Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A real time directional orientation apparatus is disclosed for use in a two pi (2.pi.) geometry. The apparatus is to be affixed to an object which translates in space. A cylindrical disk is suspended in a fluid in concert with a magnet. The cylindrical disk is disposed inside a cylindrical housing. A light source is in communication with the disk and the light is propagated through the disk where it is finally projected from the disk in a radial fashion. The light beam projected is detected by a bank of photon sensitive detectors lining the interior of the cylindrical housing. The light source is propagated through two coplanar, orthogonal light channels which emanate from the center of the disk in a radial fashion. The photon sensitive detectors register the orientation of the light channels against a known starting value. As the object translates in space, so does its position and orientation, thus causing the magnet to adjust its position in reference to an external magnetic field, such as, but not limited to, the earth's magnetic field. The motion of the magnet causes the cylindrical disk's orientation, and thus the orthogonal, coplanar, light channel's orientation, to change as the object moves. The motion is then detected by the photon sensitive detectors, as both a change in intensity on the detector and centroid position of the propagated light in the detector array. This data is processed by a computer and with ancillary data provided by other sensors provides real time position, path and other navigational, directional and positional data, such as pitch, yaw, attitude and roll.m

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim