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. 03, 2000
Filed:
Sep. 17, 1998
Applicant:
Inventors:
Patrick C Fenton, Calgary, CA;
Waldemar Kunysz, Calgary, CA;
Assignee:
NovAtel Inc., Calgary, CA;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G05D / ; G06F / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
701 13 ; 701214 ; 34235702 ;
Abstract
Apparatus using a global positioning system (GPS) for finding out the attitude of a rotating space vehicle employs first and second antennae mounted opposite from each other on a circumference of the body of the rotating space vehicle. The antennae receive GPS satellite signals in their channels. A control and tracking loop processor monitors the signal strength in each channel. Phase errors produced by phase discriminators of each channel arc combined to produce a spin signature which is used to calculate the vehicle spin rate and vehicle attitude.