Laser based method and system for measuring separation distance between platforms
AssigneeL-3 Communications Corporation
InventorsLaMar K. Timothy, Michael D. Rivers, Patricia F. Batzer, Lawrence W. Pike
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for determining a pre-selected point-to-point separation between a first craft C1 and a second craft C2 is provided. The method includes the step of providing two laser devices, L1, and L2, onboard each craft, C1 and C2, respectively. Then determining a desired skin location vector S2 of craft C2 in L2 coordinates and translating the skin location vector S2 to L1 coordinates; and then determining skin separation between crafts C1 and C2 in accordance with the translated skin location vector.
Claims18
A method for determining a pre-selected point-to-point separation between a first craft C1 and a second craft C2, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing two laser devices, L1, and L2, each laser device L1 and L2 having position vectors P1 and P2, respectively, where L1 and L2 are mechanically attached to crafts C1 and C2 to form laser/craft pairs L1/C1 and L2/C2, respectively;
- determining a skin location vector S2 of craft C2 in P2 coordinates;
- translating the skin location vector S2 to P1 coordinates;
- and
- determining skin separation between crafts C1 and C2 in accordance with the translated position vector.
A laser based system for measuring separation distance between a first platform and a second platform, the system comprising:
- an interrogator, the interrogator mechanically attached to the first platform, wherein the interrogator comprises:
- a first lasing device;
- first-circuitry for interrogating off-platform devices with the first lasing device;
- a first gimbal device, the first gimbal device adapted to provide first interrogator azimuthal and elevation coordinates, the first gimbal device adapted to support the first lasing device;
- an interrogatee, the interrogatee mechanically attached to the second platform, wherein the interrogates comprises:
- a second lasing device:
- second-circuitry for communicating with the first interrogator using the second lasing device;
- and
- a second gimbal device, the second gimbal device adapted to provide interogatee coordinates, the second gimbal device adapted to support the second lasing device.
A method for determining skin-to-skin distance using multi-purpose laser transceiver devices Laser_1 and Laser_2, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining a first location vector S1 in Laser_1 coordinates;
- determining a second location vector S2 in Laser_2 coordinates;
- expressing the second location vector S2 in Laser_1 coordinates;
- and
- determining at least one skin-to-skin distance vector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.