Telescope system having an intelligent motor controller
US6563636B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 25, 1999 |
| Grant date | May 13, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 25, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B23/165
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A telescope system has an intelligent motor controller for accurately controlling telescope position to facilitate location of celestial objects and to precisely control the speed at which the telescope moves to facilitate tracking of celestial objects. An optical encoder utilizes two photodetectors to provide enhanced servo control of the telescope positioning motors, a calibration circuit eliminates a need to test LED's during assembly of the optical encoder and a brushless mount provides electrical communication to an altitude drive motor located in a fork thereof in a manner which mitigates problems due to undesirable wrapping of an electrical cable around the mount as the mount rotates in azimuth.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.