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USH515H - Polarized target detector - Google Patents

Polarized target detector Download PDF

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Publication number
USH515H
USH515H US07/154,256 US15425688A USH515H US H515 H USH515 H US H515H US 15425688 A US15425688 A US 15425688A US H515 H USH515 H US H515H
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
target
camera
frame store
polarized
polarized filter
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US07/154,256
Inventor
Harold H. Holt
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
United States Department of the Army
Original Assignee
United States Department of the Army
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by United States Department of the Army filed Critical United States Department of the Army
Priority to US07/154,256 priority Critical patent/USH515H/en
Assigned to UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY reassignment UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: HOLT, HAROLD H.
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of USH515H publication Critical patent/USH515H/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
    • H04N23/50—Constructional details
    • H04N23/55—Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Definitions

  • Another object of this invention is to provide a method that utilizes a polarized rotating filter that causes the target to be enhanced when viewed on a TV monitor.
  • a method of enhancing the image of a target is provided by rotating a polarized filter in front of a TV camera with the output from the TV camera connected to a frame store and subtraction electronics and with the drive motor for the filter also being connected to the frame store and subtraction electronics in order to have the filter and video output from the TV camera in sync and the information from the frame store and subtraction electronics then being fed to a TV monitor to vividly illustrate the target being detected.
  • FIGURE of the drawing is a schematic illustration of a polarized target detector system in accordance with this invention.
  • a polarized target detector system 10 includes a polarized filter 12 that is rotatably mounted in housing 14 and a motor 16 is mounted for driving through drive means 18 to drive housing 14 and polarized filter 12 at a rotational speed of about 2 to about 4 rps.
  • Polarized filter 12 transmits light in the visible range from about 0.4 to about 0.7 microns.
  • a conventional TV camera 20 is mounted in front of polarized filter 12 and has an output cable 22 connected thereto and to frame store and subtraction electronics 24.
  • a link 26 connects rotary motion of motor 16 to frame store and subtraction electronics 24 so that video from store frame and subtraction electronics 24 can be synced to increase the detected difference in target polarized reflectivity.
  • the output from frame store and subtraction electronics 24 is connected by output cable 30 to TV monitor 32.
  • polarized filter 12 is rotated by motor 16 with polarized filter 12 in front of TV camera 20 and as the polarized filter is rotated, polarized components of light reflected from a target such as target 34 go in and out of phase with the filter, and the target flickers against a randomly polarized background such as trees, vegetation, and general landscape to enable an operator to pick out and track the target more effectively from a cluttered background by viewing the target on TV monitor 32.
  • this invention provides a system for enhancing targets utilizing a TV tracker system that enables an operator to pick out and track targets more effeciently from a cluttered background. This system makes potential targets standout from the rest of the background.
  • a target such as a tank has flat surfaces that cause polarized light components to flash or stand out from a neutral background.
  • Utilization of the frame store and substraction electronics 24 in the system also increases target visibility thereby enabling a TV operator to more easily pick out targets.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)

Abstract

A system for enhancing targets by rotating a polarized filter in front of aV tracker system to enable an operator to pick out and track targets more effectively from a cluttered background including trees, vegetation, and general landscape.

Description

DEDICATORY CLAUSE
The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalties thereon.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the past, it has not always been possible to seek out a particular target by utilizing a TV camera and visualizing a target on a TV monitor from other cluttered background. In this particular area, there is a need for a device or method in which the target can be made to stand out and viewed more vividly on a TV monitor from the background clutter around the target.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method by which a target can be more vividly displayed on a TV monitor.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method that utilizes a polarized rotating filter that causes the target to be enhanced when viewed on a TV monitor.
Other objects and advantages of this invention would be obvious to those skilled in this art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, a method of enhancing the image of a target is provided by rotating a polarized filter in front of a TV camera with the output from the TV camera connected to a frame store and subtraction electronics and with the drive motor for the filter also being connected to the frame store and subtraction electronics in order to have the filter and video output from the TV camera in sync and the information from the frame store and subtraction electronics then being fed to a TV monitor to vividly illustrate the target being detected.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The single FIGURE of the drawing is a schematic illustration of a polarized target detector system in accordance with this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawing, a polarized target detector system 10 includes a polarized filter 12 that is rotatably mounted in housing 14 and a motor 16 is mounted for driving through drive means 18 to drive housing 14 and polarized filter 12 at a rotational speed of about 2 to about 4 rps. Polarized filter 12 transmits light in the visible range from about 0.4 to about 0.7 microns. A conventional TV camera 20 is mounted in front of polarized filter 12 and has an output cable 22 connected thereto and to frame store and subtraction electronics 24. A link 26 connects rotary motion of motor 16 to frame store and subtraction electronics 24 so that video from store frame and subtraction electronics 24 can be synced to increase the detected difference in target polarized reflectivity. The output from frame store and subtraction electronics 24 is connected by output cable 30 to TV monitor 32.
In operation, polarized filter 12 is rotated by motor 16 with polarized filter 12 in front of TV camera 20 and as the polarized filter is rotated, polarized components of light reflected from a target such as target 34 go in and out of phase with the filter, and the target flickers against a randomly polarized background such as trees, vegetation, and general landscape to enable an operator to pick out and track the target more effectively from a cluttered background by viewing the target on TV monitor 32. As will be appreciated, this invention provides a system for enhancing targets utilizing a TV tracker system that enables an operator to pick out and track targets more effeciently from a cluttered background. This system makes potential targets standout from the rest of the background. It is also noted that a target such as a tank has flat surfaces that cause polarized light components to flash or stand out from a neutral background. Utilization of the frame store and substraction electronics 24 in the system also increases target visibility thereby enabling a TV operator to more easily pick out targets.

Claims (3)

I claim:
1. A system for enhancing targets viewed through a TV tracker system comprising, a TV camera mounted for viewing a target, said TV tracker being connected at its output to a frame store and subtraction electronics and said frame store and subtraction electronics being connected to a TV monitor, a polarized filter mounted in front of said TV camera and means for rotating said polarized filter at about 2 to about 4 revolutions per second, and interlocking means connecting said motor drive means to said frame store and subtraction electronics so that the rotation of the polarized filter and the frame store and subtraction electronics can be synced.
2. A method of enhancing targets viewed through a TV tracker system comprising rotating a polarized filter in front of a TV camera and between the camera and a target desired to be detected and utilizing the information from the TV camera on a TV monitor to display the target thereon.
3. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein rotation of said polarized filter is synced with a frame store and subtration electronics before the image is displayed on the TV monitor.
US07/154,256 1988-02-08 1988-02-08 Polarized target detector Abandoned USH515H (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US07/154,256 USH515H (en) 1988-02-08 1988-02-08 Polarized target detector

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US07/154,256 USH515H (en) 1988-02-08 1988-02-08 Polarized target detector

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
USH515H true USH515H (en) 1988-08-02

Family

ID=22550634

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US07/154,256 Abandoned USH515H (en) 1988-02-08 1988-02-08 Polarized target detector

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (1) USH515H (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5371542A (en) * 1992-06-23 1994-12-06 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Dual waveband signal processing system
US5528287A (en) * 1992-10-20 1996-06-18 Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. Multi-level retarder plate polarization dependent imaging
US5543608A (en) * 1990-12-17 1996-08-06 Rantalainen; Erkki Method and the system for identifying a visual object with a polarizing marker

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5543608A (en) * 1990-12-17 1996-08-06 Rantalainen; Erkki Method and the system for identifying a visual object with a polarizing marker
US5371542A (en) * 1992-06-23 1994-12-06 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Dual waveband signal processing system
US5528287A (en) * 1992-10-20 1996-06-18 Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. Multi-level retarder plate polarization dependent imaging

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE, AS REPRESENTED BY T

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:HOLT, HAROLD H.;REEL/FRAME:004890/0731

Effective date: 19880126

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE