Star tracker with steerable field-of-view baffle coupled to wide field-of-view camera
AssigneeThe Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
InventorsRobin Mark Adrian Dawson, Juha Pekka Laine, Murali Chaparala
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A star tracker has an electronically steerable point of view, without requiring a precision aiming mechanism. The star tracker can be strapped down, thereby avoiding problems associated with precision aiming of mechanical devices. The star tracker images selectable narrow portions of a scene, such as the sky. Each stellar sighting can image a different portion of the sky, depending on which navigational star or group of navigational stars is of interest. The selectability of the portion of the sky imaged enables the star tracker to avoid unwanted light, such as from the sun.
Claims71
A star tracker, comprising:
- a camera having a field of view;
- and
- an electronically adjustable baffle assembly disposed relative to the camera and configured to expose a selectable portion, less than all, of the camera field of view to a scene, wherein direction of the selectable portion of the field of view, relative to the star tracker, is electronically selectable in both azimuth and elevation, and wherein the baffle assembly comprises at least a portion of a dome, the dome defining an aperture configured to expose the selectable portion of the camera field of view to the scene, the baffle assembly being rotatable about an optical axis of the camera.
A method for exposing a selectable portion, less than all, of a field of view of a camera in a star tracker to a scene, the method comprising:
- disposing a baffle assembly adjacent the camera, such that the camera is aimed toward an interior of the baffle assembly, the baffle assembly being configured to define an aperture whose position on the baffle assembly is electronically adjustable, in both azimuth and elevation, and such that the aperture defines the selectable portion, less than all, of the field of view of the camera exposed to the scene, and wherein the baffle assembly comprises at least a portion of a dome, the dome defining an aperture configured to expose the selectable portion of the camera field of view to the scene, the baffle assembly being rotatable about an optical axis of the camera;
- and
- under control of a processor, adjusting the position of the aperture on the baffle assembly, such that the aperture is oriented toward the scene.
A computer program product for exposing a selectable portion, less than all, of a field of view of a camera in a star tracker to a scene, wherein a baffle assembly is disposed adjacent the camera, such that the camera is aimed toward an interior of the baffle assembly, the baffle assembly being configured to define an aperture whose position on the baffle assembly is electronically adjustable, both in azimuth and elevation, and such that the aperture defines the selectable portion, less than all, of the field of view of the camera exposed to the scene, and wherein the baffle assembly comprises at least a portion of a dome, the dome defining an aperture configured to expose the selectable portion of the camera field of view to the scene, the baffle assembly being rotatable about an optical axis of the camera, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer readable program code stored thereon, the computer readable program code being configured to cause the processor to perform operations including:
- adjusting the position of the aperture on the baffle assembly, such that the aperture is oriented toward the scene.
A star tracker, comprising:
- a camera having a field of view;
- and
- an electronically adjustable baffle assembly disposed relative to the camera and configured to expose a selectable portion, less than all, of the camera field of view to a scene, wherein direction of the selectable portion of the field of view, relative to the star tracker, is electronically selectable in both azimuth and elevation, wherein the baffle assembly comprises a plurality of elements, wherein transparency of each element of the plurality of elements is electronically controllable, such that the selectable portion of the field of view of the camera is exposed to the scene through at least one transparent element of the plurality of elements and a remaining portion of the field of view of the camera is obscured from the scene by at least one non-transparent element of the plurality of the elements.
A method for exposing a selectable portion, less than all, of a field of view of a camera in a star tracker to a scene, the method comprising:
- disposing a baffle assembly adjacent the camera, such that the camera is aimed toward an interior of the baffle assembly, the baffle assembly being configured to define an aperture whose position on the baffle assembly is electronically adjustable, in both azimuth and elevation, and such that the aperture defines the selectable portion, less than all, of the field of view of the camera exposed to the scene, and the baffle assembly comprises a plurality of elements, wherein transparency of each element of the plurality of elements is electronically controllable;
- and
- under control of a processor, adjusting the position of the aperture on the baffle assembly, such that the aperture is oriented toward the scene, including, under control of a processor, setting transparency of at least one selected element of the plurality of elements, such that the selectable portion of the field of view of the camera is exposed to the scene through at least one transparent element of the plurality of elements and a remaining portion of the field of view of the camera is obscured from the scene by at least one non-transparent element of the plurality of the elements.
A computer program product for exposing a selectable portion, less than all, of a field of view of a camera in a star tracker to a scene, wherein a baffle assembly is disposed adjacent the camera, such that the camera is aimed toward an interior of the baffle assembly, the baffle assembly being configured to define an aperture whose position on the baffle assembly is electronically adjustable, both in azimuth and elevation, and such that the aperture defines the selectable portion, less than all, of the field of view of the camera exposed to the scene, and wherein the baffle assembly comprises a plurality of elements, wherein transparency of each element of the plurality of elements is electronically controllable, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer readable program code stored thereon, the computer readable program code being configured to cause the processor to perform operations including:
- adjusting the position of the aperture on the baffle assembly, such that the aperture is oriented toward the scene, by setting transparency of at least one selected element of the plurality of elements, such that the selectable portion of the field of view of the camera is exposed to the scene through at least one transparent element of the plurality of elements and a remaining portion of the field of view of the camera is obscured.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.