Contour-mapping system

Claim 2

In a system for mapping and displaying the contour of an area from a receiving station moving over said area in a first direction which comprises means for transmitting a beam of energy from said station, said beam being narrow in said first direction and wide in a second direction perpendicular to said first detection, means for receiving said transmitted radiation reflected from said area in a plurality of adjacent individual receiving beams intercepting said transmitting beams along said second direction, and means for displaying said received radiation in a form visually representing the contour of said area; the improvement comprising means for sensing the angular position of said receiving means with respect to a reference angular position, means for producing an output proportional to the deviation of said angular position from said reference angular position, and means operatively connected to said display means and responsive to said output from angularly adjusting said visual representation to correspond to the contour which would be represented if said receiving means were in said reference angular position, said adjusting means comprising means operatively connected to said sensing means for converting said angular deviation to a digital signal, the angular position of said representation being responsive to said digital signal.

Claim 3

producing a digital signal corresponding to said sensed angular position; and

Claim 4

producing a digital signal corresponding to said sensed angular position; and

Claim 5

The contour-mapping system of claim 1, in which said receiving means comprises a plurality of individual recEiving elements fixedly mounted on said receiving station and each adapted to receive said reflected radiation from a different angular direction with respect to said receiving station, thereby collectively subtending a given angular receiving area, said reference angular position of said receiving means corresponding to a reference angular position of said receiving station with respect to its plane of travel.

Claim 6

The contour-mapping system of claim 1, wherein said display means comprises an electronic display scope operatively connected to said receiving means and adapted to produce a visual trace in successive sweeps representing the contour of the area subtended by said receiving beams, and wherein said adjusting means comprises means for rotating the trace projected on such cathode-ray tube an amount equal to the angular deviation of said receiving means from said reference angular position.

Claim 7

timing the commencement of said trace along said sweep in accordance with said digital signal.

Claim 8

timing the commencement of said trace along said sweep in accordance with said digital signal.

Claim 9

The contour-mapping system of claim 2, wherein said receiving station moves in a generally horizontal plane and wherein said receiving means, when in said reference angular position, comprises an equal number of receiving elements angularly disposed on either side of a vertical plane extending through said receiving station in said first direction.

Claim 10

The contour-mapping system of claim 4, wherein said display means comprises an electronic display scope operatively connected to said receiving means and adapted to produce a visual trace in successive sweeps representing the contour of the area subtended by said receiving beams, and wherein said adjusting means comprises means for rotating the trace projected on such cathode-ray tube an amount equal to the angular deviation of said receiving means from said reference angular position.

Claim 11

The contour-mapping system of claim 5, wherein said rotating means comprises means operatively connected to said sensing means for producing a digital signal corresponding to said angular deviation and means for timing the commencement of said trace along said sweep in accordance with said digital signal.

Claim 12

In a method of mapping the contour of an area from a receiving station moving over said area in a first direction and visually displaying said sensed contour, comprising the steps of transmitting a beam of energy from said receiving station, said beam being narrow in said first direction and wide in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, receiving said transmitted beam reflected from said area in a plurality of adjacent individual receiving beams intercepting said transmitted beams along said second direction and subtending a given portion of said area, and displaying said received radiation on an electronic display scope operatively connected to said receiving means and adapted to produce a visual trace in successive sweeps representing the contour of said given portion of said area; the improvement comprising:

Claim 13

In a method of mapping the contour of an area from a receiving station moving over said area in a first direction and visually displaying said sensed contour, comprising the steps of transmitting a beam of energy from said receiving station, said beam being narrow in said first direction and wide in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, receiving said transmitted beam reflected from said area in a plurality of adjacent individual receiving beams intercepting said transmitted beams along said second direction and subtending a given portion of said area, and displaying said received radiation on an electronic display scope operatively connected to said receiving means and adapted to produce a visual trace in successive sweeps representing the contour of said given portion of said area; the improvement comprising:

Claim 14

In a system for mapping and displaying the contour of an area from a receiving station moving over said area in a first direction which comprises means for transmitting a beam of energy from said station, said beam being narrow in said first direction and wide in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, means for receiving said transmitted radiation reflected from said area in a plurality of adjacent individual receiving beams intercepting said transmitting beams along said second direction, and means for displaying said received radiation in a form visually representing the contour of said area; the improvement comprising means for sensing the angular position of said receiving means with respect to a reference angular position, means for producing an output proportioNal to the deviation of said angular position from said reference angular position, and means operatively connected to said display means and responsive to said output for angularly adjusting said visual representation to correspond to the contour which would be represented if said receiving means were in said reference angular position, said receiving means comprising a plurality of individual receiving elements fixedly mounted on said receiving station and each adapted to receive said reflected radiation from a different angular direction with respect to said receiving station, thereby collectively subtending a given angular receiving area, said reference angular position of said receiving means corresponding to a reference angular position of said receiving station with respect to its plane of travel, said receiving station moving in a generally horizontal plane and said receiving means, when in said reference angular position, comprising an equal number of receiving elements angularly disposed on either side of a vertical plane extending through said receiving station in said first direction, said display means comprising an electronic display scope operatively connected to said receiving means and adapted to produce a visual trace in successive sweeps representing the contour of the area subtended by said receiving beams, and wherein said adjusting means comprises means for rotating the trace projected on such display scope an amount equal to the angular deviation of said receiving means from said reference angular position, said rotating means comprising means operatively connected to said sensing means for producing a digital signal corresponding to said angular deviation and means for timing the commencement of said trace along said sweep in accordance with said digital signal.

Claim 15

In a system for mapping and displaying the contour of an area from a receiving station moving over said area in a first direction which comprises means for transmitting a beam of energy from said station, said beam being narrow in said first direction and wide in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, means for receiving said transmitted radiation reflected from said area in a plurality of adjacent individual receiving beams intercepting said transmitting beams along said second direction, and means for displaying said received radiation in a form visually representing the contour of said area; the improvement comprising means for sensing the angular position of said receiving means with respect to a reference angular position, means for producing an output proportioNal to the deviation of said angular position from said reference angular position, and means operatively connected to said display means and responsive to said output for angularly adjusting said visual representation to correspond to the contour which would be represented if said receiving means were in said reference angular position, said receiving means comprising a plurality of individual receiving elements fixedly mounted on said receiving station and each adapted to receive said reflected radiation from a different angular direction with respect to said receiving station, thereby collectively subtending a given angular receiving area, said reference angular position of said receiving means corresponding to a reference angular position of said receiving station with respect to its plane of travel, said receiving station moving in a generally horizontal plane and said receiving means, when in said reference angular position, comprising an equal number of receiving elements angularly disposed on either side of a vertical plane extending through said receiving station in said first direction, said display means comprising an electronic display scope operatively connected to said receiving means and adapted to produce a visual trace in successive sweeps representing the contour of the area subtended by said receiving beams, and wherein said adjusting means comprises means for rotating the trace projected on such display scope an amount equal to the angular deviation of said receiving means from said reference angular position, said rotating means comprising means operatively connected to said sensing means for producing a digital signal corresponding to said angular deviation and means for timing the commencement of said trace along said sweep in accordance with said digital signal.