Stabilized observation with LRF function
The invention relates to a hand-held observation device. The observation device is characterized in that a first observation channel comprises a first opto-mechanical stabilization unit for actively and equally stabilizing, during an observation, a first observation optical axis and an LRF axis of an integrated laser range finder by compensating for hand jitter during the observation, the first opto-mechanical stabilization unit being adapted for continuously adjusting and setting a lateral position (with respect to the optical axis) of at least one lens of the objective optical system of the first optical observation channel, in a way automatically controlled by an electronic processing and control unit, which reads and processes the gyro sensor data, particularly in a way wherein the adjusting of the lateral position of the at least one lens equally stabilizes the first observation optical axis and the LRF axis in one go.
1. A hand-held binocular device, comprising:
a first optical observation channel and a second optical observation channel for observations defining a first observation optical axis and a second observation optical axis, respectively, by receiving and imaging optical light rays onto an image plane, the light rays being within the visible wavelength range for optical observations by the eye of an observer;
a gyro sensor unit for recording gyro sensor data giving indication about jitter during observation; and
a laser range finding unit (LRF) for determining the distance along a LRF axis between the observation device and a target, the laser range finding unit comprising a laser transmission channel and a laser receiver channel, wherein the laser transmission and the laser receiver channels are fully separate from each other, the laser transmission and the laser receiver channels having separate objective lenses, and the laser transmission and the laser receiver channels defining the LRF axis;
wherein the laser transmission channel is coupled into the first observation channel by a first beamsplitter, wherein the laser transmission channel and the first observation channel share one of the separate objective lenses,
wherein the laser receiver channel is coupled into the second observation channel by a second beamsplitter, wherein the laser receiver channel and the second observation channel share another of the separate objective lenses,
wherein the binocular device comprises a first and a second opto-mechanical stabilization unit, the first opto-mechanical stabilization unit being arranged in the first observation channel and the second opto-mechanical stabilization unit being arranged in the second observation channel, for actively and equally stabilizing, during an observation, the first observation optical axis, the second observation optical axis, and the LRF axis by compensating for the jitter during the observation by continuously adjusting and setting lateral positions of respective lenses of the first and the second opto-mechanical stabilization units in a way automatically controlled by an electronic processing and control unit, which reads and processes the gyro sensor data,
wherein the adjusting of the lateral positions of the lenses of the first and the second opto-mechanical stabilization units equally stabilizes the first observation optical axis, the second observation optical axis, and the LRF axis in one go, and
wherein the lateral positions of the lenses of the first and the second opto-mechanical stabilization unit being based on the gyro sensor data, the power of the lenses and their positions within the system, the wavelength of the laser light, and the focal lengths pertaining to the laser transmission channel and the laser receiver channel.
2. The hand-held binocular device according to claim 1 , wherein the first opto-mechanical stabilization unit and the second opto-mechanical stabilization units, the gyro sensor unit, and the electronic processing and control unit are embedded in one single attachment unit, which is detachable from the binocular device.
3. The hand-held binocular device according to claim 1 , wherein the first observation channel comprises:
an opto-electronic display for real-time processing and digitally displaying the image plane of the first observation channel and providing additional displaying functionalities, for displaying range information and/or color rendering for enhancing contrast and/or for displaying image information detected outside of the visual wavelength range.
4. The hand-held binocular device according to claim 1 , wherein the first observation channel comprises:
a visual observation channel comprising the opto-electronic display, for real-time observing of the image plane of the first observation channel by eye, and
an additional electronic imaging channel comprising electronic imaging, including CCD sensors and/or CMOS sensors and/or infrared detectors, for digitally storing image information of the image plane of the first observation channel and making said information available for external post-processing.
5. A hand-held observation device embodied as monocular or binocular, comprising
an optical observation channel for observations defining an observation optical axis by receiving and imaging optical light rays onto an image plane, the light rays being within the visible wavelength range for optical observations by the eye of an observer,
a gyro sensor unit for recording gyro sensor data giving indication about jitter during observation, and
a laser range finding unit (LRF) for determining the distance along a LRF axis between the observation device and a target, the laser range finding unit comprising a laser transmission channel and a laser receiver channel,
wherein the laser transmission and the laser receiver channels are coupled into the observation channel by a beamsplitter, wherein the laser transmission channel, the laser receiver channel, and the optical observation channel share an objective lens,
wherein the observation device comprises an opto-mechanical stabilization unit arranged in the observation channel for actively and equally stabilizing, in one go during an observation, the observation optical axis and the LRF axis by compensating for the jitter during the observation by continuously adjusting and setting a lateral position of a lens of the opto-mechanical stabilization unit in a way automatically controlled by an electronic processing and control unit, which reads and processes the gyro sensor data, and
wherein the setting of the lateral position takes into account the gyro sensor data, the power of the lens and its position within the system, the wavelength of the laser light, and the focal lengths pertaining to the laser transmission channel and the laser receiver channel.
6. The hand-held observation device according to claim 5 , wherein the opto-mechanical stabilization unit, the gyro sensor unit, and the electronic processing and control unit are embedded in one single attachment unit, which is detachable from the observation device.
7. The hand-held observation device according to claim 5 , wherein the observation channel comprises:
an opto-electronic display for real-time processing and digitally displaying the image plane of the observation channel and providing additional displaying functionalities, for displaying range information and/or color rendering for enhancing contrast and/or for displaying image information detected outside of the visual wavelength range.
8. The hand-held observation device according to claim 5 , wherein the observation channel comprises:
a visual observation channel comprising an opto-electronic display, for real-time observing of the image plane of the observation channel by eye; and
an additional electronic imaging channel comprising an electronic imager, including CCD sensors and/or CMOS sensors and/or infrared detectors, for digitally storing image information of the image plane of the observation channel and making said information available for external post-processing.
9. A hand-held binocular device, comprising:
a first optical observation channel and a second optical observation channel for observations defining a first observation optical axis and a second observation optical axis, respectively, by receiving and imaging optical light rays onto an image plane, the light rays being within the visible wavelength range for optical observations by the eye of an observer;
a gyro sensor unit for recording gyro sensor data giving indication about jitter during observation; and
a laser range finding unit (LRF) for determining the distance along a LRF axis between the observation device and a target, the laser range finding unit comprising a laser transmission channel and a laser receiver channel, wherein the laser transmission and the laser receiver channels are fully separate from each other, the laser transmission and the laser receiver channels having separate objective lenses, and the laser transmission and the laser receiver channels defining the LRF axis;
wherein the laser transmission channel is coupled into the first observation channel by a first beamsplitter, wherein the laser transmission channel and the first observation channel share one of the separate objective lenses,
wherein the laser receiver channel is coupled into the second observation channel by a second beamsplitter, wherein the laser receiver channel and the second observation channel share another of the separate objective lenses,
wherein the binocular device comprises a first and a second opto-mechanical stabilization unit, the first opto-mechanical stabilization unit being arranged in the first observation channel and the second opto-mechanical stabilization unit being arranged in the second observation channel, for actively and equally stabilizing, during an observation, the first observation optical axis, the second observation optical axis, and the LRF axis by compensating for the jitter during the observation by continuously adjusting and setting lateral positions of respective lenses of the first and the second opto-mechanical stabilization units in a way automatically controlled by an electronic processing and control unit, which reads and processes the gyro sensor data, wherein the adjusting of the lateral positions of the lenses of the first and the second opto-mechanical stabilization units equally stabilizes the first observation optical axis, the second observation optical axis, and the LRF axis in one go, and
wherein the first opto-mechanical stabilization unit and the second opto-mechanical stabilization units, the gyro sensor unit, and the electronic processing and control unit are embedded in one single attachment unit, which is detachable from the binocular device.
10. The hand-held binocular device according to claim 9 , wherein the first observation channel comprises:
an opto-electronic display for real-time processing and digitally displaying the image plane of the first observation channel and providing additional displaying functionalities, for displaying range information and/or color rendering for enhancing contrast and/or for displaying image information detected outside of the visual wavelength range.
11. The hand-held binocular device according to claim 9 , wherein the first observation channel comprises:
a visual observation channel comprising the opto-electronic display, for real-time observing of the image plane of the first observation channel by eye, and
an additional electronic imaging channel comprising electronic imaging including CCD sensors and/or CMOS sensors and/or infrared detectors, for digitally storing image information of the image plane of the first observation channel and making said information available for external post-processing.