US4386848A — Optical target tracking and designating system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 263 words

In an optical sight for a target acquisition and tracking system having a two-axis gyroscope in a system for stabilizing a mirror, a laser designator, a laser ranger, and a television camera, the improvement comprising: a unitary optical bed having a fore and aft axis; a pair of gimbal support brackets integral with said optical bed; a first gyroscope gimbal for said two axis gyroscope having a horizontal central axis and pivots along said central axis, said pivots rotatably supported by said pair of gimbal support brackets; first optical means supported by said optical bed for directing a laser beam from said laser designator to said mirror whereby such beam is reflected along said fore and aft axis for designating a target, for directing a laser beam reflected from a target to said laser ranger via said mirror, and for directing an optical image on said mirror to said television camera; a pair of optical means support brackets integral with said optical bed; and second optical means having an adjustable density optical filter, a narrow field of view lens system, and a movable wide field of view lens system; said narrow field of view lens system, said wide field of view lens system, and said optical filter supported by said optical means support brackets and disposed in said optical path to said television camera; said optical means including drive means for selectively adjusting said optical filter to vary the average light intensity at said television camera and selectively moving said wide field of view lens system in and out of said optical path.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 263 words

In an optical sight for a target acquisition and tracking system having a two-axis gyroscope in a system for stabilizing a mirror, a laser designator, a laser ranger, and a television camera, the improvement comprising: a unitary optical bed having a fore and aft axis; a pair of gimbal support brackets integral with said optical bed; a first gyroscope gimbal for said two axis gyroscope having a horizontal central axis and pivots along said central axis, said pivots rotatably supported by said pair of gimbal support brackets; first optical means supported by said optical bed for directing a laser beam from said laser designator to said mirror whereby such beam is reflected along said fore and aft axis for designating a target, for directing a laser beam reflected from a target to said laser ranger via said mirror, and for directing an optical image on said mirror to said television camera; a pair of optical means support brackets integral with said optical bed; and second optical means having an adjustable density optical filter, a narrow field of view lens system, and a movable wide field of view lens system; said narrow field of view lens system, said wide field of view lens system, and said optical filter supported by said optical means support brackets and disposed in said optical path to said television camera; said optical means including drive means for selectively adjusting said optical filter to vary the average light intensity at said television camera and selectively moving said wide field of view lens system in and out of said optical path.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

The sight as defined in claim 29 which further characterized by: housing means (25) for enclosing said optical sight (10); and window means (13) mounted essentially normal to said fore and aft axis and adjacent to said mirror (12).

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 53 words

The sight as defined in claim 1 which further comprises: second gyroscope gimbal supported by said first gimbal and pivoted about a vertical axis; and said mirror being is pivotably mounted in said first gimbal and operatively connected to said second gimbal whereby said gyroscope maintains said mirror stabilized in a selected attitude.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

The sight as defined in claim 3 in which said mirror (12) is connected to said second gimbal means (40) by pulley (44, 45) and belt (46) means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

The sight as defined in claim 3 which further comprises: boresight adjustment means for aligning the laser beam from said laser designator with the center of the television camera scanning frame.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

The sight as defined in claim 4 in which said gyroscope has about ±2° freedom in azimuth and about 35 15° freedom in elevation.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 113 words

The sight as defined in claim 1 in which: said first optical means (16) includes a second mirror (15) disposed adjacent to said stabilized mirror (12); and a beam splitter (17) disposed between said second mirror (15) and said laser designation (24) and ranging (26) means, said beam splitter (17) transparent to said laser beam and at least partially reflective to the light forming the optical image; whereby said second mirror (15) reflects a laser beam reflected from a target reflected from said stabilized mirror (12) to said laser ranging means (26) via said beam spliter (17), and reflects said laser beam from said laser designation means (24) to said stabilized mirror (12).

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 36 words

The sight as defined in claim 7 in which said beam splitter (17) is reflective to light energy in the range of about 0.7 to 0.9 microns and transparent to light energy of about 1.06 microns.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 45 words

The sight as defined in claim 1 in which: said narrow field of view lens system (19) has a field of view of about 2.5°; and said wide field of view lens system (21) produces a field of view for said sight of about 10°.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The sight as defined in claim 9 in which said adjustable density optical filter (21) has a dynamic illumination range of at least 1,000 to 1.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

The sight as defined in claim 9 in which said adjustable density optical filter (21) has a spectral transmission range of about 0.68 to 1.1 microns.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

The sight as defined in claim 1 which further comprises a vertical mounting mast and azimuth drive means for rotating said sight in azimuth.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 21 words

The sight as defined in claim 12 in which said azimuth drive means (31) is controllable over about ±160° in azimuth.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 27 words

The sight as defined in claim 12 in which said azimuth drive means (31) includes azimuth drive motor (32), drive shaft (30), and gear train (34, 36).

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 204 words

In an optical sight for a target acquisition and tracking system having a gyro stabilized mirror and a television camera, the improvement comprising: an optical bed; optical means supported by said optical bed for directing an optical image incident on said mirror to said television camera, said optical means having a narrow field of view lens system and a movable wide field of view lens system defining an optical path between said mirror and said television camera; first and second support brackets integral with said optical bed; a rotatable, transparent filter disc in said optical path having a neutral density filter characteristic continuously variable over a preselected range, a shaft and hub attached concentrically with said filter disc, said shaft and hub rotatably mounted to said second support bracket; gear driving means operatively attached to said shaft; drive motor means coupled to said gear driving means for selectively rotating said optical filter disc and for selectively moving said wide field of view lens system in and out of said optical path; and a clutch assembly attached to said optical filter disc and to said first support bracket, said clutch assembly adapted to be in a released position during rotation of said optical filter disc.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 204 words

In an optical sight for a target acquisition and tracking system having a gyro stabilized mirror and a television camera, the improvement comprising: an optical bed; optical means supported by said optical bed for directing an optical image incident on said mirror to said television camera, said optical means having a narrow field of view lens system and a movable wide field of view lens system defining an optical path between said mirror and said television camera; first and second support brackets integral with said optical bed; a rotatable, transparent filter disc in said optical path having a neutral density filter characteristic continuously variable over a preselected range, a shaft and hub attached concentrically with said filter disc, said shaft and hub rotatably mounted to said second support bracket; gear driving means operatively attached to said shaft; drive motor means coupled to said gear driving means for selectively rotating said optical filter disc and for selectively moving said wide field of view lens system in and out of said optical path; and a clutch assembly attached to said optical filter disc and to said first support bracket, said clutch assembly adapted to be in a released position during rotation of said optical filter disc.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 147 words

The sight as defined in claim 15 in which said drive motor means comprises: a transverse rocking arm mounted on and rotatable about said shaft; reversible drive motor mounted at one distal end of said arm; drive train assembly operatively connected to said motor and engaged with said gear driving means; said wide field of view lens system mounted on the other distal end of said arm; third support bracket integral with said optical bed; solenoid means supported by said third support bracket for engaging said clutch means to thereby restrain said optical filter disc from rotating; and indexing means responsive to operation of said solenoid means and said drive motor for maintaining said wide field of view lens system either in a first position in the optical path of said television camera or in a second position out of the optical path of said television camera.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 149 words

The sight as defined in claim 16 in which said indexing means includes: indexing pin assembly (57, 65); first position index holes (81) in said arm (98); second position index holes (82) in said arm (98); and further comprises arm position control means (85, 83, 84, 86a, 86b); whereby operation of said solenoid means (55, 97, 59) engages said clutch (93, 95, 94) thereby preventing rotation of said disc and withdrawing said index pins (65), causing said drive motor (53) to drive said drive train assembly (89, 88) against now stationary said gear driving means (87) to rotate said arm (98) on said shaft (9) to a point at which said arm position control means (83, 84, 85, 86a, 86b) indicates a desired position thereby stopping motor (53) and releasing said solenoid means (55, 97, 59) permitting said pins (80) to engage said position index holes (82) or (81).

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 91 words

The sight as defined in claim 17 in which said arm position control means includes: shutter plate (85) attached to said arm and rotatable therewith; first limit hole (86a) at one end of said shutter plate (85) and second limit hole (86b) at the opposite end of shutter plate (85); a light source (83) aligned with said limit holes (86a, 86b); and light detector (84) disposed in opposition to said light source (83) and responsive thereto when either of said limit holes (86a, 86b) are coincident with said light source (83).

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 56 words

The sight as defined in claim 17 in which said indexing means further includes spring loaded pin means (6) adapted to be depressed by said wide field of view lens systems (23) in its first position to provide bias to said pins (65) when engaged with said first position index holes (81) for providing stability thereto.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 234 words

An optical sight of lightweight construction adapted for mounting on an extensible vertical mast and having a mirror stabilized by a gyroscope, and a television camera, comprising: an optical bed having a plurality of integral, vertical support brackets; a first gimbal of said gyroscope supported by a first pair of said support brackets and rotatable in elevation; a second gimbal supported within said first gimbal and rotatable in azimuth, said second gimbal operatively coupled to said mirror for maintaining stabilization thereof in a selected attitude; a narrow field of view lens system disposed in an optical path between said mirror and said television camera and supported by one of said support brackets whereby an image reflected by said mirror is focused on said television camera; an optical assembly having a single drive motor, a wide field of view lens system and an adjustable variable density optical filter, said optical filter disposed in said optical path, said optical assembly supported by a second pair of said support brackets, said drive motor adapted to move said wide field of view lens system in and out of said optical path in a first mode of operation and to adjust the density of said optical filter in a second mode of operation; and control means supported by one of said support brackets for selecting either said first mode or said second mode of operation of said drive motor.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 234 words

An optical sight of lightweight construction adapted for mounting on an extensible vertical mast and having a mirror stabilized by a gyroscope, and a television camera, comprising: an optical bed having a plurality of integral, vertical support brackets; a first gimbal of said gyroscope supported by a first pair of said support brackets and rotatable in elevation; a second gimbal supported within said first gimbal and rotatable in azimuth, said second gimbal operatively coupled to said mirror for maintaining stabilization thereof in a selected attitude; a narrow field of view lens system disposed in an optical path between said mirror and said television camera and supported by one of said support brackets whereby an image reflected by said mirror is focused on said television camera; an optical assembly having a single drive motor, a wide field of view lens system and an adjustable variable density optical filter, said optical filter disposed in said optical path, said optical assembly supported by a second pair of said support brackets, said drive motor adapted to move said wide field of view lens system in and out of said optical path in a first mode of operation and to adjust the density of said optical filter in a second mode of operation; and control means supported by one of said support brackets for selecting either said first mode or said second mode of operation of said drive motor.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-06-06	1986-12-06	1987-06-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-06-06	1990-12-06	1991-06-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-06-06	1994-12-06	1995-06-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Optical target tracking and designating system

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