The field of the invention is that of shooting glasses having a thermal camera and a clear viewfinder.

To accomplish its various missions with its equipment, the infantryman has the following needs:

- Ability to shooting day and night, requiring precise aiming to make the best use his weapon, ideally for effective fire beyond 300 meters;

fast aiming in dynamic combat situation;

Keeping a good situational awareness to deal with any threat that may arise on the battlefield, day or night. This situational awareness including through the conservation of a wide field of view embracing the surrounding space;

Ability to "décamouflage" or perception of threats, day or night;

Discretion, which in particular results night by the absence of light emission of the sighting system;

Lack of simbleautage setting operation to move from the day referred to the night sight and vice versa, so as to save time and ensure the reliability of the target;

Mobility and endurance, which requires equipment as light and compact as possible.

These requirements result in high demands on the sights equipping the assault rifle which has the infantryman. In practice, these requirements are met only partially and are not with one device both compact and lightweight.

Common solutions to ensure the target of an assault rifle are as follows. For the latest sighting, the basic weapon has a set peephole - handlebar. This set is simple, robust and low cost, but provides little precision.

The weapon may also have referred to the day:

a clear viewfinder, that is to say an optical assembly for superimposing on the outside a symbol or a bright spot in the line of sight. This clear viewfinder can be associated possibly with a switchable magnification endoscopy. For example, the magnification is 3;

A laser pointer;

A magnifying window day;

For the night sights, the weapon may include:

- A laser pointer;

An overhead of local intensification of light say "THE"; An overhead of local Infrared say "IR";

An adapter or "clip-on" to light intensifier or infrared positioning upstream of a telescopic day firing;

A sighting device including night vision binoculars associated with a clear viewfinder solidarity of the weapon.

These known solutions each have advantages and disadvantages, but none completely meets the highest global need identified.

The bright viewfinder solution is particularly popular because it provides good accuracy while maintaining a good sense of the overall situation in that it enables aiming and shooting with both eyes open and it allows a position of relatively remote eye of the optical clear viewfinder, the eye not to be close to an eyepiece. The shooter can keep both eyes open, clear viewfinder transmitting the landscape without magnification.

The target using a laser pointer widely used, especially at night, is very interesting because it allows a quick shot in dynamic combat, without the need to align the eye behind the viewfinder, or even to support weapon in extreme situations. However, the laser pointer has indiscreet, especially at night. Even when it is a pointer emitting near infrared, it is easily detectable with night vision binoculars or even to other equipment using a camera sensitive in the near infrared.

The shooting glasses in general, be it sunglasses day or night goggles to increased light or infrared heat, have the advantage of accuracy, thanks to their magnification. They have the disadvantage of requiring positioning the eye used for close sight of an eye; Moreover, the user can not use the other eye for an overall perception. This takes some time, which is a loss of efficiency in dynamic combat. In addition, the shooter momentarily cutting its environment and can then ignore new threats. Finally, at night, it is equipped with a night vision binoculars, the fighter must clear it to fill properly position a free eye behind the bezel shooting.

The infrared shot glasses or heat have the same drawbacks but offer some significant advantages: night vision, even in complete darkness, improved vision in the fog and smoke of the battlefield and especially ability to "décamouflage" of any hot target .

In an attempt to provide an appropriate response, it is possible to juxtapose in a single device multiple systems. For example, as seen in Figure 1, some sighting equipment include a bezel shooting IL or IR surmounted by a clear viewfinder. In this case, the bezel includes a thermal camera and a display device. The thermal imaging camera includes a focusing lens 1 and a photosensitive receiver 2. The display device comprises a micro-display 3 and an eyepiece viewfinder 4. The light comprises a light symbol 5 and collimation optics 6 and superposition with the vision direct 7.

These solutions lead to relatively bulky equipment that offer a juxtaposition of functions without the combine. At a given time, the user must choose to use either the clear viewfinder or the bezel and therefore has never accumulated advantages of both systems. In the case of a system of infrared telescope

Thermal and clear viewfinder, the user must choose between benefit from the rapid aiming and situational awareness offered by the clear viewfinder, or benefit from décamouflage and night vision offered by the thermal sight.

In summary, the existing solutions based on a single principle clear viewfinder type, pointer or glasses do not meet all the needs of the soldier for shooting in any situation. The solutions that juxtapose two principles in the same equipment, such as a clear viewfinder and a thermal sight allow to combine certain benefits without being able to benefit simultaneously. Moreover, these systems are bulky and heavy. They do not fully meet the above identified needs.

The bezel of the invention does not present the above drawbacks. Indeed, several images from different sources are collected by a single eye type clear viewfinder. It thus provides more of the requirements of this type of material while maintaining a small footprint. More specifically, the invention relates to a telescopic sight or observation comprising in a single mechanical structure, a camera and a video micro-display associated with an eyepiece, characterized in that the ocular comprises an optical combiner arranged so as to superimpose the video microdisplay image on the external landscape.

Advantageously, the bezel includes a point or an LED and an optical device arranged to superimpose the image of said point where said light symbol on said video microdisplay image and the external scene.

Advantageously, the optical system composed of the camera, the microdisplay and the eyepiece has a unitary magnification, of the microdisplay image conforming to that of the external landscape.

Advantageously, the optical combiner comprises a planar semi-reflecting surface inclined at about 45 degrees on a line of sight or observation.

Advantageously, the semi-reflecting surface is integrated with a beam splitter having two planar faces and parallel.

Advantageously, the semi-reflecting plate is integrated with a separator cube comprising two flat and parallel faces. Normal to said faces may be parallel to the line of sight or observation.

Advantageously, the separator comprises a prism mirror concave reflecting whose optical axis is perpendicular to the line of sight or observation, the light rays from the microdisplay video being transmitted by the semi-reflecting plate, reflected by the mirror concave and then by the semi-reflecting plate.

Advantageously, the splitter prism has a convex input face whose optical axis is perpendicular to the line of sight or observation and opposite to the concave mirror.

Advantageously, the optical combiner comprises a partially reflecting surface concave type "freeform" or diffractive inclined to the line of sight or observation and the eyepiece comprises a convex mirror associated to the concave semi-reflecting surface.

Advantageously, the optical device comprises a beam splitter cube or a separator arranged before the video microdisplay such that the image of the point or light symbol is, by reflection or transmission by the beam splitter or the beam splitter cube, confused with video microdisplay.

Advantageously, the camera is a thermal infrared camera or low light level.

The invention will be better understood and other advantages will appear on reading the description which follows, given without limitation and from the appended figures among which:

Figure 1 already commented is a combined window viewfinder shot-light according to the prior art;

2 shows a perspective view of a sighting telescope or observation according to the invention;

3 shows a circuit diagram of a sighting telescope or observation according to the invention;

4 shows a first embodiment of an eye according to the invention;

5 shows a second embodiment of an eye according to the invention;

6 shows a third embodiment of an eye according to the invention;

7 shows an alternative embodiment of a sighting telescope or observation according to the invention comprises generating a collimated light spot;

8 shows a fourth embodiment of an eye according to the invention.

2 shows a perspective view of a sighting telescope and observation according to the invention. It essentially comprises two major subassemblies which are a camera 10 and a display device 15 comprising a microdisplay and an eyepiece optical combiner. The optical combiner is mounted above the camera. The set of optical and electronic components is integrated into a sealed structure 80 which protects them from the external environment and shocks.

This structure includes a mechanical interface 85 for fixing to fix a weapon fitted with a standard interface. This interface is, for example, a rail "Picatinny" or its equivalent.

The structure also includes a set of 87 buttons and control devices for the actual controls on / off various functions of the equipment, the micro-display video brightness, electronic and mechanical settings boresight, settings electronic overlay of different images generated on the outside landscape. It may be disposed on one of the two lateral flanks of the bezel. For example, in Figure 2, the assembly comprises three buttons disposed on the left lateral flank of the bezel, more buttons are disposed on the left side of the bezel.

Figure 3 shows a first circuit diagram of a sighting telescope or observation according to the invention. For this figure and the following, we have adopted the following policies. Optical or mechanical elements are represented by bold lines, the light rays are

represented in thin lines and the optical axes in dotted lines. For clarity reasons, only are shown the light rays on the optical axis.

The camera is preferably a thermal imaging camera, comprising an infrared lens 20 operating in the spectral band located between 8pm and 12pm and an infrared sensor 25 sensitive micro-bolometers in the same spectral band.

The camera can also be a low light level camera implementing a "CMOS" sensor with low noise, "CMOS" is an acronym for "complementary metal oxide semi-conductor" or sensor "EB-CMOS" Acronym for "Electro-Bombarded CMOS". The camera can also be a camera "SWIR" stands for "Short Wave InfraRed" operating in the spectral range between 1 pm and 2pm, capturing nocturnal light from the night glow or "night glow" and also offering décamouflage capabilities .

This camera comprises an electronic power supply 30, for controlling the sensor and image processing and a housing 40 receiving several supply cells or a block of rechargeable batteries so as to ensure its autonomy which can be arranged to the back of the bezel, side eye of the observer.

The display device comprises a micro-display 50, an eyepiece 60 in optical combiner 70 and the electronics required for the supply and control of the micro-display.

This micro-display 50 displays a video aiming reticle, possibly enriched with correction elements to increase or symbols or stadia graduations. It also displays the thermal infrared image of the scene after the thermal camera.

This micro-display may be, for example, a display

"OLED", which stands for "Organic Light Emmitting Diode," a "LCD", acronym for "Liquid Crystal Display", a display "LCOS" acronym "Liquid Crystal On Silicon".

The optical system consists of the camera, the microdisplay and the eyepiece has a unitary magnification, of the microdisplay image conforming to that of the external landscape. The optical combiner provides the perfect overlapping of the microdisplay image on the external landscape.

optical combiner to the eye has different possible embodiments.

In a first embodiment illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 8 which show different combinations of optical eyepiece, the optical combiner comprises a planar semi-reflecting surface inclined at 45 degrees to a line of sight or observation. This surface has no optical power.

This surface may be part of a semi-reflecting plate with plane faces parallel and thin as shown in Figure 8.

As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the blade can advantageously be incorporated into a splitter cube comprising two parallel flat faces and so as to not introduce distortion on the external landscape. Normal to these faces may be parallel to the line of sight or observation.

Figure 4 shows a first eye 61 having a focusing optic and an optical combiner 71 to splitter cube. The focusing optical form of the micro-display 50 an image at infinity which is superposed on the external scene through the optical combiner 71. The optical combiner 71 comprises a plane 71 inclined one semi-reflecting plate and two parallel flat faces and 712 and 713. For example, the focusing optics of FIG 4 comprises three lenses 610, 61 1 and 612 and a plane deflection mirror 613 located between the second and the third lens. This mirror 613 can reduce the size of the focusing optics. In an alternative embodiment, the mirror may be replaced by a right prism. In this configuration shown in Figure 4,

5 shows a second eye 62 having a focusing optic and an optical combiner 72 and splitter cube. In this configuration, the optical combiner of the optical power on the

path of microdisplay. The optical combiner has no optical power on the direct path transmission. This reduces the number and size of the required lens collimation. The eyepiece is simpler and less cumbersome.

The splitter cube 72 then comprises a concave reflecting mirror 722 whose optical axis is perpendicular to the sighting axis. Collimating the light rays from the display 50 is provided by a group of three lenses 620, 621 and 622 and by the combiner 72. The light rays from the micro-display video 50 through the lens group, are transmitted via the semi-reflecting blade 721, reflected by the concave mirror 722 and then again by the semi-reflecting plate 721 toward the viewer's eye.

In this optical combination as in the previous, a plane reflecting mirror 623 can reduce the optical ocular dimensions. In an alternative embodiment, the separator cube has an entrance face 723 convex whose optical axis is perpendicular to the line of sight or observation and opposite to the concave mirror 722. The convex surface 723 has the function of avoid total reflections seen by the eye from the scene and are reflected by total reflection on the face of the prism. This convex surface allows to defocus the ghost images and push them in a non visible area by the eye in firing position.

In a second embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, the optical combiner 73 has a concave semi-reflecting surface type "freeform" or diffractive inclined to the line of sight or observation. surface is defined as "freeform" or free form, a surface that has no rotational symmetry. It can be defined in different ways.

In this configuration, the semi-reflecting surface is inclined on the optical axis to an extreme angle can be close to 40 degrees. In this case, the eyepiece 63 includes a convex mirror 632 also inclined on the optical axis associated with the concave semi-reflecting surface 73 as seen in Figure 5. This mirror can also be a type of surface "freeform" or diffractive. Finally, the eyepiece 63 includes a group of two lenses 630 and 631 forming a doublet, the convex mirror 632 and the concave semi-reflecting surface 73. If the group of

lens has a large focal length, it is possible to interpose between the display 50 and an optical lens group of folding beam device which may be mirrors or prism so as to reduce the size of the eyepiece.

In an important alternative embodiment of the sighting telescope and observation according to the invention, the bezel includes a point or an LED and an optical device arranged to superimpose the image of this point or the luminous symbol on the video microdisplay image and the scenery outside. The optical device then comprises a separating plate or a separating cube disposed in front of the video microdisplay such that the image of the point or light symbol is, by reflection or transmission by the beam splitter or the beam splitter cube, confused with microdisplay video.

In its basic version, the light spot is performed by means of a light emitting diode positioned in front of a source hole, the latter being positioned in the focal plane of the eyepiece so as to be superimposed on the image of the microdisplay. This is usually red. The light spot is fixed on a transverse adjustment mechanism in the focal plane so as to allow the user to perform settings boresight of the sighting axis materialized by the light spot relative to the firing axis of the weapon. The reticle of the display and the red dot are two alternative solutions to materialize the boresight of the weapon, the red dot is a simple solution to very low consumption.

The "red" spot thus an optional supplement to the video microdisplay. It also allows a low consumption degraded mode when the microdisplay and the thermal image are out of operation, for example to conserve power of the telescope.

A first example of implementation of this variant embodiment is shown in Figure 7. A separator 90 having a planar semi-reflecting mirror cube 91 is disposed between the microdisplay 50 and

first eyepiece lens. This has the eyepiece configuration 60 of Figure 3. The red point 95 is disposed so that its image by reflection on the semi-reflecting mirror 91 be confused with micro-display.

A second embodiment is shown in Figure 8. In this example, the eye 64 includes an optical 640 disposed between the micro-display 50 and the separator cube 900. An identical optical 640bis is also disposed between the red point 95 and the separator 900. the separator cube cube is an assembly of two prisms 901 and 902 whose common face 910 includes the semi-reflecting treatment. In the case of Figure 7, the prism 902 works by total reflection. The eyepiece member therefore comprises in this order the optical 640 and 640 thereof, the splitter prism 900, a prism 641 which ensures the folding of the beams and the semi-reflecting mirror 73 and the doublet 642.

It should be noted that the eyepiece can be easily adapted to freeform blade of Figure 6 so as to introduce the generation of the red point. To this end, all you need is a splitter cube or other prismatic set between the microdisplay and the lens.

The riflescope of the invention can include additional modular optical systems for changing the perception of the external landscape. Thus, it is possible to arrange downstream of the optical combiner optical afocal magnification with a magnification of 3, for example. Similarly, can be arranged upstream of an optical module combiner invariant in terms of magnification and deflecting light intensifier axis. The user thus receives both an intensified image and a thermal image of the external landscape.

The first advantage of the scope of the invention is, for the day in question, to add capacity décamouflage a clear viewfinder, retaining the ergonomic qualities of the bright viewfinder offers a great eye draw, not hidden no peripheral vision and allows to engage a target keeping both eyes open. The user has the window in the viewfinder of the direct image of the stage on which is superimposed on one hand the illuminated reticle embodying the axis of firing his weapon, and other video image from hot targets present in the scene and

may constitute threats. The display of the hot targets only, the temperature of the human body by removing the background of the scene is provided by conventional algorithms used in thermal imaging, particularly in IL / IR fusion systems. These algorithms are known to the skilled artisan. The fighter thus enjoys a merged vision between the direct view of the stage and the thermal infrared vision of the target, which appears on the illuminated reticle contained the firing axis of the gun when the fighter is the target.

The second advantage of this window is to allow, night, an infrared sight, following the example of what can be done with a conventional thermal window shot, but the ergonomics of a clear viewfinder magnification 1 large draw eye, referred to both eyes open.

The third advantage is to allow night fighter to watch in the clear viewfinder using night vision binoculars to increased light it can be provided, the latter being fixed on his head or his helmet and thus kept before his eyes . The fighter then benefits from the perception of the night scene on a large field, that of night vision binoculars. This field is typically 40 °. Moreover, the fighter has infrared vision of the scene around the reticle that defines its line of sight. He enjoys both the situational awareness through night vision binoculars with a wide field that can use both eyes open, and the image of the thermal infrared décamouflée target.

The fighter therefore has available a double image fusion system: direct vision and thermal infrared day, intensification of light and thermal infrared night. This is effective without adding a twin specifically night vision but simply using the night vision binoculars already staffing in the armed forces. This double benefit obtained from a single module, light and compact, is in addition to the advantage of both day and night with a clear viewfinder type of ergonomics that allows quick sight, both eyes open, keeping every moment a good perception of the environment, beneficial for responsiveness in dynamic combat situation and to obtain the superiority situation duel.

WE CLAIMS

1. Riflescope or observation comprising in a single mechanical structure (80), a camera (10) and a micro-video display (50) associated with an eye (60), characterized in that the eyepiece comprises in this order, at least one lens group, a reflecting mirror and an optical combiner (70) arranged to superimpose the video microdisplay image on the external landscape.

2. Telescopic sight or observation according to claim 1, characterized in that the bezel includes a point or light symbol (95) and an optical device (90) arranged to superimpose the image of said point where said light symbol on said image of the video microdisplay and on the external landscape.

3. Telescopic sight or observation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optical system consists of the camera, the microdisplay and the eyepiece has a unitary magnification, the image of the microdisplay being consistent with that of the outside landscape.

4. Telescopic sight or observation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optical combiner comprises a planar semi-reflecting surface (71 1, 721) inclined at about 45 degrees to a line of sight or observation.

5. Telescopic sight or observation according to claim 4, characterized in that the semi-reflecting surface is integrated with a beam splitter (73) having two parallel faces.

6. Telescopic sight or observation according to claim 4, characterized in that the semi-reflecting surface is integrated with a separator cube (71, 72) having two parallel faces.

7. Telescopic sight or observation according to claim 6, characterized in that the splitting cube has a concave reflecting mirror (722) whose optical axis is perpendicular to the line of sight or observation, light rays from the micro-display video being transmitted by the semi-reflecting plate, reflected by the concave mirror and then by the semi-reflecting plate.

8. Telescopic sight or observation according to claim 7, characterized in that the splitting cube has a convex input face (723) whose optical axis is perpendicular to the line of sight or observation and opposite the concave mirror.

9. Telescopic sight or observation according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the optical combiner comprises a concave semi-reflecting surface (73) of type "freeform" or diffractive inclined to the line of sight or observation and that the eyepiece comprises a convex mirror (632) associated with the concave semi-reflecting surface.

10. Telescopic sight or observation according to one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the optical device comprises a beam splitter or a beam splitter cube (90) disposed in front of the microdisplay video so that the image of the point or the light symbol is, by reflection or transmission by the beam splitter or the splitter cube, confused with micro-display video.

January 1. Riflescope or observation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera is a thermal infrared camera.

12. Telescopic sight or observation according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the camera is a low light level camera.