Autonomous robotic telescope system

• US 8,688,833 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oceanit Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Oceanit Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Nishimoto, Daron L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Survillo, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US10/290,527
• Time in Patent Office: 4,162 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/208, 709/225, 359/399, 348/143
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 3/00 Observing or tracking cosmonautic vehicles

Abstract

A worldwide network of Autonomous Robotic Telescope Systems (ARTS) tracks and analyzes space objects (satellites, shuttle, space debris, etc.) and astronomical objects (asteroids, comets, supernovas, etc.), and includes the ability to automatically schedule observations using remote, programmable or Internet controllable information networks. The system works with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) items that include telescopes, mounts, cameras (e.g. CCD), software and computers. The telescope systems operate autonomously and remotely over Internet lines. Automatic scheduling is achieved by programming the slave telescope control computer. Satellite propagators and two line elements necessary for satellite tracking are provided on several Internet sites. Strategically placing these small portable telescope systems around the world enables users to acquire worldwide space object coverage and to be geographically diverse. This is also a cost effective way to provide necessary data to users.

Claims

1. A method for autonomous location of an object-of-interest in space comprising determining a capture site, disposing computing devices globally, disposing remote telescope systems at global locations, activating a specific remote telescope system disposed within a range of the capture site, reviewing a field of view range of the telescope system, gathering information about the object-of-interest from the telescope system, and conveying gathered information to the computing devices disposed globally, continuously collecting and analyzing space data with the telescope systems, transmitting collected data to the computing devices in real-time, controlling parameters of the telescope systems with the computing devices, and accurately determining orbital elements of different objects in space.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising reviewing data from space surveillance and tracking debris, thereby increasing safety and effectiveness of satellite launches.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising interacting the computing devices in real-time, providing continuing status information of the launched satellites and monitoring the launched satellites.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing follow-up observations via the remote telescope systems.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising satellites, satellite antennas, satellite propagators and two-line elements communicating with the computers for controlling the autonomous telescope systems, tracking the objects and transmitting information to the autonomous telescope systems and the slave-computers.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the telescope systems further comprise cameras, computer controlled scheduling, trackers and positioners, and wherein the controls of the telescope systems controlled by the slave-computers enable selective positioning of the cameras, the trackers and the positioners.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the master server interactively controls the slave-computers, the telescope systems, the satellite antennas, the trackers, the satellite propagators and the receiver terminals in real-time.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the receiver terminals are user information sites communicating with the master server and with users, and wherein the receiver terminals provide directed health reports of objects-of-interest to users.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the objects are space objects.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the objects are selected from a group consisting of satellites, shuttles, space debris, rockets, and combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the objects are astronomical objects.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the objects are selected from a group consisting of asteroids, comets, supernovas, and combinations thereof.

5. A method for detecting and monitoring objects in space comprising a customer initiating a query about an object in space to a master server, setting in motion a series of autonomous and automatic activities in real-time,

wherein the series of autonomous and automatic activities in real-time comprises processing a request, scheduling, tasking, and coordinating remote site computers, imaging an object-of-interest with one or more telescope systems, and retrieving information relating to the object-of-interest, processing the retrieved information, matching the information with requested parameters, providing shipping orders, and sending the information to the customer, controlling the telescope systems and the computing devices in real-time, communicating with remote site actions, activating and setting in motion required processes for retrieving information of the object-of-interest.

6. Autonomous robotic telescope system comprising portable remote telescope systems strategically disposed globally and computing devices communicating with the portable remote telescope systems to enable geographically diverse users to acquire information on worldwide atmospheric objects in space, and

wherein the computing devices further comprises a master server for automatically scheduling observations by the portable remote telescope systems and remotely programmable controller slave-computers communicating in real-time over an interne or through interne controllable networks at remote sites with the master server and the portable remote telescope systems, wherein the master server processes requests for information on one or more objects in space and, based on those requests, automatically and autonomously controls, schedules, tasks, and coordinates the remotely programmable controller slave-computers over the web in order to autonomously track and analyze the objects in space.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a computer controlled positioner and tracker for tracking the objects in space.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the objects are space objects.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the objects are astronomical objects.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising satellite antennas and propagators communicating with the master server, the slave-computers and the remote telescope systems.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising user terminals communicating with the slave-computers and/or the master server for providing information to users of the objects in space.

12. Autonomous robotic telescope space object global capture system comprising

remote autonomous telescope systems having portable telescopes disposed at global locations for locating objects in space,

remote slave-computers, each of which controls at least one of the autonomous telescope systems,

network interconnections for connecting the remote slave-computers,

communication channels connecting the remote slave-computers and the autonomous telescope systems for real-time interactive communication of the remote slave-computers and the autonomous telescope systems,

a master server that processes requests for information on one or more objects in space and, based on those requests, automatically and autonomously controls, schedules, tasks, and coordinates the remote slave-computers over an internet in order to autonomously track and analyze the objects in space, and

remote receiver terminals communicating with the master server for initiating requests for information on objects in space and receiving data from the master server relative to the objects in space.