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:
Jun. 16, 2009
Filed:
Apr. 10, 2006
Ketao Liu, Cerritos, CA (US);
Gregory S. Becker, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Peter J. Sedivec, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
Douglas Bender, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Ketao Liu, Cerritos, CA (US);
Gregory S. Becker, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Peter J. Sedivec, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
Douglas Bender, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
One or more fixed-orientation fanned laser beams and one or more displacement measurement devices to precisely measure the orientation of a payload platform are disclosed in a metrology system and method. The measurement devices may be distributed at locations across a payload platform such that displacement changes of these devices can be used to accurately determine platform pointing. Laser beam transmitters may be fixed in the same reference block to which a spacecraft attitude sensor is mounted. Fanned laser beams are transmitted from these sources to the measurement devices so that their displacements can be determined with respect to the plane of the fanned beams and thereby with respect to the spacecraft attitude sensor. Only a small number of fixed laser beams are needed to achieve precision measurements at a reduced cost, weight and power, and with increased system reliability and simplified system integration.