US3617016A — Image motion and change transducers and systems c…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 208 words

In a guidance system, in combination, scanning means for scanning a selected area, said scanning means operating cyclically to provide at least one scan having a given video pattern; photosensitive means cooperating with said scanning means for changing each said video pattern into electrical signals which are respectively the analogs of said video patterns; quantizing means cooperating with said photosensitive means for converting the electrical signals produced thereby into binary signals; delay means cooperating with said quantizing means for providing a delayed binary signal; a source of a reference binary signal; delay means for delaying the reference binary signal; a pair of cross-multiplying means cooperating with said source, said quantizing means, and both of said delay means for cross-multiplying a delayed binary signal from said quantizing means with an undelayed binary signal from said source and for cross-multiplying an undelayed binary signal from said quantizing means with a delayed signal from said source; means cooperating with said pair of cross-multiplying means for determining the difference between the pair of crossmultiplications; a second reference source, said latter reference being capable of discriminating, when multiplied with said crossmultiplications, between errors in yaw, pitch, or roll; and means for correcting the position of said scanning means according to the errors determined.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 208 words

In a guidance system, in combination, scanning means for scanning a selected area, said scanning means operating cyclically to provide at least one scan having a given video pattern; photosensitive means cooperating with said scanning means for changing each said video pattern into electrical signals which are respectively the analogs of said video patterns; quantizing means cooperating with said photosensitive means for converting the electrical signals produced thereby into binary signals; delay means cooperating with said quantizing means for providing a delayed binary signal; a source of a reference binary signal; delay means for delaying the reference binary signal; a pair of cross-multiplying means cooperating with said source, said quantizing means, and both of said delay means for cross-multiplying a delayed binary signal from said quantizing means with an undelayed binary signal from said source and for cross-multiplying an undelayed binary signal from said quantizing means with a delayed signal from said source; means cooperating with said pair of cross-multiplying means for determining the difference between the pair of crossmultiplications; a second reference source, said latter reference being capable of discriminating, when multiplied with said crossmultiplications, between errors in yaw, pitch, or roll; and means for correcting the position of said scanning means according to the errors determined.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 35 words

A guidance system in accordance with claim 1 including means for differentiating and filtering said electrical signals generated by said photosensitive means to eliminate the DC component and to attenuate the lower frequency components thereof.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 140 words

In a guidance system, in combination, a carrier; a pair of recording tracks carried by said carrier, one of said recording tracks carrying a reference signal; means cooperating with the other of said recording tracks for recording onto the latter an incoming signal and for simultaneously erasing any previously recorded signal from said other track; correlating means cooperating with said incoming signal and said reference signal for correlating said signals to determine when a new reference signal is required; and gating means activated by said correlating means and cooperating with said tracks for retaining an incoming signal on said other track and for starting said erasing and recording on said one track when said correlating means determines the need for a new reference signal, so that said tracks operate alternately to carry a reference signal and to receive incoming signals.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 140 words

In a guidance system, in combination, a carrier; a pair of recording tracks carried by said carrier, one of said recording tracks carrying a reference signal; means cooperating with the other of said recording tracks for recording onto the latter an incoming signal and for simultaneously erasing any previously recorded signal from said other track; correlating means cooperating with said incoming signal and said reference signal for correlating said signals to determine when a new reference signal is required; and gating means activated by said correlating means and cooperating with said tracks for retaining an incoming signal on said other track and for starting said erasing and recording on said one track when said correlating means determines the need for a new reference signal, so that said tracks operate alternately to carry a reference signal and to receive incoming signals.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

A guidance system in accordance with claim 3 including additional ones of said recording tracks for receiving thereon correspondingly additional ones of said reference signals.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 176 words

Apparatus for detecting changes occuring in an image formed by a pattern of radiant energy in which image components are displayed in contrasting energy levels, said apparatus comprising: A. means including a transducer responsive to said radiant energy to scan a predetermined section of said image during a first period to produce a first electrical signal which is a substantially uninterrupted voltage analog representative of said scanned section in said period aNd to scan said section during a later period to produce a second electrical signal which is a substantially uninterrupted voltage analog representative of said scanned section in the later period, B. means recording the first signal during the first period and to play back said recording during the later period to provide a reference signal, and C. means to measure the degree of correlation between the reference signal and the second signal to produce an error signal which is a function of the changes occurring in said section of said image between said periods and which is constituted by error components in three coordinates.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 176 words

Apparatus for detecting changes occuring in an image formed by a pattern of radiant energy in which image components are displayed in contrasting energy levels, said apparatus comprising: A. means including a transducer responsive to said radiant energy to scan a predetermined section of said image during a first period to produce a first electrical signal which is a substantially uninterrupted voltage analog representative of said scanned section in said period aNd to scan said section during a later period to produce a second electrical signal which is a substantially uninterrupted voltage analog representative of said scanned section in the later period, B. means recording the first signal during the first period and to play back said recording during the later period to provide a reference signal, and C. means to measure the degree of correlation between the reference signal and the second signal to produce an error signal which is a function of the changes occurring in said section of said image between said periods and which is constituted by error components in three coordinates.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 23 words

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said transducer means includes means responsive to said radiant energy in the form of light.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said transducer means includes means responsive to said radiant energy in nonvisible form.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said correlation measuring means includes means responsive to analog and digital signals.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 28 words

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 5, including means for automatically controlling the field angle at which said scanning means views said image to minimize said error signal.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 120 words

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said transducer includes: A. an objective for directing an image of a subject onto the focal plane of the objective, B. a rotary disc disposed at said focal plane and having an axis of rotation which at least intersects said image, said disc having an aperture therein spaced from said axis of rotation whereby in the course of rotation an annular section of said image is scanned by said aperture, and C. a radiant-energy sensitive device positioned at the side of the disc opposed to said objective to intercept radiant energy from the scanned annular section and to convert the energy into an electrical signal which is an uninterrupted voltage analog thereof.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said aperture is formed by an elongated radial slot in said disc.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 15 words

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said radial slot has a wedge-shaped configuration.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 11, further including means to adjust the width of said radial slot.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 66 words

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 11, further including a masking disc coaxial with said scanning disc and rotatable therewith, said masking disc being formed with a helical slot part of which extends across said radial slot so that by relative angular displacement of said masking and scanning discs, a selected portion of said radial slot will be exposed to pass radiant energy from said objective.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 46 words

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said objective is adjustable and further including means automatically adjusting said objective to maintain the objects represented in the scanned image of substantially the same magnitude during relatively large changes in distance between the subject and said objective.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 57 words

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 14, further including means to adjust the angular relationship between the masking and scanning discs during a change in the distance between a subject and said objective for retaining in the scanned annular section the same objects during a relatively large change in the distance between the subject and the objective.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 208 words

Apparatus for detecting changes occurring in an image formed by a pattern of radiant energy in which image components are displayed in contrasting energy levels, said apparatus comprising: A. means including a transducer responsive to said energy to scan a predetermined section of said image during a first period to produce a first electrical signal which is a substantially uninterrupted voltage analog of said scanned section in said period and to scan said section during a later period to produce a second signal which is a substantially uninterrupted voltage analog of said section in the later period, B. means to quantize said first and second signals to produce first and second trains of pulses of varying width and spacing which is a function of the analog values of said signals, and C. means recording the first train of pulses during said first period and to play back the recording during said second period to provide a reference train of pulses, and D. means to measure the degree of correlation between said reference train and said second train to produce a train of error pulses which represents the changes occurring in said section of said image between said periods and which is constituted by error components in three coordinates.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 208 words

Apparatus for detecting changes occurring in an image formed by a pattern of radiant energy in which image components are displayed in contrasting energy levels, said apparatus comprising: A. means including a transducer responsive to said energy to scan a predetermined section of said image during a first period to produce a first electrical signal which is a substantially uninterrupted voltage analog of said scanned section in said period and to scan said section during a later period to produce a second signal which is a substantially uninterrupted voltage analog of said section in the later period, B. means to quantize said first and second signals to produce first and second trains of pulses of varying width and spacing which is a function of the analog values of said signals, and C. means recording the first train of pulses during said first period and to play back the recording during said second period to provide a reference train of pulses, and D. means to measure the degree of correlation between said reference train and said second train to produce a train of error pulses which represents the changes occurring in said section of said image between said periods and which is constituted by error components in three coordinates.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 178 words

In a camera system subject to displacement relative to an area being viewed, A. optical means to produce an image of said area, which image changes with said displacement, B. means including a photocell to scan a section of said image during a first period to produce a first video signal representative of said section and to scan said section of said image during at least one later period to produce a second video signal representative of said section at the later period, C. means to quantize said first and second video signals to produce first and second trains of pulses of varying width and spacing which are a function of said signals, D. means recording the first train during said first period and to play back the recording during said second period to provide a reference train of pulses, and E. means to compare said reference train and said second train to produce a train of error pulses which represent the extent and direction of the displacement occurring between the first and second periods in three coordinates.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 178 words

In a camera system subject to displacement relative to an area being viewed, A. optical means to produce an image of said area, which image changes with said displacement, B. means including a photocell to scan a section of said image during a first period to produce a first video signal representative of said section and to scan said section of said image during at least one later period to produce a second video signal representative of said section at the later period, C. means to quantize said first and second video signals to produce first and second trains of pulses of varying width and spacing which are a function of said signals, D. means recording the first train during said first period and to play back the recording during said second period to provide a reference train of pulses, and E. means to compare said reference train and said second train to produce a train of error pulses which represent the extent and direction of the displacement occurring between the first and second periods in three coordinates.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 30 words

In a camera system as set forth in claim 18, further including means responsive to said error train to shift the position of said image to effect image motion compensation.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 218 words

In a camera system, an image motion compensation apparatus comprising: A. an optical device producing an image of an area, which image changes with motion of said camera system, B. a scanner including a photocell to cyclically scan an annular section of said image to produce during one cycle a first video signal which is an analog of said section as it appears in said cycle, and during a subsequent cycle a second video signal which is an analog of said section as it appears in said subsequent cycle, C. means to quantize said first and second signals to produce first and second trains of pulses of varying width and spacing which are a function of said signals, D. means operatively coupled to said scanner and including a circular magnetic recording track to record said first train concurrently with the scanning action during said first cycle and to play back the recording during said subsequent cycle to produce a reference train, E. a circuit for measuring the degree of correlation between said reference train and said second train to produce a train of error pulses which represent the extent and direction of motion occurring between the two cycles, and F. a servomechanism responsive to said error train and coupled to the camera system to effect image motion compensation.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 218 words

In a camera system, an image motion compensation apparatus comprising: A. an optical device producing an image of an area, which image changes with motion of said camera system, B. a scanner including a photocell to cyclically scan an annular section of said image to produce during one cycle a first video signal which is an analog of said section as it appears in said cycle, and during a subsequent cycle a second video signal which is an analog of said section as it appears in said subsequent cycle, C. means to quantize said first and second signals to produce first and second trains of pulses of varying width and spacing which are a function of said signals, D. means operatively coupled to said scanner and including a circular magnetic recording track to record said first train concurrently with the scanning action during said first cycle and to play back the recording during said subsequent cycle to produce a reference train, E. a circuit for measuring the degree of correlation between said reference train and said second train to produce a train of error pulses which represent the extent and direction of motion occurring between the two cycles, and F. a servomechanism responsive to said error train and coupled to the camera system to effect image motion compensation.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 184 words

A guidance system for guiding a vehicle toward a selected target, said system comprising: A. means cyclically scanning an area enclosing said target to produce during a selected cycle a first electrical signal which is a substantially uninterrupted analog voltage representative of the image of said target at that time, and to produce during at least one subsequent cycle a second electrical signal which is a substantially uninterrupted analog voltage representative of the image of said target at a later time, B. means recording said first signal during said first cycle and for reproducing said recording during said subsequent cycle to provide a reference signal, C. means to measure the degree of correlation between the reference signal and the Second electrical signal to produce a control signal having components in pitch, yaw and roll which depend on the shift in position of said target relative to said vehicle in the interval between the first cycle and the subsequent cycle, and D. control means disposed in said vehicle and responsive to the components of said control signal to maintain said vehicle oriented towards said target.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 184 words

A guidance system for guiding a vehicle toward a selected target, said system comprising: A. means cyclically scanning an area enclosing said target to produce during a selected cycle a first electrical signal which is a substantially uninterrupted analog voltage representative of the image of said target at that time, and to produce during at least one subsequent cycle a second electrical signal which is a substantially uninterrupted analog voltage representative of the image of said target at a later time, B. means recording said first signal during said first cycle and for reproducing said recording during said subsequent cycle to provide a reference signal, C. means to measure the degree of correlation between the reference signal and the Second electrical signal to produce a control signal having components in pitch, yaw and roll which depend on the shift in position of said target relative to said vehicle in the interval between the first cycle and the subsequent cycle, and D. control means disposed in said vehicle and responsive to the components of said control signal to maintain said vehicle oriented towards said target.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 59 words

A guidance system, as set forth in claim 21, further including means to determine the degree of correlation between said reference signal and said second signal to produce an electrical signal dependent thereon, and means actuated by said electrical signal, when a given reference signal no longer affords a given degree of correlation, to create a new reference signal.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 58 words

A guidance system, as set forth in claim 21, further including a gimbal structure for supporting said scanning means and control means responsive to signals derived from said scanning means to maintain said gimbal structure oriented towards said target, and means coacting with said control means to render same temporarily inoperative when there is a loss of signals.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 54 words

A guidance system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein said gimbal structure also carries gyro means, and further including means to render said gyro means operative when said control means is rendered inoperative, said gyro when operative maintaining said scanning means at the orientation it had just prior to said loss of signals.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-11-01	1975-05-03	1975-11-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-11-01	1979-05-03	1979-11-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-11-01	1983-05-03	1983-11-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Image motion and change transducers and systems controlled thereby

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