Three and five axis laser tracking systems
US4714339A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 28, 1986 |
| Grant date | Dec 22, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 28, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/66
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A tracking system for measuring at least the spatial coordinates of a target and possibly the angular orientation of the target. A collimated beam is directed to the target and a mirror attached to the target reflects this beam back to a tracking point. Photosensors attached to the tracking or target point provide error signals to a servo system which controls optics at the tracking or target points to provide the direction necessary to accomplish the coincidence of the beams. An interferometer interferes the source beam with the beam that has travelled twice between the tracking and target points in order to measure the separation. By measuring the directions of the beams relative to structure attached to the tracking and target points, the target point can be located in spatial coordinates and additionally the orientation of the target structure can be determined.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.