An apparatus is described for superimposing numerical information on the field of view of binoculars. The invention has application in the flying of radio-controlled model airplanes. Information such as airspeed and angle of attack are sensed on a model airplane and transmitted back to earth where this information is changed into numerical form. Optical means are attached to the binoculars that a pilot is using to track the model air plane for displaying the numerical information in the field of view of the binoculars. The device includes means for focusing the numerical information at infinity whereby the user of the binoculars can see both the field of view and the numerical information without refocusing his eyes

Fuller, H. V.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

350-174 SR 
3/15/77 OR 49 0 12t  123 
United States Patent [191 
Fuller 
[ I I J  4;012,123 
(451 Mar. 15, 1977 
[ 541 BINOCULAR DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING 
NUMERICAL INFORMATION IN FIELD OF 
VIEW 
[ 751 Inventor: Harry V. Fuller, Newport News, Va. 
(73 1 Assignee: The United States of America as 
represented by the Administrator of 
the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, Washington, D.C. 
(221 Filed: Aug. 28, 1975 
121 1 Appl. No.: 608,482 
(521 U.S. CI. ................................ 350/174; 350/145 
[5 I ]  Int. CI.’ ......................................... GO2B 27/14 
(581 Field of Search ............ 350/174, 169, 145, 35, 
350/36, 10 
[561 References Cited 
UNITED STATES PATENTS 
3.170.979 2/1965 Baldwin et al. .................... 350/174 
3,614.314 10/1971 Rossirc .............................. 350/174 
Primary Examiner-John K. Corbin 
Assistant Examiner-Jon W. Henry 
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Howard J. Osborn; William 
H. King; John R. Manning 
(571 ABSTRACT 
\ 
Apparatus for superimposing numerical informqon on 
the field of view of binoculars. The invention has a 
cation in the flying of radio-controlled model airplanes. 
Information such as, for example, airspeed and angle of 
attack are sensed on a model airplane and transmitted 
back to earth where this information is changed into 
numerical form. Optical means are attached to the 
binoculars, that a pilot is using to track the model air- 
plane, for displaying the numerical information in the 
field of view of the binoculars. The optical means in- 
cludes means for focusing the numerical information at 
infinity whereby the user of the binoculars can see both 
the field of view and the numerical information without 
refocusing his eyes. 
Y 
* 
7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 
13 37 
. - 1  
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13 37 
FIG. 
4,O 12,123 
1 
BINOCULAR DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING 
NUMERICAL INFORMATION IN FIELD OF VIEW 
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION 
The invention described herein was made by an em- 
ployee of the U.S. Government and may be manufac- 
tured and used by or for the Government for govern- 
mental purposes without the payment of any royalties 
thereon or therefor. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Radio-controlled model airplanes are sometimes 
used in flight research programs. When a model is used, 
a ground-based pilot sometimes tracks the model with 
binoculars and based on this information performs 
certain maneuvers with respect to the model. In addi- 
tion to having the model in the field of view of the 
binoculars, the pilot also needs information about the 
model, such as, for example, angle of attack and air- 
speed for making his decisions. These decisions have to 
be made in a very short interval of time. Hence, it is 
necessary that the pilot view both the field of view of 
the binoculars and the information from the model at 
the same time. It is therefore the primary object of the 
invention to display in the field of view of binoculars 
numerical information about the object being viewed. 
It is also important that the pilot be able to simulta- 
neously see the field of view of the binoculars and the 
numerical information without refocusing his eyes. 
Thus, another object of the invention is to provide 
numerical information in the field of view of binoculars 
such that the user of the binoculars does not have to 
refocus his eyes in order to see both the field of view 
and the numerical information. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Sensors are attached to a model airplane to sense 
information such as airspeed and angle of attack. The 
sensors are connected to individual voltage controlled 
oscillators and the measurements are telemetered to 
ground using standard FM-FM telemetry techniques. 
The measured information is received on the ground, 
the FM signals are discriminated and the resulting ana- 
log signals are converted to binary coded deciman 
(BCD). The information is then routed to two sets of 
seven-segment incandescent readouts through BCD to 
seven-segment decoders. 
An optical system, including the incandescent read- 
outs, is mounted on the underside of one barrel of the 
binoculars. A system of lenses and mirrors is used to 
bring an image of the readout to the pilot's eye. The 
image is focused at infinity by means of a collimating 
lens thereby enabling the pilot to see the information 
above his view of the model without refocusing his 
eyes. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
FIG. 1 is the schematic drawing for the purpose of 
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the electronics used by 
FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the optical system 
FIG. 4 is a schematic pictorial drawing of what the 
describing how the invention is used; 
the invention; 
used by the invention; and 
user of the binocular sees. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Turning now to the embodiment of the invention 
selected for illustration in the drawings, the number 11 
5 in FIG. 1 designates a model airplane that is tracked by 
a pilot 12 by means of binoculars 13. Located on the 
model airplane are sensors 14 and 15 for sensing the 
angle of attack and airspeed of the model, respectively. 
These signals from sensors 14 and 15 are transmitted 
I O  bv means of an FM transmitter 16 to a receiver and 
15 
20 
25 
30 
35 
40 
45 
50 
55 
60 
p;ocessors 17 located near the pilot. The received sig- 
nals are converted to numerical form by means of the 
processor and displayed in the field of view of the 
binoculars 13. Hence, the pilot can simultaneously 
observe the model 11 and the readings of airspeed and 
angle of attack. With the aid of this information he can 
maneuver the model by means of an aircraft controller 
17. Even though this invention displays airspeed and 
angle of attack, it is to be understood that other infor- 
mation can be displayed without departing from the 
invention. 
The analog outputs of sensors 14 and 15 are con- 
verted to frequencies by voltage controlled oscillators 
19 and 20, respectively, as shown in FIG. 2, and then 
transmitted to ground by means of transmitter 16. The 
signals transmitted by transmitter 16 are received by 
receiver 21 and then applied to discriminators 22 and 
23. The analog signals at the output of discriminators 
22 and 23 are converted to digital signals by means of 
analog-to-digital converters 24 and 25, respectively. 
The digital signals at the output of analog to digital 
converters 24 and 25 are converted to binary coded 
decimal signals by means of BCD logic circuits 26 and 
27, respectively. The output of logic circuits 26 and 27 
are converted to numerical form by incandescent read- 
out 28. The electronic components disclosed in FIG. 1 
are standard components and are therefore not dis- 
closed in detail in this specification. 
The optical system for this invention as shown in FIG. 
3 is all included in a housing 30 that is attached to one 
barrel 31 of binoculars 13. The numbers produced by 
readout 28 are passed through a negative lens 32 onto 
a mirror 33 which reflects them onto a mirror 34. The 
reflection of mirror 34 is passed through collimating 
lens 35 which renders all the light rays from the readout 
28 parallel. A beam splitter 36 reflects the parallel rays 
from the collimating lens 35 into the objective lens 37 
of the binoculars. Beam splitter 36 also allows the rays 
from the field-of-view of binoculars to pass through it 
to the objective lens 37. 
The total length of the optical path from readout 28 
to objective lens 37 is small, 305 mm, and the path is 
folded by means of the mirrors 33 and 34 so that all the 
elements of the optical system can be boxed compactly 
under one barrel of the binoculars. 
Since the pilot has a display attached to one barrel of 
his binoculars and the other barrel free, the beam split- 
ter causes some difference in brightness of external 
light; but it is small and not objectionable to the pilot. 
Because the readouts are relatively large (7.82 mm in 
height) and their images are magnified by the binocu- 
lars (7 power magnification and 50 mm diameter ob- 
jective lens binoculars are used), the optical system 
reduces the size of the images presented to the binocu- 
65 lars. Since the readouts are 7.82 mm high and the opti- 
cal path is 305 mm long, the readouts subtend an angle 
of 1.47". When this angle is magnified seven times by 
the binoculars, it becomes 10.3". Three element nega- 
4,O 12,123 
3 4 
tive lens 32 is used to reduce the angle to approxi- receiver means for receiving said transmitted infor- 
mately 2". Each element of the negative lens has a focal mation; 
length of -33 mm and a diameter of 25 mm. means for transforming said received information 
FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of what the pilot sees when into numerical form and displaying it on an incan- 
he is looking through his binoculars. He sees not only optical means attached to said binoculars for super- 
imposing said incandescent readout onto the field the model airplane but the numbers indicative of both 
of view of said binoculars. the angle of attack and airspeed of the model airplane. 
it, thc numbers block only that portion of the field of 1 0  cal means includes means for focusing said incandes- 
vicw in which the numbcrs thcmselves occupy. cent readout at infinity whereby the user of said 
Even though this invention has been described for binoculars does not have to refocus his eyes to see both 
use in controlling model airplanes, it is to be under- the object and the incandescent readout. 
stood that its application can be much broader. That is, 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said 
it can be used to display the fieid of view of any object 15 means for focusing said incandescent readout at infin- 
and numerical information about that object. 
advantages of this invention are that its can 
simultaneously observe an object in the ficld of view of 
binoculars and numerical information about that ob- 2o field of view of the binoculars. 
ject. Also, bccausc of thc collimating lens, the user can 
simultaneously observe both thc ficld of view and the 
numerical information without refocusing his eyes. In 
addition, since the beam splitter reflects and transmits 
light, the area occupied by the numerical information is 25 
kept to a minimum. That is, the field of view of the 
binoculars around the numerical information is not 
blocked. 
5 descent readout; and 
Inasmuch as the beam Splitter 36 Passes light through 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said opti- 
ity is a collimating lens. 
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said opti- 
cal means includes a beam splitter that reflects the 
incandescent readout and transmits the from the 
5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said opti- 
a collimating lens; 
means for directing an image of said incandescent 
readout into said collimating lens; and 
means mounted in front of one barrel of said binocu- 
lars for transmitting light from the field of view of 
said binoculars and for reflecting the image of said 
incandescent readout from said collimating lens 
onto the objective lens of said binoculars. 
6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said 
for directing an image of =id incandescent read- 
out into said collimating lens includes a negative lens. 
35 means for directing an image of said incandescent read- 
cal includes: 
What is claimcd is: 
1. Apparatus for displaying, in the field of view of 
binoculars, numerical information about an object 
being viewed by the binoculars comprising: 
30 
binoculars, including an objective lens and two bar- 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said 
rels; 
means for sensing information about said object; out into said collimating lens includes mirror means. 
transmitter means for transmitting said information; * * * * *  
40 
45 
50 
55 
60 
65 


Binocular device for displaying numerical information in field of view

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