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The ARES device utilizes a scanning pattern made up of crossed diagonal
lines as shown in Figure 7(d). This scanning pattern lends itself to both
viewing and parallax sensing requirements and is relatively simple to produce
electronically. Owing to the crossing of orthogonal sets of parallel lines,
each set of lines tends to obliterate the structure of the opposite set giving
an image with faint woven-silk texture. Such images are distinctly more pleas
ant than TV-type images of equivalent resolution but, unfortunately, require
considerably more video bandwidth for their production.
From the standpoint of parallax detection the crossed diagonal pattern
offers the following advantages:
(1) The motion of the scanning spot in mutually perpendicular directions
permits distance measurements to be made in the image directly from time meas
urements and in two orthogonal axes. Therefore, X and Y parallaxes can be
detected without pattern reorientation.
(2) Each point in the image is scanned successively in four directions,
along two perpendicular axes giving four permutations of the image information
and eliminating errors arising out of delay displacement.
(3) The scanning pattern is produced simply by the application of tri
angular waveforms of nearly identical frequency to the X and Y deflection
systems of the cathode ray tube.
(4) All areas in the image are given equal weight in the determination
of parallax, and the scanning velocity is constant at all times without re
traces; therefore, comparatively simple correlation circuitry serves to detect
parallax and to derive therefrom the various error signals required for trans
formation correction.
In its present form ARES utilizes a square raster with 510 lines to the
diagonal. A repetition rate of 30 frames per second with single interlace is
employed.
The crossed diagonal raster has proven to be quite satisfactory and pro
duces a picture pleasing in appearance and capable of being viewed over long
periods of time without discomfort. The pattern also appears to yield better
recognition of small detail than a TV raster of the same number of lines.
TRANSFORMATIONS
Zero-order transformations or image displacements are produced by shift
ing the rasters on the faces of the flying spot scanner cathode ray tubes.
Displacement of the images in the X and Y directions is also provided by
motion of the right-hand image by means of transport servo motors. Displace
ment of the rasters is used to provide rapid image movement, the servo motors
making their adjustments relatively slowly in response to the displacement of
the raster. In this way, a rapid-acting system is obtained by virtue of raster
displacement, whilst the servo motors avoid the necessity of large raster dis
placements and permit the optical and electron-optical systems to work over
relatively narrow field angles, thereby improving image resolution.