US 5,912,642 AGranted

Method and system for aligning a sensor on a platform

AssigneeBall Aerospace & Technologies Corp.

InventorsJohn Coffin, James B. Mohl

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Abstract

Desired positioning of a sensor, such as an antenna, is provided. The system includes a platform which can be a vehicle, such as an aircraft. The sensor is connected to the platform by means of a mount. Alignment data is obtained in order to compensate for any difference in reference coordinate systems between the platform and the mount when the platform is in a first position. The alignment data can be obtained by incremental scanning of the sensor relative to an object that transmits a signal to the sensor. The strengths or amplitudes of the signals at the incremental positions can be utilized in calculating or arriving at the alignment data used to compensate for any misalignments between the coordinate systems of the platform and the mount. When the movable platform is in another position, the alignment data is used to desirably position the sensor.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for orienting a sensor that is held to a movable platform using a mount, comprising:

obtaining mounting error compensating data for compensating for a misalignment between said platform and said mount, said mounting error compensating data being related to a difference between a platform coordinate system and a mounting coordinate system, said obtaining step including transforming said platform coordinate system into a sensor coordinate system assuming at least initially that said platform and said mount are aligned such that said platform coordinate system and said mounting coordinate system are identical and transforming said mounting coordinate system into said sensor coordinate system while making no assumption of alignment between said platform coordinate system and said mounting coordinate system;
ascertaining data related to a position of a reference target using at least a first coordinate system that is different from each of said platform coordinate system and said mounting coordinate system;
determining offset azimuth data and offset elevation data related to said mounting coordinate system using said mounting error compensating data and said data related to said position of the reference target;
and
positioning said sensor to encounter at least a second target of interest using said offset azimuth data and said offset elevation data.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.