System and method for improving nighttime visual awareness of a pilot flying an aircraft carrying at least one air-to-air missile
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F41G-011/00
F41G-009/00
F41G-007/00
G02B-027/01
출원번호
US-0290587
(2005-12-01)
등록번호
US-7495198
(2009-02-24)
우선권정보
IL-165497(2004-12-01)
발명자
/ 주소
Ari,Tsafrir Ben
출원인 / 주소
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.
대리인 / 주소
Friedman,Mark M.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
5인용 특허 :
5
초록▼
A method for improving nighttime visual awareness of a pilot flying an aircraft carrying an air-to-air missile including one or more one gimbaled imaging sensor. The method includes providing a helmet for the pilot, a helmet tracking system for determining the attitude of the helmet relative to the
A method for improving nighttime visual awareness of a pilot flying an aircraft carrying an air-to-air missile including one or more one gimbaled imaging sensor. The method includes providing a helmet for the pilot, a helmet tracking system for determining the attitude of the helmet relative to the aircraft, and a helmet-mounted display. The method also includes determining a current imaging sensor viewing direction of the imaging sensor of the air-to-air missile, sampling an image from the imaging sensor of the air-to-air missile and displaying the image on the helmet-mounted display. The determining and the displaying are performed so that the image displayed on the helmet-mounted display viewed by the pilot is spatially aligned with the scene viewed by the imaging sensor.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A method for improving nighttime visual awareness of a pilot flying an aircraft carrying an air-to-air missile including at least one gimbaled imaging sensor, the method comprising: (a) providing: (i) a helmet for the pilot, (ii) a helmet tracking system for determining the a
What is claimed is: 1. A method for improving nighttime visual awareness of a pilot flying an aircraft carrying an air-to-air missile including at least one gimbaled imaging sensor, the method comprising: (a) providing: (i) a helmet for the pilot, (ii) a helmet tracking system for determining the attitude of the helmet relative to the aircraft, and (iii) a helmet-mounted display; (b) determining a current imaging sensor viewing direction of the imaging sensor of the air-to-air missile; (c) sampling an image of an object from the imaging sensor of the air-to-air missile; and (d) displaying the image on the helmet-mounted display, wherein said determining and said displaying are performed such that the image displayed on the helmet-mounted display as viewed by the pilot is substantially spatially aligned with the object. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein, at least in a first mode of operation, the image is displayed at a dynamically-moving position on the helmet-mounted display such that a viewing direction of the image for the pilot is aligned with the imaging sensor viewing direction substantially independent of the attitude of the helmet. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first mode image is selectively actuated while the air-to-air missile is tracking a target. 4. The method of claim 2, further comprising, when the viewing direction of the imaging sensor lies outside the area of the helmet-mounted display, generating on the helmet-mounted display an indication visible to the pilot indicative of an angular direction of helmet movement required to bring the viewing direction of the imaging sensor within the area of the helmet-mounted display. 5. The method of claim 2, further comprising, responsive to an actuation signal from the pilot, temporarily generating an enlarged display of at least part of said image on the helmet-mounted display to facilitate target verification. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein, at least in a second mode of operation, said determining is achieved by driving a gimbal mechanism of the air-to-air missile such that the viewing direction of the imaging sensor is adjusted as a function of the attitude of the helmet. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method selectively operates: (a) in a first mode of operation wherein the image is displayed at a dynamically-moving position on the helmet-mounted display such that a viewing direction of the image for the pilot is aligned with the imaging sensor viewing direction substantially independent of the attitude of the helmet; and (b) in a second mode of operation wherein said determining is achieved by driving a gimbal mechanism of the air-to-air missile such that the viewing direction of the imaging sensor is adjusted as a function of the attitude of the helmet. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising switching responsive to a lock-on signal from the air-to-air missile from said second mode to said first mode. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said image is transmitted wirelessly from a missile launcher associated with said air-to-air missile to a processing system associated with said helmet-mounted display. 10. A system for improving nighttime visual awareness of a pilot flying an aircraft, the system comprising: (a) at least one air-to-air missile mounted on the aircraft, said air-to-air missile including at least one gimbaled imaging sensor; (b) a helmet worn by the pilot; (c) a helmet tracking system deployed for determining the attitude of the helmet relative to the aircraft; (d) a helmet-mounted display associated with the helmet; (e) a processing system for controlling the helmet-mounted display; (f) a communication link associated with said air-to-air missile and said processing system for transmitting to the processing system an image of an object sensed by said imaging sensor, wherein said processing system is configured to control said helmet-mounted display to display at least part of said image such that the display as viewed by the pilot is substantially spatially aligned with the object. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein said processing system is selectively operative to display the image from the imaging sensor at a dynamically-moving position on the helmet-mounted display such that a viewing direction of the image for the pilot is aligned with the imaging sensor viewing direction. 12. The system of claim 10, wherein said processing system is operative to selectively display said image while said air-to-air missile is tracking a target. 13. The system of claim 10, wherein said communication link is implemented as a wireless communication link from a missile launcher associated with said air-to-air missile to said processing system. 14. The system of claim 10, wherein said processing system is further operative: (a) to determine whether the viewing direction of the imaging sensor lies outside the area of the helmet-mounted display; and (b) when the viewing direction of the imaging sensor lies outside the area of the helmet-mounted display, to generate on the helmet-mounted display an indication visible to the pilot indicative of an angular direction of helmet movement required to bring the viewing direction of the imaging sensor within the area of the helmet-mounted display. 15. A method for nighttime control of an air-to-air missile with a gimbaled imaging sensor, the method comprising: (a) performing non-visual target acquisition so that the air-to-air missile acquires a target for tracking by the air-to-air missile; and (b) displaying to an operator an image sensed of an object by the imaging sensor of the air-to-air missile for visual target verification, wherein said image is displayed at a dynamically-moving position on a head-up display such that a viewing direction of the image for the pilot is aligned with the object. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said non-visual target acquisition is performed by transfer of a target direction from a radar system to the air-to-air missile. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein said non-visual target acquisition is performed autonomously by a scanning process performed by the missile. 18. The method of claim 15, wherein said non-visual target acquisition is performed by use of target location data provided via a wireless communication link from outside the aircraft. 19. A method for nighttime control of an air-to-air missile with a gimbaled imaging sensor, the method comprising: (a) performing non-visual target acquisition so that the air-to-air missile acquires a target for tracking by the air-to-air missile; and (b) displaying to an operator an image sensed by the imaging sensor of the air-to-air missile for visual target verification, wherein said image is displayed on a helmet-mounted display, and wherein said image is transmitted wirelessly from a missile launcher associated with said air-to-air missile to a processing system associated with said helmet-mounted display. 20. A method for nighttime control of an air-to-air missile with a gimbaled imaging sensor, the method comprising: (a) performing non-visual target acquisition so that the air-to-air missile acquires a target for tracking by the air-to-air missile; and (b) displaying to an operator an image sensed by the imaging sensor of the air-to-air missile for visual target verification, wherein said image is displayed on a helmet-mounted display, and wherein said image is displayed at a dynamically-moving position on the helmet-mounted display such that a viewing direction of the image for the pilot is aligned with the imaging sensor viewing direction. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising, when the viewing direction of the imaging sensor lies outside the area of the helmet-mounted display, generating on the helmet-mounted display an indication visible to the pilot indicative of an angular direction of helmet movement required to bring the viewing direction of the imaging sensor within the area of the helmet-mounted display. 22. A system for nighttime control of an air-to-air missile with a gimbaled imaging sensor, the system comprising: (a) an air-to-air missile with a target seeker including a gimbaled imaging sensor; (b) a non-visual target acquisition system operatively associated with said missile to cause the target seeker to acquire the target for tracking by the target seeker; (c) a display deployed so as to be visible to an operator; and (d) a communication link deployed for transmitting an image derived from said imaging sensor to said display for display to the operator. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein said target acquisition system includes a radar system. 24. The system of claim 22, wherein said target acquisition system includes a target acquisition module associated with said missile for actuating said seeker to perform an autonomous search pattern for a target. 25. The system of claim 22, wherein said target acquisition system includes a wireless data link providing target data from a source outside the aircraft. 26. The system of claim 22, wherein said display includes an opaque screen. 27. The system of claim 22, wherein said display is a head-up display. 28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a processing system associated with said display, said processing system being configured to display said image at a dynamically-moving position on the head-up display such that a viewing direction of the image for the operator is aligned with a viewing direction of said imaging sensor. 29. The system of claim 22, wherein said display is a helmet-mounted display. 30. The system of claim 29, further comprising a processing system associated with said display, said processing system being configured to display said image at a dynamically-moving position on the helmet-mounted display such that a viewing direction of the image for the operator is aligned with a viewing direction of said imaging sensor. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein said communication link includes a wireless communication link between a missile launcher associated with said air-to-air missile and said processing system. 32. The system of claim 30, wherein said processing system is configured such that, when the viewing direction of the imaging sensor lies outside the area of the helmet-mounted display, said processing system generates on the helmet-mounted display an indication visible to the pilot indicative of an angular direction of helmet movement required to bring the viewing direction of the imaging sensor within the area of the helmet-mounted display. 33. A system for providing to a pilot of an aircraft night-vision functionality derived from an imaging system of at least one air-to-air missile, the system comprising: (a) at least one air-to-air missile mounted on the aircraft, said air-to-air missile having a gimbaled imaging system including a thermal imaging tracking sensor for tracking thermal targets, said thermal imaging tracking sensor having a tracking field-of-view spanning an angle of no more than 7��; (b) a processing system in data communication with said at least one air-to-air missile; and (c) a display associated with said processing system and visible to the pilot, wherein said processing system is configured to cooperate with said imaging system of said at least one air-to-air missile in such a manner as to derive data sufficient for generating a wide-angle thermal image of a region corresponding to a field-of-view having at least one angular dimension of at least 40��, said processing system being further configured to display said wide-angle thermal image on said display to the pilot. 34. The system of claim 33, wherein said imaging system includes an optical arrangement for selectively switching an effective field-of-view of said thermal imaging tracking sensor from said tracking field-of-view to a broader field of view. 35. The system of claim 33, wherein said imaging system includes a second thermal imaging sensor having a field-of-view broader than said tracking field-of view, said tracking thermal imaging sensor and said second thermal imaging sensor being mounted on a common gimbal. 36. The system of claim 35, wherein said second thermal imaging sensor is a bolometric imaging sensor. 37. The system of claim 33, wherein said at least one air-to-air missile is implemented as a plurality of air-to-air missiles, and wherein said processing system is operative to combine images from said imaging systems of at least two of said air-to-air missiles to generate said wide-angle thermal image. 38. The system of claim 37, wherein said processing system is further configured to control said gimbaled imaging system of each of said at least two air-to-air missiles such that said imaging systems generate images of two at least partially non-overlapping regions. 39. The system of claim 33, wherein said processing system is operative to cause said gimbaled imaging system to perform a scanning motion within said wide-angle field-of-view. 40. The system of claim 33, further comprising a helmet to be worn by the pilot, wherein said display is a helmet mounted display associated with said helmet. 41. The system of claim 40, further comprising a helmet tracking system for determining the attitude of the helmet relative to the aircraft, wherein said processing system is responsive to an output of said helmet tracking system to control said imaging system of said at least one air-to-air missile so as to derive said wide-angle thermal image for a region defined by an optical axis of said helmet.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (5)
Ben-Ari, Tsafrir; Ben-Horin, Ronen, Gaze-actuated information system.
James V. Leonard ; Robert K. Menzel ; Richard E. Meyer ; James A. Simms, Method and apparatus providing an interface between an aircraft and a precision-guided missile.
Ebert William J. ; Leonard James V. ; Van Dyke Gregory S., Universal electrical interface between an aircraft and an associated store providing an on-screen commands menu.
Maeda, Muneyoshi, Display apparatus, image capturing system, control method for display apparatus, and storage medium for displaying information based on attitude.
Ellsworth, Christopher C.; Baity, Sean; Johnson, Brandon; Geer, Andrew, Method apparatus system and computer program product for automated collection and correlation for tactical information.
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