Laser beam for external position control and traffic management of on-orbit satellites
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
InventorsHimangshu H. Kalita, Leonard Dean Vance, Vishnu Reddy, Jekanthan Thangavelautham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for controlling a first device that includes a photovoltaic array such as a satellite in Earth orbit includes receiving a laser beam that is scanned over a plurality of photovoltaic cells in the photovoltaic array. A trajectory of the laser beam along the photovoltaic array is identified based on receipt of the laser beam by the plurality of photovoltaic cells. The trajectory is compared to a plurality of pre-defined gesture strokes to identify a first gesture stroke most closely matching the trajectory. A pre-defined action associated with the first gesture stroke is performed.
Claims21
A method for controlling a first device that includes a photovoltaic array, comprising:
- receiving a laser beam that is scanned over a plurality of photovoltaic cells in the photovoltaic array of the first device;
- identifying a trajectory of the laser beam along the photovoltaic array based on receipt of the laser beam by the plurality of photovoltaic cells;
- comparing the trajectory to a plurality of pre-defined gesture strokes to identify a first gesture stroke most closely matching the trajectory;
- and
- performing a pre-defined action associated with the first gesture stroke.
-39. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.