Back to results
US 5,477,052 AGranted
Earth sensor for satellites with radiance compensation
AssigneeServo Corporation of America
InventorAlan P. Doctor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The attitude of a satellite is determined by using an array of IR detectors receiving an image of space and the Earth. The detectors are positioned so that at least one detector monitors the radiance from the Earth's horizon and a second detector monitors a region of the Earth adjacent to said horizon. The output of the first detector is compensated for variations in the radiance of the Earth by using the output of the second detector.
Claims12
A sensor system for determining the attitude of a satellite comprising:
- an array of detectors, each detector generating a signal indicative of incident radiation;
- projecting means for projecting an image on said array, including an image of the Earth's horizon;
- signal processing means for processing said signals to determine the location of the Earth's horizon with respect to said detectors;
- and
- means for normalizing the signal of at least one of said detectors by using a signal from a second of said detectors to compensate for variations in the radiance of the Earth, said at least one detector being directed at the Earth's horizon and said second detector being adjacent to said at least one detector and directed to receive radiance from the Earth adjacent to the horizon.
2 more elements
An Earth sensor system to determine the attitude of a satellite from the Earth's horizon, said system comprising:
- an array of detectors arranged to receive an image of the Earth's horizon, said detectors generating signals indicative of the incident radiation, said array including at least a first detector and a second detector adjacent to said first detector, said first detector generating a first output signal corresponding to radiation incident on said first detector from the Earth's horizon, and said second detector generating a second output signal corresponding to radiation incident on said second detector from the Earth adjacent to the horizon;
- and
- compensating means for compensating said first output signal for variations in the Earth's radiance by using said second output signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.