Systems and Methods for Measuring Angular Position of a Laser Beam Emitter
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsCasey J. Dunn, Navrit P. Singh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for measuring the angular position of a laser beam emitter using only distance measurements. What is physically measured is a feature that is affixed to the laser beam emitter and moves with it. Respective distances which are respective functions of the azimuth and zenith angles are measured using respective position encoders. In accordance with some embodiments, the respective distances are measured using linear encoders (optical or magnetic); in accordance with other embodiments, the respective distances are measured using laser interferometer-based encoders.
Claims20
A system for measuring angular position of a laser beam emitter, comprising:
- a base;
- a pan unit rotatably coupled to the base and rotatable about a first axis;
- a tilt unit rotatably coupled to the pan unit, rotatable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and comprising an optically transparent aperture;
- a laser mounted inside the tilt unit such that a laser beam produced by the laser passes through the aperture;
- a first linear track having a first fixed position;
- a first position encoder comprising a first component displaceably coupled to the first linear track and a second component having a fixed position relative to the first linear track;
- and
- a first expandable linkage comprising a first link fixedly coupled to or integrally formed with the pan unit and a second link rotatably coupled to the first component of the first position encoder.
A system for measuring angular position of a laser beam emitter, comprising:
- a base;
- a pan unit rotatably coupled to the base and rotatable about a first axis;
- a tilt unit rotatably coupled to the pan unit, rotatable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and comprising an optically transparent aperture;
- a laser mounted inside the tilt unit such that a laser beam produced by the laser passes through the aperture;
- a linear track having a fixed position;
- a position encoder comprising a first component displaceably coupled to the linear track and a second component having a fixed position relative to the linear track;
- and
- an expandable linkage comprising a first link fixedly coupled to or integrally formed with the tilt unit and a second link rotatably coupled to the first component of the position encoder.
A method for measuring angular position of a laser beam emitter rotatably coupled to a rotatable pan unit, comprising:
- (a) measuring a distance traveled by a component of a first position encoder along a first linear track during rotation of the pan unit about a first axis, wherein the component of the first position encoder is coupled to the pan unit by a first expandable linkage;
- and
- (b) computing an azimuth angle of the laser beam emitter based upon the distance measured in step (a).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.