The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 21, 2025
Filed:
Mar. 22, 2022
Nec Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Chika Umegaki, Tokyo, JP;
Kenta Senzaki, Tokyo, JP;
Katsuya Odaka, Tokyo, JP;
Hironobu Mori, Tokyo, JP;
Kyoko Murozono, Tokyo, JP;
NEC CORPORATION, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A satellite attitude estimation system includes an infrared sensor configured to capture an infrared image of a target satellite for which an attitude is to be estimated. The system determines, in the captured infrared image, a first pixel having a largest luminance and a second pixel having a smallest luminance in the infrared image. The system associates the first pixels with first coordinates of a 3D structure of the target satellite, and associates the second pixels with second coordinates of the 3D structure of the target satellite. The system computes a first normal vector to a surface of the 3D structure for the first coordinates, and computes a second normal vector to the surface of the 3D structure for the second coordinates. The system estimates a direction of the target satellite to the sun before the infrared image was taken, using the computed first and second normal vectors.