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:
Dec. 16, 2008
Filed:
Aug. 03, 2005
Michael R. Elgersma, Plymouth, MN (US);
Daniel P. Johnson, Fridley, MN (US);
Gunter Stein, St. Paul, MN (US);
Blaise G. Morton, Minnetonka, MN (US);
Dennice F. Gayme, Pasadena, CA (US);
Mason A. Peck, Ithaca, NY (US);
Michael R. Elgersma, Plymouth, MN (US);
Daniel P. Johnson, Fridley, MN (US);
Gunter Stein, St. Paul, MN (US);
Blaise G. Morton, Minnetonka, MN (US);
Dennice F. Gayme, Pasadena, CA (US);
Mason A. Peck, Ithaca, NY (US);
Honeywell International Inc., Morristown, NJ (US);
Abstract
A method for avoiding singularities in the movement of CMGs in an array of CMGs in a spacecraft includes a first step where a maneuver command to rotate a spacecraft orientation is received. Then, the torque needed to rotate the spacecraft's orientation is determined. Then, the torque is integrated to determine a momentum path. The momentum path is decomposed into a sequence of straight line segments. For each line segment, a unit vector along the straight line segments is determined. Then, it is determined if there is a continuous path connecting a start point and an end point of the line segment in a plane perpendicular to the unit vector. For each point along the path in the plane perpendicular to the unit vector, a set of gimbal angles is determined.