parallax-free regions, electrical signals are generated which cause the
scan raster to automatically locate, lock on, and follow stereomode.1
contours.
The electrical signals which cause the rosette scan raster to
null to the contour are purposely derived from a correlation system inde
pendent of the one producing the electrical signals which allow the scan
raster to move along the contour. Such an arrangement is desirable since
the gains and time constants of each feedback loop may be optimized with
a minimum of interaction. In addition, marginal detection of one or more
stereomodel parameters in areas of poor diapositive detail generally re
sults in degraded performance of only a single feedback system and not
necessarily both.
The primary feedback system, the nulling system, enables the
scan pattern to lock onto the contours existing within the area intercepted
by the flying spot scanner. Correlation existing in the contour region is
sensed by an even-function instrumentation of the correlation equation;
that is, an instrumentation whose output maximizes in regions free of para
llax. X-axis and Y-axis nulling signals are developed by multiplying the
correlator output by the appropriate rosette scan deflection current wave
form. Physically, this process may be considered as a comparison of the
correlation existing in each of the four quadrants occupied by the rosette
scan pattern. The X-axis null signal compares the correlation existing on
both sides of the Y-axis, while the Y-axis null signal compares the cor
relation existing on both sides of the X-axis . The scan pattern moves to
cause the resultant correlation in both axes to be reduced to zero, there
by achieving a balance along both axes .
To obtain the necessary forcing voltages to move the scan pattern
along the contour, the correlation existing throughout each petal of the
rosette scan pattern is measured. The process may be visualized by con
sidering Figure 5.
The contour makes an angle 0 with the deflection axis of the
rosette pattern. It is helpful to consider the rosette scan pattern as being
comprised of a low-frequency circle, perturbed at a high-frequency rate.
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