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:
Sep. 15, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 20, 1996
Samuel George Williams, Cupertino, CA (US);
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US);
Abstract
A system for precisely determining directionality of an output beam includes a beam source and a body position identifier facing opposite directions, with a grating rhomb positioned to provide an attenuated sample beam from the beam source into the oppositely directed body positioned identifier. In the preferred embodiment, the beam source is a pulsed laser source and the body position identifier is a star tracker for forming a stellar map. The grating rhomb includes first and second grating members. The first grating member extends across the optical path of the output beam and has a geometry to diffract a minor portion of the output beam intensity while passing a major portion of the output beam for continued propagation in a first direction. The second grating member is positioned to traverse the field of view of the body position identifier. In the preferred embodiment, the first grating member traverses the optical axis of the output beam and the second grating member is at the intersection of the optical axis of the body position identifier and the optical axis of the diffracted sample beam from the first grating member. The system also includes an auto-collimator that is used to monitor the orientation of the two grating members. When used in a space application, the system also includes a Global Positioning System receiver.