JPH0718670B2 - Tracking device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention automatically tracks a target using a TV camera or the like mounted on an armored vehicle having a gun, and uses a TV camera or the like to The present invention relates to a tracking device that detects a period from launch to landing and maintains a constant tracking state during that period.

[Conventional technology]

The tracking device is used to automatically orient the gun in the shooting target direction by detecting the spatial position of the shooting target on the captured image. By using this device, it is possible to point the gun at the shooting target direction, whether it is a moving target or the vehicle is running.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a conventional tracking device,
(1) shows the visual axis, and (2) shows the shooting direction, which is oriented in the same direction as the visual axis (1). (3) is the goal, (4)
Is a television camera mounted on the gun (5), which captures the target (3) on the visual axis (1) in the shooting target direction and outputs a video signal (6), {7) is a video signal (6) , An image tracking device that detects the relative angle between the gun (5) and the target (3) and outputs a tracking deviation signal (8) and a switching signal (17), and (9) is a tracking deviation signal (8). A switch that switches the input signal from the tracking deviation signal (8) to the previous value speed command signal (11) when the speed command signal (10) is output and the switching signal (17) is received, (12) Is attached to the gun (5), detects the movement of the gun, and the spatial angular velocity signal of the gun (13)
A gyro which outputs the speed command signal, (14) inputs the speed command signal (10) and the spatial angular velocity signal (13), and outputs a speed deviation signal (15), and (16) inputs the speed deviation signal (15) And is a gun drive controller that drives the gun.

Next, the operation of the above conventional tracking device will be described.

The target (3) is imaged by the television camera (4), and the target (3) is input to the image tracker (7) as a video signal (6). The image tracker (7) detects the spatial position of the target (3) based on the position of the visual axis (1) using the input video signal (6), and the spatial position is tracked by a tracking deviation signal (8). Is output to the switch (9). The switching device (9) outputs the tracking deviation signal (8) to the adder (14) as the speed command signal (10) if the switching signal (17) is not input from the image tracking device (7). The spatial angular velocity (13) of the gun (5) detected by the gyro (12) attached to the gun (5) is added to the adder (1
The velocity deviation signal (15) is input to the gun drive controller (16) so as to follow the velocity command signal (10) input to 4), and the gun (5) is driven. Since the gun (5) is driven at an angular velocity proportional to the tracking deviation signal (8) and operates in a direction in which the tracking deviation signal (8) becomes smaller, the target (3) coincides with the visual axis (1) direction. The gun is driven. Line of sight (1)
Since the line of fire and the line of fire (2) are in the same direction, the gun will face the target direction.

When the target (3) moves, the gun drive controller (16) drives the gun (5) in a direction to reduce the tracking deviation signal (8),
The gun (5) will keep track of the moving target (3).

That is, the tracking system configured as described above constitutes a tracking system that automatically tracks the target (3).

7 to 11 show a video signal (6) picked up by the television camera (4).

In Fig. 11, (28) is the vertical aiming reticle, (2
9) is a horizontal aiming reticle, the intersection of which is in the direction of the visual axis (1) and indicates the aiming point. The tracking device using the video signal is a high brightness part (31) with high brightness in the target (3).
To track. The image tracker (7) detects the position of the high-intensity part (31) based on the reticle intersection point from the video signal (6) and outputs it as a tracking deviation signal (8), and the tracking device uses the reticle intersection point, that is, the aiming point and the target. Drive the gun so that the high-intensity part (31) of (3) matches.

The shooting operation of the gun controlled by the tracking device configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 10.

FIG. 3 shows the gun (5) and the target (3) when aiming.

Fig. 4 shows the firing of the shell (24), and (25) shows the flash generated in the front of the gun when the shell is fired.

FIG. 5 shows the state of flight of the shell, and (26) is the trajectory of the shell.

Figure 6 shows the impact of the shell, and (27) shows the flame due to the explosion of the shell.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the video signal (6) at the time point of FIG. 3, and (30) is a tracking gate indicating that the target (3) is being tracked.

FIG. 8 is a view showing the video signal (6) at the time point of FIG. 4, and the video signal (6) is a flash (2
Occupied by 5). As shown in Fig. 8, the video signal (6)
When it becomes impossible to detect the target more, the second
The conventional tracking device shown in the figure outputs a switching signal (17) from an image tracking device (7) and loses sight of a target (3) from a tracking deviation signal (8) as a speed command signal (10) which is a gun drive command. This state is maintained until the switch (9) switches the signal to the previous signal, that is, the previous value speed signal (11), and the target (3) can be detected again. Since the previous value speed signal (11) is the moving speed of the target (3) at this time, when the target appears again, the aiming point coincides with the target (3).

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a video signal (6) at the time of FIG.
(24) indicates a projectile in flight, and the brightness, size, etc. of the projectile may be about the same as the target (3). In this state, the target (3) and the projectile ( It becomes unstable to decide which of 24).

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the video signal (6) at the time of FIG. 6, and the flame (27) at the time of the shell exploding is shown with extremely high brightness.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional tracking device configured as described above, during shooting, the projectile may show the same brightness and shape as the target high-intensity part during the period from the firing of the shell to the landing. , A phenomenon occurs in which a projectile is shot while it is in flight. As a result, the gun is driven so that the aiming point coincides with the flying bullet direction, and the aiming point deviates from the original target, resulting in extremely unstable operation.

The conventional tracking device is effective for aiming motion,
During shooting, that is, from the firing of the shell to the landing, on the contrary, the tracking device itself becomes a disturbance element and the aiming point may shift, so it is difficult to carry out continuous shooting,
Also, during shooting, it is not possible to aim the shooting target direction in a stable manner.

The present invention has been made to solve such conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to reliably aim the aiming point, that is, the shooting direction, between the shooting and the shooting of the shell, It is possible to carry out continuous shooting.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

A tracking device according to the present invention detects a flash light generated when a bullet is fired and a flame generated when a bullet is landed from a video signal output from the television camera which images a target on the visual axis, and a switching set signal is detected. , A counter that outputs a detector enable signal for a certain period of time that receives the input of a percussion device that is a projectile firing signal, an image tracker that outputs a tracking deviation signal from a video signal, a switching signal from this image tracker, and When the switching set signal is received, the input signal is switched between the tracking deviation signal and the previous value speed command signal, and the speed command signal is output from the switch, the speed command signal and the spatial angular speed signal output from the gyro are added to add the speed deviation signal. It is equipped with an adder that outputs a signal and a gun drive controller that receives a speed deviation signal and drives the gun.

[Action]

The tracking device according to the present invention detects a flash generated on the front surface of a gun when a shell is fired, holds a speed command, which is a gun driving command, in a command immediately before the shell is fired, and detects a flame generated when the shell is landed,
The tracking deviation signal output from the image tracker is used as the speed command.

As a result, the aiming motion until immediately before shooting automatically forms a tracking system that continues aiming the aiming point toward the target direction, and at the time of shooting, the tracking state immediately before shooting is maintained from the firing of the shell to the impact,
A tracking system that continues to aim the aiming point in the target direction after the impact of the shell is constructed. Therefore, during the shooting period, there is no disturbance element such as misalignment of the aiming point to another target such as a shell, the aiming direction can be maintained in the target direction, and a stable tracking state can be maintained and stable shooting operation can be performed. It becomes possible to secure.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. (1) to (17) in the figure are the same as those in FIG.

(18) is a firing pulse (1
(20) is a percussion device, (20) is a counter that outputs a detector enable signal (21) during counting for a certain period of time after receiving an input of a firing pulse (19), and (22) is a detector enable signal ( 21) Upon receiving the TV camera (4)
The video signal (6) output from the input is input, the flash light (25) generated when the shell is fired is detected, the switching set signal (23) is output, and the flame generated when the shell is landed from the video signal (6) is detected. When detected, it is a detector that puts the switching set signal (23) in a reset state.

The tracking device configured as described above receives the video signal (6) obtained by imaging the target (3) by the television camera (4), and the image tracker (7) uses the visual axis (1) direction as a reference,
The tracking deviation signal (8) is output, and if the switching signal (17) and the switching set signal (23) are not input, the switching device (9) uses the tracking deviation signal (8) as the input and the speed command signal (10). Is output. The adder (14) adds the velocity command signal (10) and the spatial angular velocity signal (13) output from the gyro (12),
The velocity deviation signal (15) is output, the gun drive controller (16) receives the velocity deviation signal (15), drives the gun (5), and consequently the tracking deviation signal (8) becomes smaller. Therefore, the visual axis (1) and the shooting line are directed toward the target (3). At this time, the speed command signal (10) is equal to the moving speed of the target (3).

Next, the operation of the tracking device during shooting will be described. At the time of shooting, a firing pulse (19) is output from the percussion device (18), and a counter (20) outputs a detector enable signal (21) for a certain period of time when the firing pulse (19) is input. Detector (22)
When the detector enable signal (21) is input, it takes the video signal (6) as an input and has the function of detecting the high brightness state during the video signal (6) and detects the flash light (25) at the time of emission. Then, the switching set signal (23) is output. The switching device (9) receives the input of the switching set signal (23) and switches the input signal from the tracking deviation signal (8) to the previous value speed command (11). At this time, the tracking system maintains the tracking state immediately before shooting.

Next, when the detector (22) detects the flame (27) generated at the time of the bullet impact from the video signal (6), the switching set signal (23) is set to the reset state. When the switching set signal (23) changes from the set state to the reset state, the switching device (9) switches the input signal from the previous value speed command (11) to the tracking deviation signal (8) and returns to the above-mentioned tracking system.

With the tracking device thus configured, it is possible to keep the gun and the visual axis in a stable aiming direction even during shooting.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is difficult to uniquely set the target by the tracking device from the firing of the shell to the landing of the shell. Therefore, the tracking state of the tracking system immediately before shooting is changed during this period. Since the tracking device maintains a stable aiming state even during shooting, the situation of the target and the shell can be stably grasped during shooting, and the aiming point shifts. Because there is no, it enables continuous shooting.

Further, since the flash light generated when the shell is fired and the flame generated when it is landed are very high in brightness, it is easy to detect from the video signal. By using the optical means, the period from the shell firing to the landing can be accurately measured. The tracking state can be maintained in the state immediately before shooting, and the normal tracking state can be quickly restored after landing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a tracking device according to the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a conventional tracking device, FIG. 3 is a state diagram during aiming, FIG. 4 is a state diagram during firing of a shell, FIG. 5 is a state diagram during flight of a shell, and FIG. The figure shows the state when the shell is hit,
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an image at the time of aiming, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an image at the time of firing a shell, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an image during flight of a shell, and FIG.
Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an image when a bullet is landed, and Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an image in a target direction. In the figure, (1) is a visual axis, (2) is a shooting line, (3) is a target, (4) is a television camera, (5) is a gun, (6) is a video signal, and (7) is an image tracker. , (8) is the tracking deviation signal,
(9) is a switch, (10) is a speed command signal, (11) is a previous value speed command, (12) is a gyro, (13) is a spatial angular velocity,
(14) is an adder, (15) is a velocity deviation signal, (16) is a gun drive controller, (17) is a switching signal, (18) is a firing, (19) is a firing pulse, (20) is a counter, (21) is a detector enable signal, (22) is a detector, (23) is a switching set signal,
(24) is a shell, (25) is a flash, (26) is a trajectory, (27) is a flame, (28) is a vertical aiming reticle, (29) is a horizontal aiming reticle, (30) is a tracking gate, ( 31) is the target high brightness part. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A detection means provided on an armored vehicle having a gun for imaging a target in the visual axis direction and outputting a video signal thereof, and a spatial output of the gun and the target from the output of the detection means. Target tracking deviation detecting means for detecting a relative angle, high-brightness detecting means for detecting flash light at the time of firing a bullet and flame at the time of bullet impact from the output of the detecting means, and a firing signal output from a percussion device for receiving the above-mentioned A counter for validating the brightness detecting means for a certain period of time, and an output of the high brightness detecting means,
The signal switching means for switching between the output of the tracking deviation detecting means and the previous state holding command, the spatial angular velocity detecting means for detecting the velocity of the gun, the output of the switching means and the output of the spatial angular velocity detecting means are added. And a gun drive control means that drives the gun by receiving the output of the adder.