Bipolar area correlator

Claim 2

A bipolar area correlator including in combination image producing means for producing an image of a scene; a reference representing a feature to be correlated with an image of a scene produced by said image producing means, said reference having first and second transparent regions; a first correlation plane for forming a first correlation image thereat; a second correlation plane for forming a second correlation image thereat; first image converting means for converting a first correlation image at said first correlation plane to electrical signals; second image converting means for converting a second correlation image at said second correlation plane to electrical signals; first optical control means for permitting light rays from the image of a scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said first transparent regions in the reference to impinge on said first correlation plane and form thereat a first correlation image which is converted to electrical signals by the first image converting means, while preventing light rays from the image of the scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said second transparent regions in the reference from reaching the first image converting means; second optical control means for permitting light rays from the image of a scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said second transparent regions in the reference to impinge on said second correlation plane and form thereat a second correlation image which is converted to electrical signals by the second image converting means, while preventing light rays from the image of the scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said first transparent regions in the reference from reaching the second image converting means; and subtractor means coupled to said first and second image converting means and operable to produce output signals which are the differences of the electrical signals from the first and second image converting means.

Claim 3

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first transparent regions of the reference are of one type, and said second transparent regions are of another tyPe; said first optical control means includes first filtering means interposed between said reference and said first image converting means for permitting light rays from an image of a scene produced by said image producing means which pass through the transparent regions of the one type to pass therethrough to the first correlation plane and form thereat a first correlation image which is converted to electrical signals by the first image converting means, and for preventing light rays from an image of a scene which pass through the transparent regions of the other type from passing therethrough to the first image converting means; and said second optical control means includes second filtering means interposed between said reference and said second correlation plane for permitting light rays from an image of a scene produced by said image producing means which pass through the transparent regions of the other type to pass therethrough to the second correlation plane and form thereat a second correlation image which is converted to electrical signals by the second image converging means, and for preventing light rays from an image of a scene which pass through the transparent regions of the one type from passing therethrough to the second image converting means.

Claim 4

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 2 wherein said first image converting means includes a surface for forming the first correlation image thereon and means for scanning said surface to produce a series of electrical signals varying with the light intensity of the elements of the image being scanned; said second image converting means includes a surface for forming the second correlation image thereon and means for scanning said surface to produce a series of electrical signals varying with the light intensity of the elements of the image being scanned; and including control means for synchronizing the scanning of the respective surfaces of the first and second image converting means; and wherein said subtractor means is operable to produce a series of output signals each of which is the difference between the electrical signals produced at the same instant by the first and second image converting means.

Claim 5

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 3 wherein said first and second optical control means include beam splitting means for directing light rays from an image of a scene produced by said image producing means along separate first and second optical paths, the light rays along said first optical path being directed toward said first correlation plane and said first image converting means, and the light rays along said second optical path being directed toward said second correlation plane and said second image converting means; said reference is disposed intermediate said image producing means and said beam splitting means; said first filtering means is interposed across first optical path; and said second filtering means is interposed across said second optical path.

Claim 6

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 4 wherein said first transparent regions of the reference are of one color, and said second transparent regions of the reference are of another color; said first filtering means includes a filter which passes light of said one color and blocks light of said other color; and said second filtering means includes a filter which passes light of said other color and blocks light of said one color.

Claim 7

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 4 wherein said first transparent regions of the reference are of polarizing material arranged to permit light of one polarity to pass therethrough, and said second transparent regions of the reference are of polarizing material arranged to permit light of the opposite polarity to pass therethrough; said first filtering means includes a polarizing filter which passes light of the one polarity and blocks light of the opposite pOlarity; and said second filtering means includes a polarizing filter which passes light of the opposite polarity and blocks light of the one plurality.

Claim 8

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 4 wherein said reference representing a feature is substantially the exact matched filter of the feature with said first regions of the reference designating numerical values of one polarity and said second regions of the reference designating numerical values of the opposite polarity.

Claim 9

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 4 wherein said image producing means includes a cathode ray tube; and including a scaling lens interposed between said cathode ray tube and said reference.

Claim 10

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 4 including display means of the type producing an image on a display surface by scanning said display surface while receiving signals at the input thereto; and wherein; said control means is coupled to the display means and is operable to synchronize the scanning of the display surface with the scanning of the surfaces of the first and second image converting means; and the input of said display means is coupled to the subtractor means for receiving the output signals from the subtractor means, whereby a resultant correlation image is produced on the display surface of the display means.

Claim 11

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 1 wherein said reference includes two portions, a first portion having said first transparent regions and a second portion having said second transparent regions; said first and second optical control means include beam splitting means disposed intermediate the image producing means and the portions of the reference for directing light rays from an image of a scene produced by said image producing means along separate first and second optical paths; the light rays along said first optical path being directed to said first portion of the reference, passing through the first transparent regions, and impinging on said first correlation plane; and the light rays directed along said second optical path being directed to said second portion of the reference, passing through the second transparent regions, and impinging on said second correlation plane.

Claim 12

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 10 wherein said first image converting means includes a surface for forming the first correlation image thereon and means for scanning said surface to produce a series of electrical signals varying with the light intensity of the elements of the image being scanned; said second image converting means includes a surface for forming the second correlation image thereon and means for scanning said surface to produce a series of electrical signals varying with the light intensity of the elements of the image being scanned; and including control means for synchronizing the scanning of the respective surfaces of the first and second image converting means; and wherein said subtractor means is operable to produce a series of output signals each of which is the difference between the electrical signals produced at the same instant by the first and second image converting means.

Claim 13

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 11 wherein said reference representing a feature is substantially the exact matched filter of the feature with said first regions of the reference designating numerical values of one polarity and said second regions of the reference designating numerical values of the opposite polarity.

Claim 14

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 11 wherein said image producing means includes a cathode ray tube; and including a scaling lens interposed between said cathode ray tube and said reference.

Claim 15

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 11 including display means of the type producing an image on a display surface by scanniNg said display surface while receiving signals at the input thereto; and wherein said control means is coupled to the display means and is operable to synchronize the scanning of the display surface with the scanning of the surfaces of the first and second image converting means; and the input of said display means is coupled to the subtractor means for receiving the output signals from the subtractor means, whereby a resultant correlation image is produced on the display surface of the display means.

Claim 16

A bipolar area correlator including in combination image producing means for producing an image of a scene; a reference representing a feature to be correlated with an image of a scene produced by said image producing means, said reference having first and second transparent regions; a correlation plane for forming correlation images thereat; image converting means for converting a correlation image at said correlation plane to electrical signals; optical control means for permitting light rays from the image of a scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said first transparent regions in the reference to impinge on said correlation plane and form thereat a first correlation image which is converted to electrical signals by the image converting means, while preventing light rays from the image of the scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said second transparent regions in the reference from reaching the image converting means; and for permitting light rays from the image of a scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said second transparent regions in the reference to impinge on said correlation plane and form thereat a second correlation image which is converted to electrical signals by the image converting means, while preventing light rays from the image of the scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said first transparent regions in the reference from reaching the image converting means; storage means coupled to said image converting means for storing the electrical signals produced by the image converting means when light rays from the image of a scene are passing through said first transparent regions in the reference and impinging on the correlation plane; and subtractor means coupled to the image converting means and to the storage means and operable to produce output signals which are the differences of the electrical signals stored in the storage means and the electrical signals produced by the image converting means when light rays from the image of the scene are passing through said second transparent regions in the reference and impinging on the correlation plane.

Claim 17

A bipolar area correlator including in combination image producing means for producing an image of a scene; a reference representing a feature to be correlated with an image of a scene produced by said image producing means, said reference having first and second transparent regions; a correlation plane for forming correlation images thereat; image converting means for converting a correlation image at said correlation plane to electrical signals; optical control means for permitting light rays from the image of a scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said first transparent regions in the reference to impinge on said correlation plane and form thereat a first correlation image which is converted to electrical signals by the image converting means, while preventing light rays from the image of the scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said second transparent regions in the reference from reaching the image converting means; and for permitting light rays from the image of a scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said second transparent regions in the reference to impinge on said correlation plane and form thereat a second correlation image which is converted to electrical signals by the image converting means, while preventing light rays from the image of the scene produced by said image producing means which pass through said first transparent regions in the reference from reaching the image converting means; storage means coupled to said image converting means for storing the electrical signals produced by the image converting means when light rays from the image of a scene are passing through said first transparent regions in the reference and impinging on the correlation plane; and subtractor means coupled to the image converting means and to the storage means and operable to produce output signals which are the differences of the electrical signals stored in the storage means and the electrical signals produced by the image converting means when light rays from the image of the scene are passing through said second transparent regions in the reference and impinging on the correlation plane.

Claim 18

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 15 wherein said image converting means includes a surface for forming the correlation image thereon and means for scanning said surface to produce a series of electrical signals varying with the light intensity of the elements of the image being scanned; said storage means is operable to store a first series of electrical signals produced by the image converting means during a single scan of said surface; said subtractor means has a first input terminal and a second input terminal; and including control means for reading out the first series of electrical signals stored in the storage means and applying them to the first input terminal of the said subtractor means in synchronism with applying to the second input terminal of said subtractor means a second series of electrical signals produced by the image converting means during another single scan of said surface; and wherein said subtractor means is operable to produce a series of output signals each of which is the difference between the electrical signals at said first and second input terminals at the same instant.

Claim 19

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 16 wherein said first transparent regionS of the reference are of one type, and said second transparent regions are of another type; said optical control means includes first filtering means for permitting light rays from an image of a scene produced by said image producing means which pass through the transparent regions of the one type to pass therethrough to the correlation plane and form thereat a first correlation image which is converted to electrical signals by the image converting means, and for preventing light rays from an image of a scene which pass through the transparent regions of the other type from passing therethrough to the image converting means; and second filtering means for permitting light rays from an image of a scene produced by said image producing means which pass through the transparent regions of the other type to pass therethrough to the correlation plane and form thereat a second correlation image which is converted to electrical signals by the image converting means, and for preventing light rays from an image of a scene which pass through the transparent regions of the one type from passing therethrough to the image converting means; and including means for interposing said first filtering means between said reference and said image converting means when the electrical signals produced by the image converting means are being stored in said storage means; and means for interposing said second filtering means between said reference and said image converting means when the electrical signals produced by the image converting means are not being stored in the storage means.

Claim 20

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 17 wherein said reference representing a feature is substantially the exact matched filter of the feature with said first regions of the reference designating numerical values of one polarity and said second regions of the reference designating numerical values of the opposite polarity.

Claim 21

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 17 wherein said image producing means includes a cathode ray tube; and including a scaling lens interposed between said cathode ray tube and said reference.

Claim 22

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 16 wherein said reference includes two portions, a first portion having said first transparent regions and a second portion having said second transparent regions; and said optical control means includes means for causing said first portion of the reference to be interposed across the path of light rays from an image of a scene produced by said image producing means to the correlation plane while the electrical signals produced by the image converting means are being stored in said storage means, and for causing said second portion of the reference to be interposed across the path of light rays from an image of a scene produced by said image producing means to the correlation plane while the electrical signals produced by the image converting means are not being stored in said storage means.

Claim 23

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 20 wherein said reference representing a feature is substantially the exact matched filter of the feature with said first regions of the reference designating numerical values of one polarity and said second regions of the reference designating numerical values of the opposite polarity.

Claim 24

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 20 wherein said image producing means includes a cathode ray tube; and including a scaling lens interposed between said cathode ray tube and said reference.

Claim 25

A bipolar area correlator in accordance with claim 17 including display means of the type producing an image on a display surface by scanning said display surface while receiving signals at the input thereto; and wherein said control means is coupled to the display means and is operable to synchronize the scanning of the display surface with the reading out of elecTrical signals from said storage means and the applying of electrical signals to the second input terminal of said subtractor means; and the input of said display means is coupled to the subtractor means for receiving the output signals from the subtractor means, whereby a resultant correlation image is produced on the display surface of the display means.