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:
Oct. 13, 1998
Filed:
Jan. 25, 1996
Ramuhalli Krishna, Fort Wayne, IN (US);
ITT Defense, Inc., McLean, VA (US);
Abstract
A method for determining the line of sight of an electro-optical device mounted in a spacecraft such as a satellite. The electro-optical device includes an electo-optical element that detects impinging light energy and produces electrical pulses corresponding to the light energy detected. The method involves providing the electro-optical device with a scan mirror which is rotated to scan space to detect the light produced by a suitably bright star. Once detected, the scan mirror selectively directs the light produced by the detected star toward the electro-optical element which produces electrical pulses in response to the light. A computer on-board the spacecraft then compares the electrical pulses outpputed by the electro-optical device to a predetermined output expected for the star, to determine the line of sight of the electro-optical device.