Systems and methods for determining position of an object relative to a vehicle
AssigneeGoodrich Corporation
InventorErik L. Waldron
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of determining position of an object using an imaging device includes imaging a celestial object using an imaging device. A difference between an expected position of the celestial object and an actual position of the celestial object is determined. Pointing of the imaging device is in-flight calibrated to improve position determining by nulling the difference between the expected position of the celestial object and the actual position of the celestial object. Systems for determining position of an object relative to a vehicle are also described.
Claims20
A method of determining object position relative to a vehicle, comprising:
- imaging a celestial object with an imaging device;
- determining difference between an expected position of the celestial object and an actual position of the celestial object in the image;
- calibrating pointing of the imaging device to improve position determining by nulling difference between the expected position of the celestial object and the actual position of the celestial object;
- and
- determining position of a non-celestial object based on the calibration of the imaging device pointing.
A system for determining position of an object relative to a vehicle, comprising:
- an imaging device;
- a controller operably connected to the imaging device and responsive to instructions recorded on a non-transitory machine-readable memory to:
- image a celestial object with the imaging device;
- determine difference between an expected position of the celestial object and an actual position of the celestial object in the image;
- calibrate imaging device pointing to improve position determining by nulling difference between the expected position of the celestial object and the actual position of the celestial object, and
- determine position of a non-celestial object based on the calibration of the imaging device pointing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.