Orientation location system of an observation instrument
First Claim
1. Orientation location system of an observation instrument comprising a light source integral with the instrument emitting a light pattern to the focal plane of the instrument, a mirror-equipped light reflecting system and a light sensor provided with an orientation reference, the reflecting system being designed so as to transmit light from the source to the sensor, the mirrors comprising a dihedron having two facets on which the light from the source is successively reflected, characterized in that the dihedron is integral with a sighting change mirror rotating in front of the instrument, the reflecting facets of the dihedron forming a right angle and being joined by an edge perpendicular to the plane of the sighting change mirror.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An observation instrument located on a satellite is provided with light sources, whose radiation is reflected by the facets of at least one optical dihedron, whose shape is such that it deflects very slightly or not at all the reflected beam, even if it is displaced. Thus, the reflected beam, which is representative of the sighting axis of the instrument is reflected to a sensor, having a known orientation, in order to give the real direction of the axis. The invention has application to locations or tracking on the ground by the instrument.
16 Citations
6 Claims
- 1. Orientation location system of an observation instrument comprising a light source integral with the instrument emitting a light pattern to the focal plane of the instrument, a mirror-equipped light reflecting system and a light sensor provided with an orientation reference, the reflecting system being designed so as to transmit light from the source to the sensor, the mirrors comprising a dihedron having two facets on which the light from the source is successively reflected, characterized in that the dihedron is integral with a sighting change mirror rotating in front of the instrument, the reflecting facets of the dihedron forming a right angle and being joined by an edge perpendicular to the plane of the sighting change mirror.
Specification