Gec-marconi Avionics Holdings Limited

Ferranti International Signal, Plc

Thomas B Wilson

Alison B Lessels

Hillary G Sillitto

Evan S Cameron

Infrared optical system

A system includes a television camera (10), a first source of illumination (17) operable to provide pulsed illumination of a scene to be viewed by the camera, and a second source of illumination (18) operable to provide constant illumination of the scene. Illumination control means (16) is operable to activate the first source (17) to provide a pulse of illumination prior to the commencement of each alternate field period of the television raster scan cycle. Camera control means (13) controls a gate (12) in the camera system so that, during each of these alternate field periods the camera (10) provides a first video signal representing the scene illuminated by the first source (17) at a predetermined time after the pulse of illumination. The camera control means (13) also operates the gate (12) so that, during each other frame period, the camera provides a second video signal representing the scene illuminated by the second source throughout the entire field period. A video output terminal (14) is provided, to which the first and second video signals are applied. Means may be provided for measuring the distance to an object in the scene to be viewed.

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Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Thomas B Wilson