AUTONOMOUS SPACE NAVIGATION SYSTEM UTILIZING HOLOGRAPHIC RECOGNITION

• US 3,636,330 A
• Filed: 03/14/1967
• Issued: 01/18/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1967
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John M. Holeman, Joseph D. Welch
• Original Assignee: John M. Holeman, Joseph D. Welch
• Inventors: Welch, Joseph D., Holeman, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tubbesing, T. H.
• Application Number:
  US04/622,965
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 235/150.27 340/146.3 356/168 244/1.55 350/35,162 343/1SA,112
• US Class Current: 701/513
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/24 specially adapted for cosmonautical navigation

Abstract

A navigation system in which a spacecraft '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'fix'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' or positional information is obtained by producing, from collected light, an image of a field of view from the spacecraft and thereafter comparing this image, in coherent light, with a spatial filter of a reference region. Correlation results in application of one input signal to a navigation computer. Comparison with a second input signal supplied to the computer from an inertial reference affixed to optical means for gathering the light emanating from the viewed region results in production of useful navigational data by the computer.

Claims

1. A celestial navigation system for use on board a spacecraft comprising:

a navigation computer for providing navigational information;

optical means for producing an image of a region encountered within the field of view of said spacecraft;

a source of substantially coherent light;

a holographic spatial filter, said filter representing a view of an existing navigational reference location;

means for directing a beam of said light onto the image produced by said optical means in order to impinge said light upon said spatial filter;

detecting means responsive to light energy received from the spatial filter in the form of spots at predetermined locations on said detecting means; and

circuit means coupling said detecting means to said navigation computer, said circuit means converting the spot locations into signals which bear a relationship to said spot locations and are compatible with said navigation computer.

2. The celestial navigation system of claim 1 including inertial reference means affixed to said optical means, and means coupling said inertial reference means to said navigation computer.

3. The celestial navigation system of claim 1 including positionable means for rotating said spatial filter with respect to said image produced by said optical means, and means coupling said positionable means to said navigation computer.

4. The celestial navigation system of claim 3 including inertial reference means affixed to said optical means, and means coupling said inertial reference means to said navigation computer.

5. A celestial navigation system for use on board a spacecraft comprising:

a navigation computer for providing navigational information;

telescope means for selectively producing images of regions encountered within the field of view of said spacecraft;

a deformable photoconductive recording medium;

a source of substantially coherent light;

a plurality of holographic spatial filters, each said spatial filter representing a view of an existing navigational reference location;

means for directing a beam of said light onto the image produced by said telescope means on said deformable photoconductive recording mediUm in order to impinge said light upon a predetermined one of said spatial filters;

detecting means responsive to light energy in the form of spots at predetermined locations on said detecting means, said light energy being received from said predetermined one of said spatial filters; and

circuit means coupling said detecting means to said navigation computer, said circuit means converting the spot location into electrical signals which bear a relationship to said spot locations and are compatible with said navigation computer.

6. The celestial navigation system of claim 5 including inertial reference means affixed to said telescope means, and means coupling said inertial reference means to said navigation computer.

7. The celestial navigation system of claim 5 wherein said circuit means coupling said detecting means to said navigation computer comprises a threshold detector responsive to electrical signals above a predetermined amplitude.

8. The celestial navigation system of claim 6 wherein said circuit means coupling said detecting means to said navigation computer comprises a threshold detector responsive to electrical signals of amplitude above a predetermined value.

9. The celestial navigation system of claim 6 wherein said detecting means responsive to light energy in the form of spots at predetermined locations on said detecting means comprises a vidicon tube. 10 The celestial navigation system of claim 8 wherein said detecting means responsive to light energy in the form of spots at predetermined locations on said detecting means comprises a vidicon tube.

11. The celestial navigation system of claim 5 including positionable means for rotating said photoconductive recording medium with respect to said predetermined one of said spatial filters, and means coupling said positionable means to said navigation computer.

12. The celestial navigation system of claim 6 including positionable means for rotating said photoconductive recording medium with respect to said predetermined one of said spatial filters, and means coupling said positionable means to said navigation computer.

13. The celestial navigation system of claim 10 including positionable means for rotating said photoconductive recording medium with respect to said predetermined one of said spatial filters, and means coupling said positionable means to said navigation computer.

14. The celestial navigation system of claim 6 including variable focal length lens means between said predetermined one of said spatial filters and said photoconductive recording medium, electromechanical means coupled to said variable focal length lens means for controllably adjusting said focal length, and means coupling said electromechanical means to said navigation computer.

15. The celestial navigation system of claim 10 including variable focal length lens means situated between said predetermined one of said spatial filters and said photoconductive recording medium, electromechanical means coupled to said variable focal length lens means for controllably adjusting said focal length, and means coupling said electromechanical means to said navigation computer.

16. The celestial navigation system of claim 12 including variable focal length lens means situated between said predetermined one of said spatial filters and said photoconductive recording medium, electromechanical means coupled to said variable focal length lens means for controllably adjusting said focal length, and means coupling said electromechanical means to said navigation computer.

17. The celestial navigation system of claim 13 including variable focal length lens means situated between said predetermined one of said spatial filters and said photoconductive recording medium, electromechanical means coupled to said variable focal length lens means for controllably adjusting said focal length, and means coupling said electromechanical means to said navigation computer.

18. A celestial navigation system for use oN board a spacecraft comprising:

a navigation computer for providing navigational information;

telescope means;

photoconductive deformable recording means for alternately producing images of terrestrial and stellar regions encountered within the field of view of said spacecraft as viewed through said telescope means;

a source of substantially coherent light;

a plurality of holographic spatial filters, each said spatial filter representing a view of an existing navigational reference location;

means for directing a beam of said light onto the image produced by said photoconductive deformable recording means in order to impinge said light upon a predetermined one of said spatial filters;

detecting means responsive to light energy in the form of spots at predetermined locations on said detecting means, said light energy being received from said predetermined one of said spatial filters;

inertial reference means affixed to said telescope means;

circuit means coupling said detecting means to said navigation computer, said circuit means converting the spot locations into electrical signals which bear a relationship to said spot locations and are compatible with said navigation computer; and

means coupling said inertial reference means to said navigation computer so as to supply said computer with new inertial reference signals after each of said images is produced.

19. The celestial navigational system of claim 18 wherein said circuit means coupling said detecting means to said computer comprises a threshold detector responsive to signals of amplitude above a predetermined level.

20. The celestial navigation system of claim 19 including positionable means for rotating said photoconductive deformable recording means with respect to said predetermined one of said spatial filters, and means coupling said positionable means to said navigation computer.

21. The celestial navigation system of claim 20 including variable focal length means situated between said predetermined one of said spatial filters and said photoconductive deformable recording means, electromechanical means coupled to said variable focal length lens means for controllably adjusting said focal length, and means coupling said electromechanical means to said navigation computer.