in said frame on said axis; a first mirror movably mounted on said axis to rotate on said axis, said mirror being positioned at an angle with respect to said axis to define an image path at an angle to said axis; a second mirror positioned on said image path and movably mounted to rotate about said image path, said second mirror thus defining the axis of view direction, so that the direction of orientation of said axis of view direction is determined by the rotation of said first and second mirrors on their respective axes, without motion of said axis of said image-forming device.

Claim 13

The camera-pointing system of claim 7 wherein drive means is connected to rotate said image intensifier with respect to said frame on said axis, sensing means connected to said mirrors tO detect rotation of said mirrors on said mirror rotation axes, said sensing means being connected to said drive means to rotate said image intensifier as a function of mirror rotation.

Claim 14

The camera-pointing system of claim 8 wherein a vidicon is mounted on said axis of said image intensifier, said vidicon-receiving optical signals from said image intensifier and rotating with said image intensifier.

Claim 15

The camera-pointing system of claim 8 wherein a fiber optic bundle has its first end connected to said image intensifier, said first end of said fiber optic bundle rotating with said image intensifier.

Claim 16

The camera-pointing system of claim 8 wherein said function of image intensifier angular rotation is that the image intensifier rotates an angle equal to the sum of the angles of rotation of said first and second mirrors.