Patent ID: 7602415
Filing Date: 2009-10-13
Classification: G01C,G06T

Abstract:
1. A method for controlling the line of sight of a camera to remain fixed on a target, the camera being on an aircraft whose current position is moving at a velocity relative to a current position of the target, the method comprising: setting an initial line of sight for the camera that is aimed at the current position of the target; calculating a transformation matrix C periodically determining a static adjustment including, wherein the normalized position vector indicates the difference between the actual line of sight of the camera and the line of sight needed to point to the target in the scan and tilt directions, and periodically determining a dynamic adjustment including, wherein the normalized velocity vector indicates the angular velocity that the camera needs to move in the scan and tilt directions to compensate for overflight velocity, and maintaining the line of sight of the camera by combining the determined dynamic and static adjustments as the attitude of the aircraft changes relative to the current position of the target, including selling an adjustment A for the camera wherein A=Δ{tilde over (R)}