Method and apparatus for improving gimbal stability
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H04K-003/00
G01S-007/495
F41H-013/00
F41G-007/22
G01S-007/00
G05B-019/042
출원번호
US-0244463
(2014-04-03)
등록번호
US-9441922
(2016-09-13)
발명자
/ 주소
Corella, Armando
Knorr, Charles T.
출원인 / 주소
BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Long, Daniel J.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
13
초록▼
Enhanced stability for infrared countermeasure systems is provided by using a pair of single axis rate sensors having orthogonal active axes, preferably aligned with the elevation axis and the azimuth axis of the gimbal. The outputs of the orthogonal single axis rate sensors are used to detect insta
Enhanced stability for infrared countermeasure systems is provided by using a pair of single axis rate sensors having orthogonal active axes, preferably aligned with the elevation axis and the azimuth axis of the gimbal. The outputs of the orthogonal single axis rate sensors are used to detect instantaneous aircraft angular movement and to use the detected movement to drive the elevation and azimuth motors of the gimbal to move the output mirror for the gimbal to cancel the detected movement.
대표청구항▼
1. A method for stabilizing a two axis gimbal mounted on a platform and used in directed infrared countermeasure systems employing input and output mirrors fixedly attached to an elevation arm that rotates about an elevation axis, the elevation arm mounted to an azimuth platter mounted for rotation
1. A method for stabilizing a two axis gimbal mounted on a platform and used in directed infrared countermeasure systems employing input and output mirrors fixedly attached to an elevation arm that rotates about an elevation axis, the elevation arm mounted to an azimuth platter mounted for rotation about an azimuth axis, comprising the steps of: locating single axis rate sensors having orthogonal sensitive axes adjacent the mirrors, the sensitive axes of said single axis rate sensors aligned respectively with the elevation axis and the azimuth axis;processing the output of the rate sensors to establish angular movement of the elevation arm and azimuth platter due to platform movement, and;using the sensed angular movement to drive the elevation arm and azimuth platter in a direction to counter the sensed angular movement, thereby to cancel the effect of the angular movement on the gimbal. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the elevation arm and azimuth platter are provided with drive motors, and wherein each of the rate sensors includes tuning fork sensing elements that output an analog voltage indicative of the sensed angular movement, and wherein the processing step includes converting the sensed analog voltage to a digital equivalent and processing the digital equivalent to produce analog signals to be applied to the elevation and azimuth drive motors to reposition the output mirror of the gimbal to compensate for the sensed angular movement. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the gimbal includes a camera that is read out at a predetermined frame rate that establishes camera on and off times, and wherein the processing step includes reading out the rate sensors during the time that the camera is off. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the frame rate is 400 hertz and wherein the off time of the camera is 0.2 seconds. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the camera off time is a fraction of the camera on time. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the voltage output of the rate sensors is sampled during the off time of the camera at a predetermined point in time and wherein the voltage from the rate sensors at the predetermined point in time specifies the angular movement of the platform at the predetermined point in time. 7. The method of claim 2, wherein the output signals from the processing step includes drive signals for the drive motors of the elevation arm and azimuth platter that initially drives the gimbal to establish a laser beam directed to a target, and wherein the processed signals from the rate sensors are combined with the signals used to drive the elevation arm and azimuth platter motors. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the elevation arm is rotatable about the elevation axis, and wherein a first rate sensor is mounted at the elevation arm with the sensitive axis thereof aligned with the elevation axis. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the azimuth platter is rotatable about the azimuth axis, and wherein a second rate sensor is mounted such that the sensitive axis thereof is aligned with the azimuth axis. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second rate sensor is mounted on the elevation arm. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second rate sensor is mounted to the input mirror. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the elevation arm carries the input and output mirrors at opposite ends thereof, and wherein the respective rate sensors are mounted at opposite ends of the elevation arm for optimal mass distribution purposes. 13. Apparatus for the stabilization of a two axis gimbal having a laser and a camera against movement of the gimbal platform, comprising: an elevation arm having input and output mirrors fixedly mounted thereto, said elevation arm mounted for rotation about an elevation axis;an azimuth platter mounted for rotation about an azimuth axis and carrying said elevation arm and internal mirrors for redirecting radiation from said input mirror to the camera carried by said gimbal and for redirecting a laser beam from the laser carried by said gimbal to said output mirror;a pair of rate sensors having orthogonal sensitive axes mounted at said elevation arm and said azimuth platter, respective sensitive axes being aligned with said elevation axis and said azimuth axis; and,a processing unit coupled to said rate sensors for processing signals indicative of angular movement of said platform at a predetermined point of time and for generating azimuth platter and elevation arm drive signals for positioning said output mirror such that said sensed angular movement is compensated by the repositioning of said output mirror. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the rate sensor associated with the elevation axis is mounted to said elevation arm such that the sense axis of the rate sensor associated with the elevation arm is aligned with said elevation axis. 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the rate sensor having a sensitive axis aligned with said azimuth axis is mounted to said azimuth platter. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the rate sensor having an axis aligned with the azimuth axis is mounted to said input mirror. 17. The apparatus of claim 13, and further including a slip ring assembly for transmitting the outputs of said rate sensors to said processing unit. 18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said rate sensors are single axis rate sensors. 19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said camera has a predetermined frame rate establishing on and off times for said camera, and wherein the outputs of said sensors are processed by said processing unit only during the time period that said camera is off. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the outputs of said sensors are processed at a particular point in time to establish sensed angular movement at said particular point in time.
Gidseg, Ronald A.; Corella, Armando; Keaton, Roderick W., Laser beam steering system and method for use in a directional infrared countermeasures system.
Mills, James P.; Garrett, David G.; Sunne, Wayne L.; Knapp, David J.; Brunton, Daniel W.; Anthony, David G.; Anderson, Emmet R.; Harrison, Daniel C.; Smith, III, Frank E.; Hicks, Jim R., Optical fiber assembly wrapped across roll-nod gimbal axes in a DIRCM system.
Gidseg, Ronald A.; Carattini, John A.; Ha, Phong V., System and method for transitioning from a missile warning system to a fine tracking system in a directional infrared countermeasures system.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.