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AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorWendell D. Chase
Estimating the term…
A display for an aircraft simulator that produces an image of an air strip or the like that is accurate in color and in relative light intensity. A television camera supported over a terrain model that simulates an aircraft landing zone, a full spectrum color monitor connected to the camera and lens system for projecting the monitor image onto a lens or screen visually accessible to a trainee in the simulator. The camera is supported on a gantry frame and is movable in six degrees of freedom. There is a control yoke and like simulated aircraft controls accessible to the trainee the outputs of which are linked to the gantry frame. A monochromatic calligraphic display, a digital computer for producing a pattern on the display that corresponds to the lights associated with the landing strip on the terrain model and an optical system for projecting the calligraphic image onto the same lens so that it is superposed on the video representation on the landing field. The optical system includes a four-color wheel which is rotated between the calligraphic display and the lens, and apparatus for synchronizing the generation of a calligraphic pattern with the different color segments on the color wheel. A servo feedback system responsive to the position and velocity of the servo motors on the gantry frame for producing an input to the computer so that the calligraphically generated signal corresponds in shape, size and location to the video signal.
Apparatus for visually simulating to a pilot trainee a representation of an aircraft landing site having a number of light sources, said representation being in full-spectrum color, said apparatus comprising a color TV monitor;
Flight simulating apparatus comprising a terrain board having a miniature simulated scene of a landing strip or the like thereon, a TV camera for producing a video signal of said scene, a video monitor for displaying an image representative of the scene viewed by said TV camera, at least one servo means with a servo motor for positioning said TV camera relative to said scene in response to control manipulations by a trainee who has visual access to said video monitor, calligraphic digital display means for generating a calligraphic image simulating the light sources associated with said scene, said calligraphic image being superimposed on said TV camera image at said monitor, computer means for controlling said calligraphic digital display means and generating an input signal to said servo means which is a function of the control manipulations of said trainee, means coupled to said servo means for generating a first error signal proportional to the position error of said TV camera, means coupled to said servo means for generating a second error signal, always positive in polarity, which is proportional to the rate-of-movement error of said TV camera, said servo means including a nonlinear amplifying means, said nonlinear amplifying means comprising a multiplier with first and second inputs, said first input being a function of said input signal and said first error signal, said second input being (V+1) wherein V represents the second error signal whereby the bandwidth of said servo means is increased and said TV camera image is in substantial alignment with said calligraphic image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.