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US5077609A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Optoelectronic system of assistance in attack and navigation missions

Assignee: Thales SA
•
Filing: 1990-10-05
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Granted: 1991-12-31
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Expires: 2010-10-05
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Abstract

Abstract A wide-field infrared camera, with a fixed focal distance, generates a wide-field image which is displayed by a first monitor adapted to display and superimpose the wide-field image on a scene viewed in a head-up visor for example. An image processor generates a signal representing a small-field image, which is a portion of the wide-field image, with an adjustable enlargement and an adjustable position within the wide-field image, and computes the elevation of the bearing of a point of interest at the center of the small-field image. A second monitor is provided to display the small-field image as is a laser telemeter and an aiming device to servo-control the line of sight of the telemeter in such a way that it always corresponds to the center of the small-field image. The arrangement can be applied to the three-dimensional localization of a point of interest, for a navigational resetting operation or for a firing control operation.

Inventors

  • 👤 Christophe Manelphe

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 04:10
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/20

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 108 words
An optoelectronic system of assistance in aerial attack and navigation missions comprising: a wide-field infrared camera, with a fixed focal distance, for generating a wide-field image; and first display means to display the wide-field image generated by the wide-field infrared camera; wherein said system further comprises: image processing means comprising means to provide a signal representing a small-field image, which is a portion of the wide-field image, with an adjustable enlargement and an adjustable position within the wide-field image; adjusting means for the manual adjustment of the enlargement of the small-field image and the position of the small-field image; and second display means to display the small-field image.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 108 words
An optoelectronic system of assistance in aerial attack and navigation missions comprising: a wide-field infrared camera, with a fixed focal distance, for generating a wide-field image; and first display means to display the wide-field image generated by the wide-field infrared camera; wherein said system further comprises: image processing means comprising means to provide a signal representing a small-field image, which is a portion of the wide-field image, with an adjustable enlargement and an adjustable position within the wide-field image; adjusting means for the manual adjustment of the enlargement of the small-field image and the position of the small-field image; and second display means to display the small-field image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 46 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing means includes means to determine an elevation and bearing of a point of interest that is visible at a center of the small-field image, as a function of the adjustable position adjusted by the adjusting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 67 words
A system according to claim 2 wherein, to determine the distance between the system and a point of interest, said system further includes: a laser telemeter; and an aiming device having a range of movement covering an entire field of the camera, a line of sight of this laser telemeter being servo-controlled as a function of the elevation and the bearing determined by the image processing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 46 words
A system according to claim 3 wherein, to stabilize the display of the point of interest and the line of sight of the telemeter on this point of interest, the image processing means further includes means to track the point of interest in the wide-field image.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4199785A Cited
US4333106A Cited
US4298280A Cited
DE3146552A1 Cited
US4608599A Cited
EP0342419A1 Cited
US4910593A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-12-30 1995-07-01 1995-12-31 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-12-30 1999-07-01 1999-12-31 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-12-30 2003-07-01 2003-12-31 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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