Star catalog navigation system
US4621329A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 31, 1979 |
| Grant date | Nov 4, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 31, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01C21/025
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A star pattern within the field of view is transmitted through a non-collinear acousto optic filter and is focused upon the input screen of a vidicon, which in turn is coupled to input storage devices of a computer, each device being associated with a particular frequency band within the spectrum of light being examined. The contents of the input storage devices are compared with binary data within a star catalog which contains geometric reference patterns of stars and their frequency signatures. When a correlation signal is produced by the comparator, an output signal indicating the position of the pattern in the sky may be produced by a dictionary which could form part of the computer or be remotely located with respect to the computer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.