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:
Aug. 04, 1987
Filed:
Jun. 13, 1985
Dieter Sodeikat, Baierbrunn, DE;
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for processing the output signals of an optical rth-horizon sensor (1) operating in the infrared range of an orbiting, e.g. stationary earth satellite with respect to variously warm oppositely located earth rims (earth anomaly). With the earth-horizon sensor (1), an off-course signal is formed which is a measurement of the off-course angle of the line of sight of the earth-horizon sensor in relation to the satellite/earth central point connection line and is used for the attitude control of the earth satellite. This off-course signal is corrected in dependence on the earth anomaly. For a fine correcting of the off-course signal, the output signals of the earth horizon sensor which can be assigned to an earth rim with higher temperature, and those which can be assigned to the other oppositely located earth rim with lower temperature, are attenuated or amplified, respectively, in such a way, in dependence on a correction signal taking into account the earth anomaly, that the amplitude changes of the off-course signal caused by the earth anomaly are cancelled.