Actively stabilized platform system

• US 5,922,039 A
• Filed: 09/19/1996
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Astral, Inc. (Astral Therapeutics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Astral, Inc. (Astral Therapeutics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reed, David, Welch, Raymond V., Dorsey, William W., Settgast, Charles F., Fujikawa, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US08/716,568
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/70, 701/116, 701/79, 701/37, 701/71, 180/168, 180/183, 280/5.507, 280/5.519, 340/467
• US Class Current: 701/116
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37376 Inclination, gradient of machine base
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45001 Antenna orientation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50046 Control of level, horizontal, inclination of workholder, slide
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/18 Means for stabilising antennas on an unstable platform
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/34 Adaptation for use in or on ships, submarines, buoys or torpedoes for subaqueous use H01Q1/04

Abstract

A stabilized platform useable for various purposes to provide compensation for motion in two axes, such as pitch and roll on a ship. The system operates independently of the object to be stabilized and without the use of gyroscopes by using accelerometers, position sensors and a proportional drive controller augmented with estimation and filtering. The mechanical design reduces size, weight, and power requirements, by providing a system including a stabilized structure; a base structure for supporting the stabilized structure; an enclosure to protect the system from environment elements; first sensors for measuring angular displacements of the stabilized structure with respect to the base structure; and second sensors for measuring acceleration data and acceleration vector angles; and a processor for receiving the angular displacements of the stabilized structure with respect to the base structure from the first sensors and determining an angle of the base structure relative to the stabilized structure, for receiving the acceleration data and acceleration vector angles from the second sensors and determining a direction of local vertical relative to the base structure, and for maintaining the stabilized structure at a desired orientation utilizing the angle of the base structure relative to the stabilized structure and the direction of local vertical relative to the base structure.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a stabilized structure;

a base structure for supporting said stabilized structure;

an enclosure to protect said system from environment elements;

first sensor means for measuring angular displacements of said stabilized structure with respect to said base structure; and

second sensor means for measuring acceleration data and acceleration vector angles; and

processing means for receiving the angular displacements of said stabilized structure with respect to said base structure from said first sensor means and determining an angle of said base structure relative to said stabilized structure, for receiving the acceleration data and acceleration vector angles from said second sensor means and determining a direction of local vertical relative to said base structure, and for maintaining said stabilized structure at a desired orientation utilizing the angle of said base structure relative to said stabilized structure and the direction of local vertical relative to said base structure.

2. The system of claim 1, said processing means maintaining said stabilized structure at the desired orientation by determining a position error from local gravity and a position rate of change of said stabilized structure.

3. The system of claim 2, said processing means outputting drive motor commands, based on the position error from local gravity and the position rate of change of said stabilized structure, to drive motors which move said stabilized structure to the desired orientation.

4. The system of claim 3, said processing means, said second sensor means, and the drive motors forming feedback loops to control said stabilized structure such that said stabilized structure is maintained at the desired orientation.

5. The system of claim 1, said stabilized structure supporting a payload, said stabilized structure including:

a platform, on which the payload is mounted, and which is attached to a dual-axis gimbal via first axis shafts, and

a counter balance structure, adjusting counter balance weights to compensate for different payload weights;

said second sensor means being mounted to said base structure or said stabilized platform;

said first sensor means;

a first drive motor for rotating said stabilized structure about a first axis; and

said dual-axis gimbal, being mounted between said stabilized structure and said base structure; and

a second drive motor mounted to said base structure for rotating said stabilized structure about a second axis, orthogonal to the first axis.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the desired orientation of said stabilized structure is orthogonal to a local gravity vector.

7. The system of claim 1, the wherein a payload mounted to said stabilized structure is an antenna or other type of sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, said first sensor means including two potentiometers for measuring the angular displacements of said stabilized structure relative to said base structure, wherein two axes of said stabilized structure are orthogonal with respect to each other.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said first sensor means are optical encoders or resolvers.

10. The system of claim 1, said second sensor means including one one-axis accelerometer, one one-axis inclinometer and two two-axis inclinometers for continuously estimating the direction of local vertical.

11. The system of claim 1, said second sensor means including three two-axis inclinometers and two one-axis accelerometers for continuously estimating the direction of local vertical.

12. The system of claim 1, said second sensor means including three two-axis inclinometers and three one-axis accelerometers for continuously estimating the direction of local vertical.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said enclosure is a dome structure for protecting said system and a payload from the environmental elements and for eliminating forces on said system resulting from the environmental elements.

14. The system of claim 1, said second sensor means, after processing, outputting long term averaging, resulting in the local vertical direction, which is then used to correct drifting and long term divergence caused by random walk phenomena of said second sensor means.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein the antenna is a TV antenna.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein torque effects derived from a host vehicle'"'"'s motion, on said stabilized structure and drive motors are reduced by a counter balance structure.

17. The system of claim 3, further comprising a counter balance structure which reduces a torque on the drive motors.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said system weight, size, and power requirements are reduced.

19. The system of claim 3, wherein the drive motors are brushless d.c. motors, stepper motors or brushed d.c. motors.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is used on shipboard.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is used on ground-based vehicles.

22. The system of claim 10, wherein said one one-axis accelerator, said one one-axis inclinometer, and said two two-axis inclinometers are mounted on said base structure in an x-y plane of a coordinate system defined by an x and y axis parallel to axes of rotation of said stabilized structure when a vertical axis of said stabilized structure and a z axis of said base structure are both aligned with the local vertical;

wherein a first of said two two-axis inclinometers, with axes parallel to the x and y axes, and said one one-axis accelerometer, with axes parallel to the z axis, are located on the x axis of the coordinate system and at a specified distance from a center of the coordinate system;

wherein a second of said two two-axis inclinometers, with axes parallel to the x and y axes, is located on the y axis of the coordinate system at a specified distance from the coordinate system center;

wherein said one one-axis inclinometer, with axes parallel to the x axis, is located at specified distances along the x axis and the y axis from the coordinate system center.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the following equations are used to determine a position of said base structure relative to the local gravity vector:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">(a.sub.ω

z2 -a.sub.ω

z1 tan β

.sub.y2 -(a.sub.ω

x2 -a.sub.ω

x1)=a.sub.z1 (tan β

.sub.y2 -tan β

.sub.y1)

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">(a.sub.ω

z2 -a.sub.ω

z1)tan β

.sub.x2 (a.sub.ω

y2 -a.sub.ω

y1)=a.sub.z1 (tan β

.sub.x2 -tan β

.sub.x1)

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">(a.sub.ω

z3 -a.sub.ω

z1)tan β

.sub.x3 -(a.sub.ω

y3 -a.sub.ω

y1)=a.sub.z1 (tan β

.sub.x3 -tan β

.sub.x1).

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the angular displacements, accelerations, and the acceleration vector angles are caused by three-dimensional forces, which vary in time, acting upon said system.

25. A method of maintaining a stabilized structure at a desired orientation, comprising the steps of:

measuring angular displacements of the stabilized structure with respect to a base structure; and

measuring acceleration data and acceleration vector angles;

processing the angular displacements of the stabilized structure with respect to the base structure and determining an angle of the base structure relative to the stabilized structure; and

processing the acceleration data and acceleration vector angles and determining a direction of local vertical relative to the base structure, and for maintaining the stabilized structure at a desired orientation utilizing the angle of the base structure relative to the stabilized structure and the direction of local vertical relative to the base structure.

26. A system comprising:

a stabilized structure;

a base structure for supporting said stabilized structure;

an enclosure to protect said system from environment elements;

a first sensor for measuring angular displacements of said stabilized structure with respect to said base structure; and

a second sensor for measuring acceleration data and acceleration vector angles; and

a processor for receiving the angular displacements of said stabilized structure with respect to said base structure from said first sensor and determining an angle of said base structure relative to said stabilized structure, for receiving the acceleration data and acceleration vector angles from said second sensor and determining a direction of local vertical relative to said base structure, and for maintaining said stabilized structure at a desired orientation utilizing the angle of said base structure relative to said stabilized structure and the direction of local vertical relative to said base structure.

27. The system of claim 26, said processor maintaining said stabilized structure at the desired orientation by determining a position error from local gravity and a position rate of change of said stabilized structure.

28. The system of claim 27, said processor outputting drive motor commands, based on the position error from local gravity and the position rate of change of said stabilized structure, to drive motors which move said stabilized structure to the desired orientation.

29. The system of claim 28, said processor, said second sensor, and the drive motors forming feedback loops to control said stabilized structure such that said stabilized structure is maintained at the desired orientation.

30. The system of claim 26, said stabilized structure supporting a payload, said stabilized structure including:

a platform, on which the payload is mounted, and which is attached to a dual-axis gimbal via first axis shafts, and

a counter balance structure, adjusting counter balance weights to compensate for different payload weights;

said second sensor being mounted to said base structure or said stabilized platform;

said first sensor;

a first drive motor for rotating said stabilized structure about a first axis; and

said dual-axis gimbal, being mounted between said stabilized structure and said base structure; and

a second drive motor mounted to said base structure for rotating said stabilized structure about a second axis, orthogonal to the first axis.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the desired orientation of said stabilized structure is orthogonal to a local gravity vector.

32. The system of claim 26, the wherein a payload mounted to said stabilized structure is an antenna or other type of sensor.

33. The system of claim 26, said first sensor including two potentiometers for measuring the angular displacements of said stabilized structure relative to said base structure, wherein two axes of said stabilized structure are orthogonal with respect to each other.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein said first sensor includes optical encoders or resolvers.

35. The system of claim 26, said second sensor including one one-axis accelerometer, one one-axis inclinometer and two two-axis inclinometers for continuously estimating the direction of local vertical.

36. The system of claim 26, said second sensor including three two-axis inclinometers and two one-axis accelerometers for continuously estimating the direction of local vertical.

37. The system of claim 26, said second sensor including three two-axis inclinometers and three one-axis accelerometers for continuously estimating the direction of local vertical.

38. The system of claim 26, wherein said enclosure is a dome structure for protecting said system and a payload from the environmental elements and for eliminating forces on said system resulting from the environmental elements.

39. The system of claim 26, said second sensor, after processing, outputting long term averaging, resulting in the local vertical direction, which is then used to correct drifting and long term divergence caused by random walk phenomena of said second sensor means.

40. The system of claim 32, wherein the antenna is a TV antenna.

41. The system of claim 26, wherein torque effects derived from a host vehicle'"'"'s motion, on said stabilized structure and drive motors are reduced by a counter balance structure.

42. The system of claim 28, further comprising a counter balance structure which reduces a torque on the drive motors.

43. The system of claim 26, wherein said system weight, size, and power requirements are reduced.

44. The system of claim 28, wherein the drive motors are brushless d.c. motors, stepper motors or brushed d.c. motors.

45. The system of claim 26, wherein said system is used on shipboard.

46. The system of claim 26, wherein said system is used on ground-based vehicles.

47. The system of claim 35, wherein said one one-axis accelerator, said one one-axis inclinometer, and said two two-axis inclinometers are mounted on said base structure in an x-y plane of a coordinate system defined by an x and y axis parallel to axes of rotation of said stabilized structure when a vertical axis of said stabilized structure and a z axis of said base structure are both aligned with the local vertical;

wherein a first of said two two-axis inclinometers, with axes parallel to the x and y axes, and said one one-axis accelerometer, with axes parallel to the z axis, are located on the x axis of the coordinate system and at a specified distance from a center of the coordinate system;

wherein a second of said two two-axis inclinometers, with axes parallel to the x and y axes, is located on the y axis of the coordinate system at a specified distance from the coordinate system center;

wherein said one one-axis inclinometer, with axes parallel to the x axis, is located at specified distances along the x axis and the y axis from the coordinate system center.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the following equations are used to determine a position of said base structure relative to the local gravity vector:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">(α

.sub.ω

z2 -α

.sub.ω

z1 tan β

.sub.y 2-(α

.sub.ω

x2 -α

.sub.ω

x1)=α

.sub.z 1(tan β

.sub.y 2-tan β

.sub.y

     1)

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">(α

.sub.ω

z2 -α

.sub.ω

z1)tan β

.sub.x 2-(α

.sub.ω

y2 -α

.sub.ω

y1)=α

.sub.z 1(tan β

.sub.x 2-tan β

.sub.x

     1)

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">(α

.sub.ω

z3 -α

.sub.ω

z1)tan β

.sub.x 3-(α

.sub.ω

y3 -α

.sub.ω

y1)=α

.sub.z 1(tan β

.sub.x 3-tan β

x1).

49.

49. The system of claim 26, wherein the angular displacements, accelerations, and the acceleration vector angles are caused by three-dimensional forces, which vary in time, acting upon said system.