Daytime stellar imager
US7349804B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 31, 2005 |
| Grant date | Mar 25, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 12, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01C21/025
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. In a first set of preferred embodiments three relatively large aperture telescopes are rigidly mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane with each telescope being directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Embodiments in this first set tend to be relatively large and heavy, such as about one cubic meter and about 60 pounds. In a second set of preferred embodiments one or more smaller aperture telescopes are pivotably mounted on a movable platform such as a ship, airplane or missile so that the telescope or telescopes can be pivoted to point toward specific regions of the sky. Embodiments of this second set are mechanically more complicated than those of the first set, but are much smaller and lighter and are especially useful for guidance of aircraft and missiles. Telescope optics focus (on to a pixel array of a sensor) H-band or K-band light from one or more stars in the field of view of each telescope. Each system also includes an inclinometer, an accurate timing device and a computer processor having access to…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.