Method of checking parallelism of sight axes of multispectral systems

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: method involves formation of collimated light flux from a reference mark, direction of said flux into optical channels of the electro-optical modules of the system using reflecting optical elements and formation of an aiming mark where the image of the reference mark is located. The reference mark used is the field diaphragm of the receiving module of a laser range-finder. The reference mark is illuminated with a wide-spectrum light source. The image of the diaphragm is transmitted using the mirror lens of the receiving module of the laser range-finder, trippel-prisms and input lenses the electro-optical modules of the system into their focal planes. In each module, coordinates of the centre of the image of the diaphragm are determined and electronic aiming marks are formed in accordance with the obtained coordinates.

EFFECT: high accuracy of aligning multichannel multispectral systems and maximum simplification of the design of the alignment system and shorter time for alignment.

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The invention relates to an optical instrument, in particular to multi-channel multispectral opto-electronic instrument cluster complexes with laser rangefinders (hereinafter complexes), and can be used to create SecuTech detection systems, surveillance and tracking of objects.

The main requirements of modern enterprises is the high accuracy of definition of coordinates of objects, including the distance to the object. The distance to the object is measured by a laser range finders, the corner solution exposure and, accordingly, the field of view of the receiving channel of the rangefinder are 2-3 minute of arc. Such precision for reliable measurement of the distance to the object without gaps require guidance on the object with an accuracy not less than 1-1,5 angular minutes. Therefore, with such accuracy must be ensured parallelism of the optical axes of all opto-electronic modules (OEM) guidance on objects, which is a technical challenge, because the complexes, as a rule, are placed on the moving media: the armored vehicles, combat vehicles infantry, tanks, boats, etc. that when driving because of the uneven terrain and your own vibration upset parallelism of the optical axes of OEM. In addition, the parallelism of the optical axes of OEM strongly influenced by temperature deformation design and complexes.

A device for alignment of the parallelism of the optical axes of the multi-channel system (patent RU №2078460 from 19.03.1993, including the collimator with the brand in which to extend the spectral range of adjustment in it apply additional collimators with different spectral ranges.

The main disadvantage of such mnogokollektornoi of this method is the inability to maintain the parallelism of the optical axes of the collimators. Therefore, the accuracy of alignment is determined by the stability of maintaining the parallelism of the optical axes of the collimators that this method practically does not provide. In addition, the use of multiple, at least two collimators to work in different spectral ranges significantly complicates the design of the system alignment.

In the method of alignment according to the patent RU No. 2191971 of 27.11.2000, use one mirror collimator, providing for the adjustment of parallelism of the sighting axis of OAM in a wide spectral range from the visible to the deep infrared. The essence of the proposed method of alignment parallelism of the optical axes is that combine viverone radiation information channel with viverone mark the target channel, which is used as a television channel. The radiation from the mirror collimator with an aperture of direct mirror-when the variable system in thermal imaging and TV channels. Radiation information channel direct TV. Then viverone compensator news channel combine on the screen of the monitor television channel image from the radiation information channel with the image of the aperture mirror collimator. Sighting mark is formed on the screen of the monitor thermal imaging channel in place image of the iris.

The disadvantages of this method are that, first, use a single mirror collimator with a system of mirrors, which introduces additional errors in the reconciliation and complicates the design of the complex as a whole; secondly, reconciliation is multistage in several steps, which increases the time alignment and complicates the process of reconciliation; third, non-parallelism of the optical axes is compensated by a separate device, and switching channels reconciliation by the mechanical movement of the optical element is a prism that complements the sources of errors and complicates the design.

The proposed method is suitable for high precision alignment of multi-channel multispectral complexes to maximally simplify system design alignment and reduction in time.

This objective is achieved in that the reference luminous flux to form the mirror lens is m and the field diaphragm of the receiving channel of the laser rangefinder and transmit it to the input lens OEM using neraskryvaemyh of tripples. Next, determine for each OEM coordinates of the center of the image aperture and form an electronic sighting of the brand in accordance with the obtained coordinates of the center of the image aperture. Using mirrored lens receiving channel of the laser rangefinder as a reference collimator system reconciliation eliminates the possibility of divergence of the optical axes of the laser range finder and system reconciliation, because it uses the same optical elements: input lens and a field aperture of the receiving channel of the laser rangefinder, and TriplePlay, the output beams which are parallel to the input regardless of the position of TriplePlay. While there are not any mechanical movement of optical elements - on/off system reconciliation carried out only on/off aperture illumination and electronic components. The use of the mirror lens into the receiving channel of the laser rangefinder extends the spectral range reconciliation parallelism of the optical axes of OEM from ultraviolet to deep infrared range.

Figure 1 shows the optical scheme of reconciliation with television and thermal imaging of OEM and intake laser rangefinder. The number of OAM connected to the system alignment, and their spectral ranges work opredelyaytes the challenges of complex and constructive requirements. Figure 2 with a large scale depicted spectrometrically node, and figure 3 is an exemplary block diagram of the complex, is necessary to explain the operation of the system alignment of the proposed method.

During reconciliation participate (figure 1) the following opto-electronic modules, parallel to the sighting axis of which you want to reconcile:

- television module 1 with the entrance lens 2 and the camera 3;

- thermal imaging module 4 input lens 5 and a photodetector (PSD) 6;

- receiving module of the laser range finder 7 with mirror lens 8, a field diaphragm 9, spectrometrically mirror 10, sirokospektralnym light source 11 (e.g., halogen lamp).

TriplePlay 12 and 13 in front of the lens 8 of the receiving module of the laser range finder 7 and the lens of the TV module 2 and thermal imaging module 5, respectively. Each tripples 12, 13 are made to work in their spectral range. TriplePlay 13 to work in the spectral range of 8.0 to 12.0 microns can be performed either from Germany or from the mirrors on the type of corner reflectors.

Field aperture 9 (2) made in the form of small (60-100 μm) of the hole 14. The projection lens 15 moves the image of the hole 14 on the photodetector of the laser radiation 16, limiting the field of view of the receiving module laser distance the Omer 7.

Device correction coordinate of the center e of the aiming mark (hereinafter sighting mark) 17 (3) contains serially connected unit, set the coordinates of the center of the aiming mark 18, non-volatile storage device 19 and the block forming the aiming mark 20, the output of which is connected to the monitor 21. The input unit setting the coordinates 18 is connected to the remote control 22. To the inputs of the synchronization unit 20 connected to the outputs of the horizontal and vertical synchronizing unit selection clock 23, whose input is connected to the video output of the TV module 1.

Analogically device correction coordinate of the center e of the aiming mark and other OEM.

Implementation of the method is demonstrated on the example of reconciliation television opto-electronic module.

To check and adjust the parallelism of the sighting axis of the TV module 1 and the reception module of the laser range finder 7 signal "Reconciliation" include a light source 11 (Fig 1), which uses spectrohelioscope mirror 10, reflecting the entire range of wavelengths except for the laser, illuminates the hole 14 of the diaphragm 9. Since the aperture 9 is located in the focal plane of the mirror lens 8, then it outputs a collimated beam of light. This flow of light through TriplePlay 12 send in the WMO is Noah lens 2, that forms the image of the aperture onto the photodetector device of the camera 3. The video signal from the electronic image of the diaphragm (figure 3) through the block forming the aiming mark 20 is supplied to the monitor 21 and displayed on the screen; this screen is displayed sighting mark formed in the block 20.

When the misalignment of the centers of the diaphragm and the aiming mark, what happens when the alignment is poor optical axes of the TV module 1 and the receiving channel range finder 7, the operator using the remote control 22 combines the center of the aiming mark with the center of the image aperture. The new coordinates of the center of the aiming mark is remembered in non-volatile memory 19 and is used in the formation of the aiming mark to the next alignment.

Adjustment of parallelism of the optical axes of other OEM and the axis of the receiving module of the laser rangefinder is the same way.

The way of reconciliation parallelism sighting axes multi multispectral opto-electronic instrument systems with laser rangefinders, including the formation of collimated light flux from the reference mark, the direction of its optical channels opto-electronic modules of the system using the reflecting optical elements and the formation of the aiming mark on the image of the reference mark, characterized in that, in order for the exercises high precision alignment, field aperture receiving module of a laser rangefinder to use as a reference mark, highlight it sirokospektralnym light source, carry the image of the diaphragm with mirror-lens detector laser range finder, tripples and the input lens opto-electronic modules in their focal plane, determine in each module coordinates of the center of the image aperture and form an electronic sighting mark in accordance with the received coordinates.