Raytheon Company

Walter W Norman

Steven Alfred Miller

Kirk A Miller

Richard L Scott

Lyale F Marr

Steven A Miller

Christopher J Baker

David A Kluver, Sr

Armando Villarreal

David E Norman

A light sensor system including a reference light source that moves in unison with a primary mirror and/or an inertial measurement device, and/or the reference light source is directed toward an obscured region of the light sensor system. The reference light source may allow for improved jitter compensation based on feedback of the reference light. The feedback may be representative of the elastic deformation of the optics and telescope optical axis. The improved jitter compensation may allow for the light sensor system (e.g., the housing and/or mirrors) to be built with less stiff materials, which can reduce the cost of manufacturing the present light sensor system compared to previously known optical sensor systems. In cases of high vibration levels which would otherwise degrade the resulting image quality after material stiffness property selections have been exhausted, the light sensor system may provide jitter compensation to improve video or still image quality.

Automatic structurally induced line of sight jitter compensation for electro-optical/infrared turret system

Control systems and methods are provided for improved azimuthal pointing control near gimbal zenith/nadir in two-axis gimbal systems mounted to moveable platforms. The system includes a two-axis gimbal and a two-axis pointing device mounted to the two-axis gimbal. The two-axis pointing device directs a line of sight axis based upon a commanded steering direction and movement of the platform in the inertial frame of the line of sight. The two-axis gimbal follows the movement of the two-axis pointing device, keeping the two-axis pointing device from encountering its mechanical limits. In this manner, inertial pointing control is maintained in the near gimbal zenith/nadir regime.

Nadir/zenith inertial pointing assistance for two-axis gimbals

A feed forward command aiding architecture with corresponding method, system, and computer product are provided. The feed forward command aiding architecture includes generating angle and rate commands from a received inertial data input. The angle command is feed into a proper order position loop producing an intermediate result. An angle feedback is differentiated producing a rate loop feedback. The intermediate result, rate command, and rate loop feedback are then feed into a proper order rate loop producing a torque command. The proper order rate loop is nested inside of the proper order position loop. The torque command being generated moves a beam steering element of an electro-optic sensor to deflect a line of sight of the electro-optic sensor by an angle approximating the received inertial angular input.

Beam steering element feed forward command aiding architecture

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Allen, TX, United States of America

Walter W Norman