Technique for telescope balance
AssigneeNanjing iOptron Scientific, Inc. Ltd.
InventorYubing Mao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved technique balances a telescope from the viewpoint of the motors that drive the telescope's axes. A motor that controls movement along an axis of the telescope drives the telescope in one direction and then in the opposite direction. Motor current is measured while the motor is driving the telescope in each direction, and a difference in motor current is computed. The difference in motor current indicates the degree of imbalance of the telescope, which may be communicated to an operator to allow adjustments to the telescope to improve its balance.
Claims20
A method of balancing a telescope, comprising:
- directing a motor to drive the telescope in a first rotational direction about an axis of the telescope;
- measuring a first current drawn by the motor;
- directing the motor to drive the telescope in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction;
- measuring a second current drawn by the motor;
- and
- producing an indication of balance of the telescope based on a difference between the first current and the second current.
An apparatus for balancing a telescope, comprising:
- a motor arranged to rotate an optical assembly of the telescope about an axis of the telescope;
- a control circuit, coupled to the motor, the control circuit including:
- a motor driver arranged to direct the motor to drive the optical assembly in a first rotational direction about the axis of the telescope and to drive the optical assembly in a second direction, opposite the first rotational direction, about the axis of the telescope;
- a current measuring circuit, coupled to the motor driver and arranged to measure a first current drawn by the motor when the motor is driving the optical assembly in the first rotational direction and to measure a second current drawn by the motor when the motor is driving the optical assembly in the second rotational direction;
- and
- a calculating circuit arranged to calculate a difference between the first current and the second current.
A method of balancing a telescope, comprising:
- directing a first motor to drive the telescope in a first rotational direction about a first axis of the telescope;
- measuring a first current drawn by the first motor;
- directing the first motor to drive the telescope in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction about the first axis of the telescope;
- measuring a second current drawn by the first motor;
- producing a first indication of balance of the telescope based on a difference between the first current drawn by the first motor and the second current drawn by the first motor;
- directing a second motor to drive the telescope in a first rotational direction about a second axis of the telescope, wherein the second axis is orthogonal to the first axis;
- measuring a first current drawn by the second motor;
- directing the second motor to drive the telescope in a second rotational direction about the second axis of the telescope;
- measuring a second current drawn by the second motor;
- and
- producing a second indication of balance of the telescope based on a difference between the first current drawn by the second motor and the second current drawn by the second motor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.