Patent ID: 7279675
Filing Date: 2007-10-09
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A submarine floating periscope which comprises: a. a floating base; b. a scanning unit for scanning and acquiring images of an above water surface hemisphere; and c. a cable between a submarine and the periscope for maintaining the periscope above water and in a vicinity of the submarine, and for enabling communication between the periscope and the submarine; wherein the scanning unit comprises: I. a transparent dome; II. a two-degrees of freedom gimbals system positioned in a hollow portion formed below the dome, wherein the gimbals system comprises a mechanism for changing the orientation of a plate within the hollow portion by applying rotation about two perpendicular axes both being essentially parallel to the water surface; III. a light sensing element in the form of a focal plane array, for sensing light coming from outside the dome thereby forming images, the sensing unit being positioned on said plate; and IV. a modem for transferring images data and other data between the periscope and the submarine.