Optical probe

Claim 2

In a visual flight simulating system wherein a terrain model is variably viewed by a television camera and wherein the image of said terrain model received by an imaging surface in said television camera is fed to and projected in a flight simulator and wherein the flight simulator contains means for feedback signals representative of desired changes in attitude of the view from said television camera of said terrain model, the improvement comprising: an extremely wide angle field of view lens optically interposed between said television camera and said terrain model; said television camera having an angular field of view through said lens of said terrain model limited to only a portion of the wide angle field of view of said lens; and servo means controlled by said feedback signals from said flight simulator for moving said lens relative to said television camera in a plane substantially parallel to said imaging surface of said television camera to make a viewing attitude and perspective change of said terrain model without tilting said television camera or lens with respect to said terrain model.

Claim 3

The visual flight simulating system of claim 1 wherein said lens has an angular field of view of approximately 180* and said television camera has an angular field of view through said lens of approximately 80*.

Claim 4

In a visual flight simulator wherein a terrain model is variably viewed by a light image receiving means, and wherein the image of said terrain model is received by a light image receiving surface in said light image receiving means and projected in the flight simulator and wherein the flight simulator contains means for making desired changes in attitude of the view from said light image receiving means of said terrain model, the improvement in optical imaging apparatus providing movement of the field of view attitude and perspective comprising: a lens having en extremely wide angle field of view about an optical axis; light imaging receiving means for receiving an image of a selected viewing area on a light image receiving surface therein, said light image receiving means having an effective angular field of view extending through said wide angle field of view lens; said lens being optically interposed between said light image receiving means and said terrain model; said effective angular field of view of said light image receiving means through said wide angle field of view lens being limited to only a selected minor angular segment of said wide angle field of view; and means for relative movement between said light image receiving surface and said wide angle field of view lens transversely of said optical axis of said wide angle field of view lens to make a viewing attitude and perspective change at said light image receiving surface without tilting said light image receiving means.

Claim 5

In a visual flight simulator wherein a terrain model is variably viewed by a light image receiving means, and wherein the image of said terrain model is received by a light image receiving surface in said light image receiving means and projected in the flight simulator and wherein the flight simulator contains means for making desired changes in attitude of the view from said light image receiving means of said terrain model, the improvement in optical imaging apparatus providing movement of the field of view attitude and perspective comprising: a lens having en extremely wide angle field of view about an optical axis; light imaging receiving means for receiving an image of a selected viewing area on a light image receiving surface therein, said light image receiving means having an effective angular field of view extending through said wide angle field of view lens; said lens being optically interposed between said light image receiving means and said terrain model; said effective angular field of view of said light image receiving means through said wide angle field of view lens being limited to only a selected minor angular segment of said wide angle field of view; and means for relative movement between said light image receiving surface and said wide angle field of view lens transversely of said optical axis of said wide angle field of view lens to make a viewing attitude and perspective change at said light image receiving surface without tilting said light image receiving means.

Claim 6

The optical imaging apparatus of claim 3 wherein said light image receiving means is a television camera; and wherein said wide angle field of view lens is optically mounted in front of said light image receiving surface of said television camera and focuses an image in the plane of said light image receiving surface with an area substantially greater than the area of said light image receiving surface.

Claim 7

In a visual flight simulator wherein a terrain model is variably viewed by a light image receiving means, and wherein the image of said terrain model is received by a light image receiving surface in said light image receiving means and wherein the flight simulator contains means for making desired changes in attitude of the view from said light image receiving means of said terrain model, the improvement in optical imaging apparatus providing movement of the field Of view attitude and perspective comprising: a lens having an extremely wide angle field of view about an optical axis and focusing an optical image of a given area of said wide angle field of view at an image plane; television means having an angular field of view through said lens; said television means having a light image receiving surface area positioned at said image plane of said lens but occupying only a selected minor portion of said given area of said optical image of said lens for receiving only a selected minor segment of said wide angle field of view of said lens; and means for moving said selected minor segment of said wide angle field of view by relative movement between said light image receiving surface area of said television means and said lens transversely of said optical axis of said lens to make a viewing attitude and perspective change at said light image receiving surface.

Claim 8

In a visual flight simulator wherein a terrain model is variably viewed by a light image receiving means, and wherein the image of said terrain model is received by a light image receiving surface in said light image receiving means and wherein the flight simulator contains means for making desired changes in attitude of the view from said light image receiving means of said terrain model, the improvement in optical imaging apparatus providing movement of the field Of view attitude and perspective comprising: a lens having an extremely wide angle field of view about an optical axis and focusing an optical image of a given area of said wide angle field of view at an image plane; television means having an angular field of view through said lens; said television means having a light image receiving surface area positioned at said image plane of said lens but occupying only a selected minor portion of said given area of said optical image of said lens for receiving only a selected minor segment of said wide angle field of view of said lens; and means for moving said selected minor segment of said wide angle field of view by relative movement between said light image receiving surface area of said television means and said lens transversely of said optical axis of said lens to make a viewing attitude and perspective change at said light image receiving surface.

Claim 9

The optical apparatus of claim 5 wherein said light image receiving surface area of said television means is approximately one-fourth said given area of said optical image of said lens.