Angle calibration of long baseline antennas

• US 7,558,688 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Gordon, Wayne John, Lennon, David Curtis, Adams, Marc S., Schering, Roy, McMillan, Donald Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai; Carol S
• Assistant Examiner(s): O MALLEY, MARY CATHERINE
• Application Number:
  US11/737,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 702 92- 95, 702/104, 343711-714, 343/757, 343761-762, 701/3, 701/29, 701/34, 701220-221
• US Class Current: 702/92
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/27 for testing the alignment of axes means for centering or aligning a light guide within a ferrule G02B6/3834

Abstract

A method for calibrating a sensor mounted on an aircraft includes the steps of: using an optical device to create reference points which define a reference line that is parallel to both horizontal and vertical planes of the sensor, and using the reference line to calibrate the sensor with respect to a reference coordinate system.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a sensor mounted on an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:

using an optical device to create reference points which define a reference line that is parallel to both horizontal and vertical planes of the sensor; and

using the reference line to calibrate the sensor with respect to a reference coordinate system by sending an orient message to an inertial navigation unit reflecting corrections that force the inertial navigation unit to report its heading and pitch in a coordinate frame of the sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of using the reference line to calibrate the sensor with respect to a reference coordinate system comprises the step of:

adding corrections to heading and pitch angles reported by an inertial navigation unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the reference coordinate system is established by an inertial navigation system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the reference line is parallel to a horizontal plane of the sensor and a vertical plane of the sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises:

an antenna.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the antenna comprises:

a planar array of elements.

7. A method for calibrating a sensor mounted on an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:

using an optical device to create reference points which define a reference line that is parallel to both horizontal and vertical planes of the sensor;

using the reference line to calibrate the sensor with respect to a reference coordinate system by directing an optical beam through first and second irises connected to the sensor; and

using the optical beam to establish first and second reference points.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining the locations of the first and second reference points.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the locations of the first and second reference points are determined using a global positioning system.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of using the reference line to calibrate the sensor with respect to a reference coordinate system comprises the step of:

adding corrections to heading and pitch angles reported by an inertial navigation unit.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the reference coordinate system is established by an inertial navigation system.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the reference line is parallel to a horizontal plane of the sensor and a vertical plane of the sensor.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the sensor comprises:

an antenna.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the antenna comprises:

a planar array of elements.