JPH0811515B2 - Vision enhancement system for high performance aircraft - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an augmented vision system, in particular, a lifted plane mirror that reflects a field of view to a lower mirror for use by an operator, which lower mirror he reflects. Front view mirror system positioned such that it does not have any direct "axis of view" access to the field of view that is essential to the success of its manipulating function.

Current high-speed ultrasonic aircraft and extraterrestrial space vehicles are largely transparent (ie, "windows") for visual cues to craft directers who are entrusted with maneuvering the vehicles to traditional runway landings. rely. Streamlining the molding lines of these crafts requires shallow impact angles on the outer surface and minimal disturbance to the flow lines for efficient flight in the atmosphere. This feature of long shallow surfaces and minimal flow line turbulence is a feature of conventional transparency, even for runway surfaces and lines at the edge of visual access by pilots to navigation aids such as aerial signs and strobing cues. Would require a large area. Transparencies are heavier and bulkier than the strong composites or special high temperature metals used in kraft constructions, which contain more harmful radiation and cannot remove thermal energy than conventional construction materials. The long sloping area required to maintain streamlines for the forward facing transparency also compromises the visual quality of the display to the crew (or "pilot").

With the constraint of minimizing weight and maintaining streamlines,
Giving pilots “out-of-window” vision has become a major design criterion for modern hypersonic aircraft. The current Concorde supersonic transport aircraft provides its crew with such a visibility by means of a "drooping nose" arrangement, whereby the nose section in front of the cockpit and the flight crew is able to carry out its slow takeoff and During the landing maneuver, it is hinged down.
The Rockwell International XB-70 incorporates a long windshield lamp over its main anterior transparency to maintain streamlines and, when the coating is stripped, his necessary entry into the pilot's craft runway. Gives access to the visual axis. X-15
The hypersonic test vehicle incorporates a mobile canopy to give their pilots visual access to the outside world of interest while maintaining the craft streamlines at high speed.

The latter two devices are MIL-STD-850, Aircrew Station Vision Requirements for Military Aircraft.
ation Vision Requirements for Military Aircraft)
Designed to provide compliance with, its standards are similarly met by SST, Concord, Commercial Transportation and Design. For the next generation hypersonic outer spacecraft and high Mach number military fighters, the above solution to the visual satisfaction problem is not applicable. The high aerodynamic loading, thermodynamic considerations and weight penalties associated with transparency in construction deny the greatest basis of consideration that must be made.

Alternatives to direct vision systems include periscopes, radars, television cameras, focal plane sensors and others, all of which are 200 miles an hour on a concrete runway that is only a few craft wide in width. It does not give the "feel" needed by pilots to guide their craft spanning.

The quest for that technology could provide clues to the system proposed here, where visibility beyond the nose of a highly streamlined craft is achieved with minimal use of transparency in craft construction. could not.

To provide transparent quality visibility to "hidden" cockpit aerospace craft pilots, an upper unit is mounted over the transparency of the reduced area, allowing a front view of the craft truck to be visible on the pilot's control console. Two
Plane mirror, a combination of two plane mirrors reflecting in FIG. 1 is used. The upper mirror is oriented perpendicular to the selected field of view beyond the nose structure of the vehicle, holding streamlines and reduced frictional resistance, and withdrawing it in high speed flight by any convenient mechanism. ,
It is lifted to its operating position. The sight from the upper mirror is reflected to the pilot's console unit,
It also reflects this view back to the pilot. Because of the geometrical relationship between the two mirrors, the view seen is not from the perspective of the actual visual position, but rather the "apparent" visual (immediate) appearance of the external mirror, as illustrated in FIG. From the de facto position of the external mirror). The actual angular relationship between the pilot and the object viewed is, as a result, off normal by a small parallax factor.

The sight / image provided by the mirror presents a valid, "one-to-one" correlation between the pilot's representation of the lower mirror and the actual external environment. The images appear in the cockpit mirrors not only at the proper size and distance, but also in their proper spatial orientation with respect to the vehicle and each other. Thus, if an aircraft crew is looking at 4 degrees left and 2 degrees low, he is seeing whatever the aircraft is actually 4 degrees left and 2 degrees low. He is a full size transparence and can expand his horizons by tilting in any direction he would do without sacrificing clarity, spatial orientation, or apparent image size. .

Such systems provide high resolution, distortion-free, three-dimensional color images of moving trucks in front of the vehicle. The optics design and geometry is extremely simple,
It uses existing technology and requires little development to fit different flight vehicles or ground units with similar control problems. Its mirrors provide the pilot with an accurate real-world image that appears to be viewed from an "apparent visual" position. All cues for depth awareness are complete. Mirrors can be used in connection with small side windows and the pilot's point of view would be a panoramic composite of the front spatial volume.

A minor modification to the console ("bottom") mirror for translucency could provide an indication of flight measurement operations over the craft's approaching sight, a head-up display or HUD.

Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a hypersonic aerospace craft pilot operating in a hidden cockpit with a real-time, real-world, three-dimensional view of the space beyond the nose of his craft, while at the same time achieving high speed. Maintaining craft streamlines in flight and minimizing the use of transparency in craft construction.

Yet another advantage of the vision augmentation system is the minimal transparency, which increases pilot safety by minimizing the risk of collision with a bird on an aircraft due to his position in a hidden cockpit, while at the same time landing and To maintain a three-dimensional queue for takeoff procedures. The reduced transparency surface area also reduces the distinguishable "signs" of the vehicle, simplifying the need for protective radar and radar coatings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The augmented visual system of the present invention is mounted on a mobile vehicle to give the operator a direct view of his front truck without the need for front facing transparency. Including a simple array of plane mirrors. One suitable design and arrangement of the front-facing mirror outside the operator's cockpit allows the truck in front of the vehicle to be conveniently mounted to the operator in the operator's flight compartment via the associated transparency port. Allowed to be reflected up to the corresponding lower plane mirror. In high speed aerospace craft, this external mirror is kept hidden in the fuselage at high operating speeds and placed in appropriately shaped or streamlined modules at low speeds such as takeoff and landing. It The motion measurement operation can be presented as a HUD on the lower mirror surface, giving the pilot the advantages of 3D visual stimulation simultaneously.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 presents the overall arrangement 10 of the visual enhancement system, VAS, of the present invention. A high performance aerospace pilot 20 is shown as being in control of his craft with a pair of mirrors, an exterior mirror 12 and a bottom mirror 14 that show the front view of the craft from the top mirror 12 to the bottom mirror. Reflects up to 14, where it is arranged to be utilized for the visual cues that control the craft.

Mirrors 14 and 14 are approximately parallel (see FIG. 4), although mirror 14 may be mounted on some adjustable base 22 for individual pilot refining rows with the top mirror.

In operation, the field of view of mirror 12 is reflected to mirror 14 via transparency 18, which transparency is protected from exposure to high velocity air by rear surface 24 of mirror 12 with the VAS system packed. To be done. The mirror 12 is positioned by any convenient means and may suitably be included in a streamlined implementation with a front facing transparency that may be positioned by an electric motor or other means. The simplified placement system 16 illustrated for illustration purposes only can be any of a variety of placement means used in high speed aerospace vehicles. If such a system requires full time of use, the front-facing mirror 12 may be made in a permanent position behind the transparency (see Figure 8), or the vehicle operator. May optionally be oriented (see FIG. 7).

It is to the aerodynamic surface and high velocity airflow properties that considerable structural support for the external mirror elements of the VAS disclosed herein would be required to prevent vibration and flexure of the same. It will be readily apparent to what you are familiar with. System 16 is merely a schematic symbol of the various development mechanisms available for use with the present invention.

The main use of the VAS proposed here is due to the high speed aerospace vehicle where the upper mirror can be placed at low speed, but the fixed mirror 12 with a transparent streamlined housing Also contemplated (see Figure 8). In such a system, the pilot in his hidden cockpit still enjoys safety from bird strikes or transparency breaks, while at the same time VAS full-time no matter what speed the craft is designed to operate at. To keep using.

The emphasis here is placed on the external mirror 12, which can be placed,
Such items are a preferred embodiment of this invention.

Critical to this invention is the planarity of mirrors 12 and 14, which maintains an undistorted three-dimensional cue for the operator. With a simple movement of his head from end to end, or from top to bottom, the operator would get him by having a large transparency looking through it, without the disadvantages associated with a large transparency. So you can get the same queue for control.

A typical view seen by pilot 20 on mirror 14 is presented in Figure 4A. Runway 40 with lateral cues 42, for example grass plots, taxi ramps, and mountains
However, it is presented in the same sense that the pilot would experience with the approach seen through the front-facing windshield. Figure 2 shows this aspect of the pilot's field of view, in his cockpit position in "Design Sight" 44, in the upper mirror 12
Illustrated as it is from the apparent sight 46 behind. The view obtained with the design vision 44 is that which can be seen from the apparent vision 46 position. By moving his head, the design vision 44, from right to left, the apparent vision 46
Is presented with the same view as if was moved the same distance from its initial position.

Figures 3A through 3C show a head-up display (HUD) 3 to increase the data available to the pilot.
An example of VAS using 0 is presented. The critical metrology readings are displayed on the cathode ray tube 31, as in conventional HUD systems. These data (ie "images")
Is passed through the collimating optics 32 and from the mirror 34 to the mirror via additional optical conditioner means 33.
Up to 36 are reflected. From the mirror 36, the selected parameter data is passed through a partially transparent lower mirror 15 (the counterpart of the mirror 14 in the non-HUD embodiment) and piloted as an overlay from the upper mirror 12 to the visual cue.
Displayed on 20. As the pilot moves his head for dimensional cues and depth gauges, the HUD data remains fixed on mirror 15, i.e. the runway sight shifts as he moves his head, but The measured operational data is displayed in a fixed area of his vista screen 15.

The location of the top or exterior mirror can be anywhere along the perimeter of the vehicle, as long as there is a bright field of light between the top or exterior mirror and the bottom or interior mirror. The actual placement of the external mirror will depend on the field of view requirements and the nose configuration in front of the particular vehicle.
FIG. 5 illustrates possible positions 52, 54, 56 for exterior mirrors along the aircraft fuselage. The outer mirror 15 is placed in the desired position to reflect the field of view through the fuselage transparency to the inner mirror 58. The inner mirror is properly oriented to align with the outer mirror, with the planes of both mirrors parallel.

Although the preferred embodiment described above speaks to fixed and positionable mirrors 12, 14, 15, 52, 54, 58, and 56, the main propulsion of the present invention is to increase the visibility of the hidden operator in a flat plane. Using a mirror, the top and bottom mirrors may be moved or driven so that their planes are generally parallel, and the field of view of the top mirror is by changing its orientation. It is within the contemplation of this invention that it is altered.
A simple servo system 50, see FIG. 7, can be used with such VAS's, and the orientation of both the upper and lower mirrors is controlled by the tab control button 60 on the control stick. Can be controlled by a simple switch action of the pilot as well as being balanced by (FIG. 4).

One of the significant advantages within the scope of VAS is that it eliminates the need for large forward facing transparency, or "windshields" in high performance aerospace craft, except for critical times of flight such as landing and takeoff. That is to keep the advantage of 3D view.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a vision enhancement system illustrating a mirror external to it arranged for low speed operation. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the light path in a vision enhancement system. 3A to 3C are views of the external mirror in the placement sequence. FIG. 4 is a forward looking view of a vision enhancement system for a tandem or single seat aircraft. Figure 4A is a pictorial representation of the display presented on the internal mirror. FIG. 5 is a schematic of possible positions along the perimeter of the vehicle body for external mirror placement. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the basic system of the present invention augmented by a heads up display (HUD) system. FIG. 7 shows a schematic of an angularly adjustable external mirror system. FIG. 8 shows the external mirror configuration behind the transparent canopy. In the figure, 12 is an external mirror, 14 is a lower mirror, 16 is a simplified placement system, 18 is a transparent object, 44 is a design vision, 46 is an apparent vision, 30 is a head-up display, 31 is a cathode ray tube, 32 is a collimating optics, 33 is an additional optical conditioner means, 34 and 36 are mirrors, 15 is a transparent lower mirror Is.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kaori Eureka Matsunaga, 5313, Hawthorn West, California, United States, One Handled Thirty Seventh Place (56) References U) Actual development Sho 61-59455 (JP, U)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A vision enhancement system for a high performance aircraft, comprising: (a) a transparent object configured at a desired location on a portion of the fuselage of the aircraft; (b) (i) for high speed flight. A position adjacent to said transparency and substantially flush with the outer skin of the fuselage to maintain the integrity of the aircraft's aerodynamics, and (ii) during low speed movement. An adjustable external mirror positionable at at least one disposed position for reflecting light received from a field of view external to the aircraft; (c) means for positioning the external mirror; d) cockpit mirror means for receiving light that is located inside the aircraft and that is reflected from the outer mirror when the outer mirror is placed and that passes through the transparency, the cockpit mirror means being reflected; Was The light is configured and arranged to redirect the light towards the aircraft's crew, thus providing a real-time, three-dimensional view from the advantage of the "apparent vision" position located at the aft of the external mirror. Augmentation system is a system that maintains depth awareness cues. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein said external mirror and said cockpit mirror means are substantially parallel. 3. The system of claim 2 wherein said cockpit mirror means is angularly adjustable. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the external mirror is angularly adjustable. 5. The system according to claim 2, wherein said cockpit mirror means includes a semi-transparent mirror on which, in addition to the field of view, relevant measurement operation data is displayed.