Correlation system for multiple-sensor reconnaissance vehicle

摘要

A plurality of sensors of various types each initiating a marker signal as it produces a "frame" of information sensed, such as a camera film frame for example. A computer in the navigation system of the reconnaissance craft receives the marker signals and generates respective successive frame count numbers which are fed back to the proper respective sensors and recorded directly on the individual frames to whch they pertain while the frames are still being taken or sensed by the sensors. At essentially the same time as the frame count number is being processed, the computer outputs a block of information to be stored and recorded for that one frame (sensor product), this information including the identifying frame count number, the sensor which took it, the time of occurrence, and the geographical location of the event as provided by the navigation system. Thus, each frame of intelligence gathered and later processed on the ground is simply correlated with the recorded block of desired data concerning it by a ground interpreter. An additional feature is a process of including photographic and location data of certain known ground sites during the same reconnaissance flight, providing a comparison capability to enable correction of any nagivation system biases and thereby obtain very precise geographic coordinate location of the sensor products.