公开(公告)号：US07447591B2

公开(公告)日：2008-11-04

申请号：US11209261

申请日：2005-09-26

申请人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  David Sandler ,  Donald Bruns ,  Eric Korevaar

发明人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  David Sandler ,  Donald Bruns ,  Eric Korevaar

IPC分类号： G01C21/00

CPC分类号： G01C21/025

摘要： An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. One or more telescopes mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane and directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Telescope optics focus (on to a pixel array of a sensor) H-band or K-band light from one or more stars in multiple telescopic fields of view. Each system also includes a GPS sensor and a computer processor having access to catalogued infrared star charts. The processor for each system is programmed with special algorithms to use image data from the infrared sensors, position and timing information from the GPS sensor, and the catalogued star charts information to determine orientation (attitude) of the platform.

摘要翻译： 通过观察来自多颗恒星的K波段或H波段红外光的自动天体导航系统，用于夜间和日间的导航。 一个或多个望远镜安装在诸如船或飞机的可移动平台上并且指向天空的基本上不同的部分。 望远镜光学焦点（在传感器的像素阵列上）在多个望远视场中来自一个或多个恒星的H波段或K波段光。 每个系统还包括GPS传感器和具有访问编目红外星图的计算机处理器。 每个系统的处理器都使用特殊算法编程，以使用来自红外传感器的图像数据，来自GPS传感器的位置和定时信息以及编目的星形图信息来确定平台的方位（姿态）。

公开(公告)号：US20060085130A1

公开(公告)日：2006-04-20

申请号：US11209261

申请日：2005-09-26

申请人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  David Sandler ,  Donald Bruns ,  Eric Korevaar

发明人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  David Sandler ,  Donald Bruns ,  Eric Korevaar

IPC分类号： G01C21/28

CPC分类号： G01C21/025

摘要： An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. In a first set of preferred embodiments three relatively large aperture telescopes are rigidly mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane with each telescope being directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Embodiments in this first set tend to be relatively large and heavy, such as about one cubic meter and about 60 pounds. In a second set of preferred embodiments one or more smaller aperture telescopes are pivotably mounted on a movable platform such as a ship, airplane or missile so that the telescope or telescopes can be pivoted to point toward specific regions of the sky. Embodiments of this second set are mechanically more complicated than those of the first set, but are much smaller and lighter and are especially useful for guidance of aircraft and missiles. Telescope optics focus (on to a pixel array of a sensor) H-band or K-band light from one or more stars in the field of view of each telescope. Each system also includes a GPS sensor and a computer processor having access to catalogued infrared star charts. The processor for each system is programmed with special algorithms to use image data from the infrared sensors, position and timing information from the GPS sensor, and the catalogued star charts information to determine orientation (attitude) of the platform. Direction information from two stars is needed for locating the platform with respect to the celestial sphere. The computer is also preferably programmed to calculate further information which may be used by a guidance control system. These systems provide efficient alternatives to inertial navigation systems when such systems are too expensive and can be used for periodic augmentation and calibration of inertial navigation systems.

摘要翻译： 通过观察来自多颗恒星的K波段或H波段红外光的自动天体导航系统，用于夜间和日间的导航。 在第一组优选实施例中，三个相对较大的孔径望远镜被刚性地安装在诸如船或飞机的可移动平台上，每个望远镜被引导到天空的基本上不同的部分。 该第一组中的实施例倾向于相对较大和较重，例如约1立方米和约60磅。 在第二组优选实施例中，一个或多个小孔径望远镜可枢转地安装在诸如船，飞机或导弹的可移动平台上，使得望远镜或望远镜可以枢转以指向天空的特定区域。 第二组的实施例在机械上比第一组的机构更复杂，但是更小更轻，并且对于引导飞机和导弹特别有用。 望远镜光学焦点（传感器的像素阵列）每个望远镜视野中的一个或多个恒星的H波段或K波段光。 每个系统还包括GPS传感器和具有访问编目红外星图的计算机处理器。 每个系统的处理器都使用特殊算法编程，以使用来自红外传感器的图像数据，来自GPS传感器的位置和定时信息以及编目的星形图信息来确定平台的方位（姿态）。 需要来自两颗恒星的方向信息来定位平台相对于天球。 计算机还优选地被编程为计算可由引导控制系统使用的另外的信息。 当这种系统太昂贵并且可以用于惯性导航系统的周期性增加和校准时，这些系统为惯性导航系统提供了有效的替代方案。

公开(公告)号：US20070117078A1

公开(公告)日：2007-05-24

申请号：US11604133

申请日：2006-11-24

申请人： Donald Bruns ,  David Sandler ,  Mikhail Belenkii

发明人： Donald Bruns ,  David Sandler ,  Mikhail Belenkii

IPC分类号： G09B27/00

CPC分类号： G09B27/00 ,  G01C17/34

摘要： A celestial compass. The celestial compass includes a camera with a wide angle lens suitable for viewing a large portion of the sky and a many-pixel sensor for collecting images of celestial objects such as stars, planets, the moon and the sun. The compass also includes a computer programmed with an (1) astronomical algorithm for providing the precise position of celestial objects based on precise input of time (date and time of day) and observation position (latitude and longitude), (2) celestial navigation software and (3) coordinate transformation software to correct distortion, convert pixel image data to astronomical coordinates and determine the instruments azimuth. The system includes provisions for the input of precise time and location information.

摘要翻译： 天文罗盘 天文罗盘包括适合观看大部分天空的广角镜头的相机和用于收集诸如星星，行星，月亮和太阳的天体的图像的多像素传感器。 指南针还包括一个用（1）天文算法编程的计算机，用于基于时间的精确输入（日期和时间）和观察位置（纬度和经度）提供天体的精确位置，（2）天体导航软件 和（3）坐标变换软件校正失真，将像素图像数据转换为天文坐标并确定仪器方位角。 该系统包括输入精确时间和位置信息的条款。

公开(公告)号：US20050185283A1

公开(公告)日：2005-08-25

申请号：US10781840

申请日：2004-02-20

申请人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  David Sandler

发明人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  David Sandler

IPC分类号： G02B5/132 ,  G01B11/02 ,  G02B27/10

CPC分类号： G02B5/132

摘要： A large clear aperture cat's eye retro-reflector system that improves the optical efficiency by two orders of magnitude over conventional cat's eye retro-reflectors. It achieves this increase by using a wide-angle lens design with a curved focal plane, so the entrance aperture is not limited by the design constraints of a solid glass sphere. Since light reflected from a retro-reflector increases as the fourth power of the reflector aperture, light reflected from the retro-reflector of the present invention is increased by two orders of magnitude as compared to the prior art cat's eye retro-reflector of conventional size. When used as a communication device, the retro-reflector is preferably modulated by a quantum well modulator providing very high speed communication. In preferred embodiments a moving quantum well modulator is placed near the focal plane, where the beam footprint is much smaller than the entrance aperture, effectively allowing a small modulator to modulate a large diameter beam. A tracking system tracks the source of interrogating beams and positions the small modulator to intersect the incoming beam near the focal plane where the beam footprint is very small.

摘要翻译： 一种大型透明孔眼猫眼反光镜系统，将传统猫眼​​反光镜的光学效率提高了两个数量级。 通过使用具有弯曲焦平面的广角镜头设计来实现这一增加，因此入射孔不受实心玻璃球的设计约束的限制。 由于从反光镜反射的光随着反射器孔径的第四功率的增加而增加，与现有技术的常规尺寸的猫眼反光镜相比，本发明的反光镜反射的光增加了两个数量级 。 当用作通信设备时，反射器优选地由提供非常高速通信的量子阱调制器调制。 在优选实施例中，移动量子阱调制器被放置在焦平面附近，其中光束占据面积远小于入射孔，有效地允许小调制器调制大直径光束。 跟踪系统跟踪询问光束的来源，并将小调制器定位成与射束占据面积非常小的焦平面附近的入射光束相交。

公开(公告)号：US08597025B2

公开(公告)日：2013-12-03

申请号：US12586813

申请日：2009-09-28

申请人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Timothy Brinkley

发明人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Timothy Brinkley

IPC分类号： F41G3/26

CPC分类号： G09B27/00 ,  F41G3/26

摘要： A celestial weapons orientation measuring system. The system includes a miniature celestial direction detection device. The device includes an inclinometer, a camera for imaging at least one celestial object and a processor programmed with a celestial catalog providing known positions at specific times of at least one celestial object and algorithms for automatically calculating target direction information based on the inclination of the system as measured by the inclinometer and the known positions of the celestial object as provided by the celestial catalog and as imaged by the camera. Similar to the training technique discussed in the background section, the pretend enemy wears a GPS detector and transmitter, and a computer system is preferably provided which determines when a trigger-pull results in a “casualty”. Preferred embodiments also include an inertial navigation sensor including a magnetic compass and a memory-based optical navigation system that permits continued operation on cloudy days and even in certain in-door environments.

摘要翻译： 天体武器导向测量系统。 该系统包括微型天体方向检测装置。 该装置包括倾斜计，用于对至少一个天体成像进行成像的照相机和在天体目录中编程的处理器，其在至少一个天体的特定时间提供已知位置，并且基于系统的倾斜自动计算目标方向信息的算法 如通过倾斜仪测量的，并且由天体目录提供的天体的已知位置以及通过照相机成像的天体的已知位置。 与背景技术中讨论的训练技术类似，伪装的敌人戴上GPS检测器和发射器，并且优选地提供计算机系统，其确定何时触发拉动导致“伤员”。 优选实施例还包括惯性导航传感器，其包括磁罗盘和基于存储器的光学导航系统，其允许在阴天甚至在某些室内环境中继续操作。

公开(公告)号：US08471906B2

公开(公告)日：2013-06-25

申请号：US12583776

申请日：2009-08-25

申请人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Timothy Brinkley

发明人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Timothy Brinkley

IPC分类号： H04N7/18

CPC分类号： G01S19/14 ,  G01C21/02 ,  G01S3/7867 ,  H04N7/18

摘要： A celestial direction finding system. The system includes an inclinometer, at least one camera for imaging both the daytime sky and the nighttime sky and a computer programmed with a sun, moon and star catalog and algorithms for automatically determining directions based on positions of celestial bodies imaged by at least one camera and incline positions measured by the inclinometer. In a preferred embodiment all of the above features are combined in a single battery operated miniature celestial direction finding module. Geographical positions of nearby objects can be determined with the addition of a rangefinder and knowledge of the geographical position of the camera. The geographical position of the system in preferred embodiments can be determined with the addition of a GPS unit.

摘要翻译： 天体测向系统。 该系统包括倾斜仪，用于对白天和夜间空间进行成像的至少一个相机和具有太阳，月亮和星号目录的计算机以及基于由至少一个照相机成像的天体的位置自动确定方向的算法 并倾斜测量仪倾斜位置。 在优选实施例中，所有上述特征组合在单个电池操作的微型天体测向模块中。 可以通过添加测距仪和相机的地理位置知识来确定附近物体的地理位置。 可以通过添加GPS单元来确定优选实施例中的系统的地理位置。

公开(公告)号：US20100283840A1

公开(公告)日：2010-11-11

申请号：US12583776

申请日：2009-08-25

申请人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Timothy Brinkley

发明人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Timothy Brinkley

IPC分类号： H04N7/18 ,  G01S19/42 ,  G01C3/04

CPC分类号： G01S19/14 ,  G01C21/02 ,  G01S3/7867 ,  H04N7/18

摘要： A celestial direction finding system. The system includes an inclinometer, at least one camera for imaging both the daytime sky and the nighttime sky and a computer programmed with a sun, moon and star catalog and algorithms for automatically determining directions based on positions of celestial bodies imaged by at least one camera and incline positions measured by the inclinometer. In a preferred embodiment all of the above features are combined in a single battery operated miniature celestial direction finding module. Geographical positions of nearby objects can be determined with the addition of a rangefinder and knowledge of the geographical position of the camera. The geographical position of the system in preferred embodiments can be determined with the addition of a GPS unit.

摘要翻译： 天体测向系统。 该系统包括倾斜仪，用于对白天和夜间空间进行成像的至少一个相机和具有太阳，月亮和星号目录的计算机以及基于由至少一个照相机成像的天体的位置自动确定方向的算法 并倾斜测量仪倾斜位置。 在优选实施例中，所有上述特征组合在单个电池操作的微型天体测向模块中。 可以通过添加测距仪和相机的地理位置知识来确定附近物体的地理位置。 可以通过添加GPS单元来确定优选实施例中的系统的地理位置。

公开(公告)号：US20090177398A1

公开(公告)日：2009-07-09

申请号：US12319651

申请日：2009-01-08

申请人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Timothy Brinkley ,  George Kaplan

发明人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Timothy Brinkley ,  George Kaplan

IPC分类号： G01C21/10

CPC分类号： G01C21/025 ,  G01C21/165

摘要： An angles only aircraft navigation system. The system includes an IMU coupled with a passive optical sensor. The optical sensor provides periodic updates to the IMU in order to correct for accelerometer and gyro drifts. The IMU computes the air vehicle's instantaneous position, velocity, and attitude using gyro and accelerometer measurements. The optical sensor images stars and satellites. The navigation filter combines optical sensor measurements with IMU inputs, and determines those corrections needed to compensate for the IMU drifts. By applying periodic corrections to the IMU using satellite angular measurements, the navigation filter maintains an accurate position estimate during an entire flight.

摘要翻译： 一个角度只有飞机导航系统。 该系统包括与无源光学传感器耦合的IMU。 光学传感器为IMU提供定期更新，以校正加速度计和陀螺仪漂移。 使用陀螺仪和加速度计测量，IMU计算飞行器的瞬时位置，速度和姿态。 光学传感器图像星星和卫星。 导航滤波器将光学传感器测量与IMU输入相结合，并确定补偿IMU漂移所需的校正。 通过使用卫星角度测量对IMU进行周期性校正，导航滤波器在整个飞行期间保持准确的位置估计。

公开(公告)号：US20120021385A1

公开(公告)日：2012-01-26

申请号：US12586813

申请日：2009-09-28

申请人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Timothy Brinkley

发明人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Timothy Brinkley

IPC分类号： F41G3/26

CPC分类号： G09B27/00 ,  F41G3/26

摘要： A celestial weapons orientation measuring system. The system includes a miniature celestial direction detection device. The device includes an inclinometer, a camera for imaging at least one celestial object and a processor programmed with a celestial catalog providing known positions at specific times of at least one celestial object and algorithms for automatically calculating target direction information based on the inclination of the system as measured by the inclinometer and the known positions of the celestial object as provided by the celestial catalog and as imaged by the camera. Similar to the training technique discussed in the background section, the pretend enemy wears a GPS detector and transmitter, and a computer system is preferably provided which determines when a trigger-pull results in a “casualty”. Preferred embodiments also include an inertial navigation sensor including a magnetic compass and a memory-based optical navigation system that permits continued operation on cloudy days and even in certain in-door environments.

摘要翻译： 天体武器导向测量系统。 该系统包括微型天体方向检测装置。 该装置包括倾斜计，用于对至少一个天体成像进行成像的照相机和在天体目录中编程的处理器，其在至少一个天体的特定时间提供已知位置，并且基于系统的倾斜自动计算目标方向信息的算法 如通过倾斜仪测量的，并且由天体目录提供的天体的已知位置以及通过照相机成像的天体的已知位置。 与背景技术中讨论的训练技术类似，伪装的敌人戴上GPS检测器和发射器，并且优选地提供计算机系统，其确定何时触发拉动导致“伤员”。 优选实施例还包括惯性导航传感器，其包括磁罗盘和基于存储器的光学导航系统，其允许在阴天甚至在某些室内环境中继续操作。

公开(公告)号：US20070038374A1

公开(公告)日：2007-02-15

申请号：US11141526

申请日：2005-05-31

申请人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Vincent Rye ,  Timothy Brinkley

发明人： Mikhail Belenkii ,  Donald Bruns ,  Vincent Rye ,  Timothy Brinkley

IPC分类号： G05D1/08 ,  G01C21/00

CPC分类号： G01C21/025

摘要： An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. In a first set of preferred embodiments three relatively large aperture telescopes are rigidly mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane with each telescope being directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Embodiments in this first set tend to be relatively large and heavy, such as about one cubic meter and about 60 pounds. In a second set of preferred embodiments one or more smaller aperture telescopes are pivotably mounted on a movable platform such as a ship, airplane or missile so that the telescope or telescopes can be pivoted to point toward specific regions of the sky. Embodiments of this second set are mechanically more complicated than those of the first set, but are much smaller and lighter and are especially useful for guidance of aircraft and missiles. Telescope optics focus (on to a pixel array of a sensor) H-band or K-band light from one or more stars in the field of view of each telescope. Each system also includes an inclinometer, an accurate timing device and a computer processor having access to catalogued infrared star charts. The processor for each system is programmed with special algorithms to use image data from the infrared sensors, inclination information from the inclinometer, time information from the timing device and the catalogued star charts information to determine positions of the platform. Direction information from two stars is needed for locating the platform with respect to the celestial sphere. The computer is also preferably programmed to use this celestial position information to calculate latitude and longitude which may be displayed on a display device such as a monitor or used by a guidance control system. These embodiments are jam proof and insensitive to radio frequency interference. These systems provide efficient alternatives to GPS when GPS is unavailable and can be used for periodic augmentation of inertial navigation systems.