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US 4,053,929 AGranted
Contour fitting pictorial tracking gate
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsRobert H. Collins, III, William J. Steele, Albert L. Thomas, Jr.
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Abstract
The tracker tracks on a center of contrast on a selected target while trang gates are adjusted automatically to fit the target contrast area's shape and size. The appropriate bright or dark contrast detector is adjusted to allow discrimination of the target contrast from its background, thus allowing a tracking window to encompass the selected contrast area. Orthogonal error signals are provided for servoing a vidicon camera to maintain the viewed field centered on the target.
Claims10
A system for tracking a target comprising:
- a directional sensing means for sensing an image of at least a portion of the target, said sensing means having outputs which are video signals in accordance to the image sensed,
- a video processor having inputs connected to outputs of said sensing means, said processor including means for clamping to ground the video signal at a predetermined position of a contrast area on the image,
- circuit means connected to outputs of said processor so as to generate at its outputs, tracking gates about said contrast area,
- tracking means connected to the outputs of said circuit means and said processor so as to track a center position of said contrast area and provide orthogonal error signals of the position of said contrast area, and
- servoing means connected to said orthogonal error signals and to said directional sensing means for positioning the sensing means so that the image sensed will include said contrast area.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.