WO1999006870A1 - Instrument optique d'observation - Google Patents

Instrument optique d'observation Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1999006870A1
WO1999006870A1 PCT/GB1998/002293 GB9802293W WO9906870A1 WO 1999006870 A1 WO1999006870 A1 WO 1999006870A1 GB 9802293 W GB9802293 W GB 9802293W WO 9906870 A1 WO9906870 A1 WO 9906870A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
images
image
optical
eyepiece
recording
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1998/002293
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
David Thurlow
Original Assignee
David Thurlow
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by David Thurlow filed Critical David Thurlow
Publication of WO1999006870A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999006870A1/fr

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B23/00—Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices
    • G02B23/02—Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices involving prisms or mirrors
    • G02B23/10—Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices involving prisms or mirrors reflecting into the field of view additional indications, e.g. from collimator
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B23/00—Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices
    • G02B23/16—Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight
    • G02B23/18—Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight for binocular arrangements

Definitions

  • the present invention relates an optical viewing device, such as a pair of binoculars, specifically adapted so as to be able to record and replay action to the viewer.
  • Binoculars are commonly used for viewing distant scenes and events, particularly sporting and other fast moving activities. When observing such activities it is frequently desirable to revisit some fast moving piece of action. This can readily be achieved when observing action remotely by television, as action can be recorded whilst broadcast then retransmitted at any desired speed, so enabling slow motion action replays of events that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. A better view of events can be gained, however, by observation with binoculars to enlarge the view. The disadvantage of this method is that it is not currently possible to observe events live through binoculars, and additionally to benefit from replaying those scenes observed with the eye.
  • an optical viewing device comprising at least one eyepiece through which a view enlarged by optical means can be observed, means for recording moving images viewed through the optical means, means for storing the images recorded and means for playing back these images through said at least one eyepiece, thus allowing action replays to be observed through the device .
  • the device may for example comprise a pair of binoculars having an optical magnification system comprising lenses and prisms and including the benefits of being able to record and review, at any desired speed, previous action observed with the eye through the binoculars .
  • the device preferably comprises means for recording a "loop" of the most recent action.
  • the "loop” is continuously updated whilst scenes are being viewed, so that there is always recorded the last, say, 30 seconds of action.
  • the length of the "loop” may be of any size and is only limited by the amount of memory capacity available in the device.
  • solid state memory devices such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) to record the images, however alternatively a loop of magnetic tape, a magnetic disk or other electronic media may be used.
  • the user views the replayed images through either one or both of the binocular eyepieces in the same manner as he would view the original scene, the replayed image corresponding to the view through either one or both of the binocular eyepieces.
  • the image corresponding to the view through either one or both eyepieces is captured by means of a compact semiconductor imaging device such as a CCD (charge coupled device) or DA (diode array) .
  • the images may be stored in semiconductor memory such as DRAM or SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) or variations or enhancements of these devices. In normal operation the images are stored as a rolling sequence, the newest image over-writing the oldest. The number of images stored depends upon the memory capacity of the device.
  • the most recent N images can be played back upon request.
  • this sequence of N images can, furthermore, be played in normal motion, slow motion, forwards, backwards, freeze-frame and so forth.
  • the memory can be made to store only a selection of images (such as every nth frame) and can in addition be switched to a "retain" mode, where the previously selected images can be stored without being overwritten until such times as the user wishes to delete them or download them into another memory bank.
  • the memory available can be divided into sections, so that some of it is used for retained images and the remainder for rolling ones.
  • the image can be "inched” by means of forward and backward commands so that a particular view can be precisely located.
  • This feature may be used advantageously in conjunction with the timing of events, whereby, for example, the time gap between competitors crossing a finishing line can be measured.
  • This "delta-time” result can then be displayed by superimposition on the viewing screen.
  • Images are displayed by means of LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or AM (Active Matrix) or equivalent screens built into the device and so positioned such that the replayed images can be seen through the eyepiece (s) of the device in the same manner as the original images were viewed.
  • LCD Liquid Crystal Display
  • AM Active Matrix
  • two screens may be used, one corresponding to each eyepiece, or alternatively one screen only may be used for viewing replays through one eyepiece only, or by inclusion of a beam splitter through both eyepieces.
  • Images may be recorded by two recording means corresponding to the two eyepieces, or alternatively from one recording means and replayed through two screens.
  • the format of the image can be made compatible with that of a conventional TV display or video cassette recorder, or PC, so that the output from the binoculars can be dumped to such units to store them or display them to a wider audience.
  • the device can be designed for monochrome or colour use, depending on cost and weight considerations. In general colour requires more data to be stored and greater battery drain.
  • a shutter or shutters may be included to shut out light entering the binoculars during replay. It may sometimes be desirable, for instance in adverse lighting conditions, to view the images live via the display screen or screens and the view may be enhanced by the use of stroboscopic flash or infra-red etc., otherwise the scene is viewed live directly without recourse to the display screen, except when replays are required.
  • the image sensor used may be one of many available types, with various pixel and colour options, eg. 320x240 pixels, 640x480 pixels, 512x512 pixels, monochrome, RGB (Red, Green, Blue), etc. If for instance a 512x512 pixel RGB sensor is used it requires a storage capacity of 0.25 Megabyte per image and on European standards we assume 25 frames/second i.e. 40ms per image. To avoid “contouring” and other image artifacts it is desirable to digitise the RGB signals to 8 bits each. Thus each image uses 0.25 MB where each byte is 24 bits deep.
  • Various forms of image data compression can be employed, both spatial and temporal, using known methods such as DCT (direct- cosine-transform) .
  • a specific type of compression can be "built-in" to the camera chip; for example certain colour image sensor chips have alternating RGB stripes or filters on the chip itself, so that spatial resolution is traded for compression of the colour signal.
  • Each image in effect consumes 0.25MB with each byte now only 8 bits wide.
  • smaller or larger blocks of memory can be used, depending upon size, price and battery considerations.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic isometric view of the optical layout of a pair of binoculars according to the invention
  • Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the electronic layout of the binoculars ;
  • Figure 3 is a schematic view of a control panel on the binoculars .
  • Figure 1 shows a binocular optical arrangement including means for recording and replaying views observed through the binoculars.
  • the optical arrangement consists of objective lenses 1, roof prism pairs 8, combining prisms 6 and eyepieces 5.
  • the means for recording images is a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) 3, positioned such that incoming ray path 9 passes through one objective lens, one set or roof prism pairs and one combining prism and falls on the CCD 3.
  • CCD Charge Coupled Device
  • a semi-mirrored coating (dielectric or metallic) on the surface 7 of the interface between the combining prism 6 and the roof prism 8 diverts part of the ray path 9 back to the eyepiece allowing the observer to view the image in conjunction with it being recorded by the CCD 3.
  • the images recorded can be replayed to one or both eyepieces by a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) 2 via a display re- imaging lens 4 to the eyepiece 5 as shown by ray path 12.
  • Shutters 11 are interspersed in the ray paths 9, 10 during replay in order to view the display screen 2 clearly.
  • FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the electronic system required to control the invention.
  • 10 is the input optics with OS being an optical shutter, which may be driven by a flip-motor, M, to cut out the viewed image during replay.
  • the view is recorded by a camera "chip” CAM and relayed to an analogue to digital converter ADC and thence relayed to the image store IS, which could be RAM (random access memory) or a CCD (charge coupled device) .
  • the data stored in the IS is converted back to analogue form by a digital to analogue converter DAC, in order to drive the displays, right display RDIS and left display LDIS, which may require backlighting Bl of variable brightness Br.
  • the displays are viewed respectively by the left and right eyes LE and RE.
  • the ADC and the DAC stages may be omitted.
  • the vital functions of the device including the replay features and a flash F, are controlled by the Microcontroller or Microprocessor Unit MCU, powered by a battery Ba, and under the control of the user's controls UC.
  • the MCU sends appropriate addresses ADR, clocks CX, and read/write instructions R/W to the IS, though for simplicity and economy the TV format and timing functions may be shared between the CAM and the display.
  • the aperture control AP may also e controlled by the MCU, as shown, or alternatively can be combined in the camera chip CAM.
  • the output from the DAC can also be relayed to an output socket OS, via a video amplifier VA and a PAL or NTSC encoder NP, if required, for remote storage and playback.
  • a control panel UC controls the action replay binoculars. These controls may be distributed to convenient positions on the body of the binoculars .

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Astronomy & Astrophysics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Telescopes (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un instrument d'observation optique, tel que des jumelles, comprenant un dispositif permettant d'enregistrer et de restituer des vues observées via ledit instrument. Le montage optique est constitué d'objectifs (10), de paires de prismes (8) en toit, de prismes de combinaison (6) et d'oculaires (5). Le dispositif d'enregistrement des images est une cellule CCD (3), disposée de manière que la trajectoire (9) du rayon passe par l'un des objectifs, par un jeu de paires de prismes en toit et par un prisme de combinaison, avant d'arriver sur la cellule CCD (3). Un revêtement semi-réfléchissant recouvrant la surface (7) de l'interface comprise entre le prisme de combinaison (6) et le prisme en toit (8), renvoie une partie de la trajectoire du rayon (9) vers l'oculaire, ce qui permet à l'utilisateur de visualiser l'image tout en l'enregistrant. Les images enregistrées peuvent être restituées sur l'un ou les deux oculaires par un afficheur (2) à cristaux liquides via une lentille (4) de restitution des images sur l'oculaire (5), révélé par la trajectoire (12) du rayon. Des obturateurs (11) sont intercalés dans les trajectoires (9, 10) des rayons lors de la restitution de manière à donner une vision nette (2) de l'image restituée.
PCT/GB1998/002293 1997-08-02 1998-07-31 Instrument optique d'observation WO1999006870A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9716343.0A GB9716343D0 (en) 1997-08-02 1997-08-02 Novel action replay binoculars
GB9716343.0 1997-08-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1999006870A1 true WO1999006870A1 (fr) 1999-02-11

Family

ID=10816863

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1998/002293 WO1999006870A1 (fr) 1997-08-02 1998-07-31 Instrument optique d'observation

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB9716343D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO1999006870A1 (fr)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1069442A2 (fr) * 1999-07-15 2001-01-17 Leica Camera AG Systèmes de prismes pour inversion d'image dans un trajet d'observation visuel
WO2001052531A1 (fr) * 2000-01-07 2001-07-19 Hammack Jack C Jumelles numeriques d'enregistrement et de restitution
FR2830335A1 (fr) * 2001-09-28 2003-04-04 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Instrument optique d'observation avec fonction de photographie
FR2830338A1 (fr) * 2001-09-28 2003-04-04 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Paire de jumelles avec fonction de photographie
FR2830337A1 (fr) * 2001-09-28 2003-04-04 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Instrument d'observation optique avec une fonction de photographie
FR2830336A1 (fr) * 2001-09-28 2003-04-04 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Instrument optique d'observation avec fonction de photographie
US9691154B2 (en) 2014-12-23 2017-06-27 Carl Zeiss Sports Optics Gmbh Digital optical instrument having a folding bridge

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0599466A1 (fr) * 1992-10-07 1994-06-01 Sony Corporation Procédé et dispositif pour la gestion de données d'images
US5367332A (en) * 1992-10-09 1994-11-22 Apple Computer, Inc. Digital camera with time bracketing feature
US5459582A (en) * 1989-12-04 1995-10-17 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Video signal processing system for taking into a memory a specified picture extracted from moving images
US5532740A (en) * 1994-03-10 1996-07-02 Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image-data recording device and image-reproduction device for an electronic still camera
US5552824A (en) * 1993-02-18 1996-09-03 Lynx System Developers, Inc. Line object scene generation apparatus
US5581399A (en) * 1993-06-03 1996-12-03 Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Binoculars

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5459582A (en) * 1989-12-04 1995-10-17 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Video signal processing system for taking into a memory a specified picture extracted from moving images
EP0599466A1 (fr) * 1992-10-07 1994-06-01 Sony Corporation Procédé et dispositif pour la gestion de données d'images
US5367332A (en) * 1992-10-09 1994-11-22 Apple Computer, Inc. Digital camera with time bracketing feature
US5552824A (en) * 1993-02-18 1996-09-03 Lynx System Developers, Inc. Line object scene generation apparatus
US5581399A (en) * 1993-06-03 1996-12-03 Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Binoculars
US5532740A (en) * 1994-03-10 1996-07-02 Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image-data recording device and image-reproduction device for an electronic still camera

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1069442A2 (fr) * 1999-07-15 2001-01-17 Leica Camera AG Systèmes de prismes pour inversion d'image dans un trajet d'observation visuel
EP1069442A3 (fr) * 1999-07-15 2003-08-27 Leica Camera AG Systèmes de prismes pour inversion d'image dans un trajet d'observation visuel
WO2001052531A1 (fr) * 2000-01-07 2001-07-19 Hammack Jack C Jumelles numeriques d'enregistrement et de restitution
FR2830335A1 (fr) * 2001-09-28 2003-04-04 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Instrument optique d'observation avec fonction de photographie
FR2830338A1 (fr) * 2001-09-28 2003-04-04 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Paire de jumelles avec fonction de photographie
FR2830337A1 (fr) * 2001-09-28 2003-04-04 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Instrument d'observation optique avec une fonction de photographie
FR2830336A1 (fr) * 2001-09-28 2003-04-04 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Instrument optique d'observation avec fonction de photographie
US6914636B2 (en) 2001-09-28 2005-07-05 Pentax Corporation Optical viewer instrument with photographing function
US6927906B2 (en) 2001-09-28 2005-08-09 Pentax Corporation Binocular telescope with photographing function
US6937391B2 (en) 2001-09-28 2005-08-30 Pentax Corporation Optical viewer instrument with photographing function
US9691154B2 (en) 2014-12-23 2017-06-27 Carl Zeiss Sports Optics Gmbh Digital optical instrument having a folding bridge

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
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