A panoramic motion picture projector useful in flight simulators and in the entertainment field is shown. A curved cylindrical segment of film which typically subtends 180.degree. at the film gate contains a full 360.degree. of picture information thus enabling projection of a complete panoramic image. The film segment is scanned by a slit of light revolving about the axis of curvature of the segment and the resulting image is converted to a rotating radial pattern having said axis as its center. In one embodiment, the speed of rotation of the radial pattern is increased to cause an input rotation of 180.degree. to cover 360.degree., and the pattern is then restored to the cylindrical format by a scanning projection head for projection on a cylindrical screen. For use in situations, e.g., in flight simulators, where perspective transformations are required, means are provided to tilt the scanning slit in order to pick up the required image information and then to detilt it afterwards. Translation corrections are then obtained by Scheimpflug and anamorphic correction means and placed in the optical path prior to projection. A panoramic camera is also described.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation of an application of Richard A. Mecklenborg for U.S. Letters Patent, Ser. No. 200,755, filed Nov. 22, 1971.
A panoramic camera has an objective drum, an electric motor which drives the objective drum and has a motor shaft, the electric motor being arranged axis-parallel to and at a distance from the objective drum and having a regulatable speed, a plurality of outputs having different speeds and connected with the motor shaft, and a plurality of intermediate outputs connecting the outputs selectively with the objective drum.
A landing signal officer trainer having a cylindrically rolled holographic ilm with stored attitude data of yaw and pitch rotatably and slidably mounted in conjunction and relation to a laser beam source to vary yaw and pitch image attitude of a plane, a pechan prism rotatable to vary roll of the plane image, a zoom lens system to vary range of the plane image, enlarging lens apparatus to present an adequate image to a landing signal officer (LSO) observing the image, and a control panel operable by an instructor to vary the plane attitude and range position in accordance to the signals given by the trainee and thus provide unprogrammed training in guiding landing aircraft without use of actual equipment and in a manner in which the trainee participates. The invention further contemplates the provision of a ship holographic image variable in pitch and control apparatus for selectively coordinating plane range and ship pitch to produce land or abort conditions.
A pair of prisms arranged in a complementary relationship provides for anamorphic magnification and cooperates with a curved refractive element, the later of which generates an aberration that at least partially compensates an aberration generated by the pair of prisms. Examples of the curved refractive element include, but are not limited to, a cylindrical lens, a curved substrate of optical material, a pair of counter-rotatable cylindrical lenses, a fluid-filled cylindrical lens with variable power incorporating a substrate that is deformed by a clamp mechanism over a fulcrum or curved surface, and at least one curved surface of fixed or variable curvature of the prisms, the later of which may be fluid-filled. In one embodiment, a color image is generated as a composite of images from different image modulators, each modulating a different color, and chromatic aberration is compensated by electronically scaling or shifting images from different image modulators differently.
Certain optical imaging systems exhibit disparate vertical and horizontal image focal surfaces; at least one of which is tipped with respect to the optical axis. The projection optics which illuminates such systems must provide that the vertical image components focus upon the nominal vertical image surface, while the horizontal image components focus on the disparate horizontal image surface. Because at least one of these image surfaces may be tilted with respect to the projection axis, correction is required to maintain focus over the entire image surfaces and to eliminate keystoning. The system may also require differing vertical and horizontal image magnifications as projected upon the above disparate focal surfaces. This invention describes, inter alia, the techniques for meeting these varied requirements; to project a rectilinear object field such that it forms a final focused rectilinear image in a system having tipped and disparate image planes.
Certain optical imaging systems exhibit disparate vertical and horizontal image focal surfaces; at least one of which is tipped with respect to the optical axis. The projection optics which illuminates such systems must provide that the vertical image components focus upon the nominal vertical image surface, while the horizontal image components focus on the disparate horizontal image surface. Because at least one of these image surfaces may be tilted with respect to the projection axis, correction is required to maintain focus over the entire image surfaces and to eliminate keystoning. The system may also require differing vertical and horizontal image magnifications as projected upon the above disparate focal surfaces. This invention describes, inter alia, the techniques for meeting these varied requirements; to project a rectilinear object field such that it forms a final focused rectilinear image in a system having tipped and disparate image planes.
