Automated docking of space vehicle
First Claim
1. A system for assisting in the automated docking of two space vehicles, one being a target vehicle and the other being a chase vehicle, the system comprising:
- three antennas located at spaced-apart positions on a first one of the target vehicle and the chase vehicle;
an antenna located on a second one of the target vehicle and the chase vehicle;
an RF transmitter contained within the second vehicle, the transmitter being connected to the antenna located on the second vehicle, the transmitter transmitting RF signals via the antenna;
three RF receivers contained within the first vehicle, each of the three receivers being connected to a different one of the three antennas located on the first vehicle, at least one of the receivers receiving RF signals from the transmitters via the antennas;
a processor receptive of signals received by the receivers;
wherein the transmitter transmits RF signals via the antennas on each vehicle to one or more of the three receivers and wherein the processor is operative to determine, based on the received signals, the range and angular position of the chase vehicle with respect to the target vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated docking system for space vehicles that includes a plurality of antennas on each of a target vehicle and a chase vehicle. A pseudo random code is transmitted via one of the antennas located on one of the vehicles and received by one of the antennas located on the other vehicle. The pseudo random code is then sent back to the original vehicle via transmissions from the plurality of antennas on the second vehicle and received by the plurality of antennas on the original vehicle. The distance from each of the antennas on the other vehicle to each of the antennas on the originating vehicle can be measured in this fashion. The antennas on each of the vehicles are located in a spaced-apart arrangement so that the angular orientation or attitude of each of the vehicles to each other can also be determined. A plurality of video cameras is provided on the exterior of one of the vehicles and video information from these cameras is transmitted to the other vehicle for display to operators in that vehicle. Commands between the vehicles can also be communicated.
67 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for assisting in the automated docking of two space vehicles, one being a target vehicle and the other being a chase vehicle, the system comprising:
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three antennas located at spaced-apart positions on a first one of the target vehicle and the chase vehicle;
an antenna located on a second one of the target vehicle and the chase vehicle;
an RF transmitter contained within the second vehicle, the transmitter being connected to the antenna located on the second vehicle, the transmitter transmitting RF signals via the antenna;
three RF receivers contained within the first vehicle, each of the three receivers being connected to a different one of the three antennas located on the first vehicle, at least one of the receivers receiving RF signals from the transmitters via the antennas;
a processor receptive of signals received by the receivers;
wherein the transmitter transmits RF signals via the antennas on each vehicle to one or more of the three receivers and wherein the processor is operative to determine, based on the received signals, the range and angular position of the chase vehicle with respect to the target vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for assisting in the automated docking of two space vehicles, one being a target vehicle and the other being a chase vehicle, the system comprising:
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three antennas located at spaced-apart positions on the target vehicle;
three antennas located at spaced-apart positions on the chase vehicle;
three RF transmitters and one RF receiver contained within a first one of the vehicles, each of the three transmitters being connected to a different one of the three antennas located on the first vehicle, the three transmitters transmitting RF signals via the antennas, and the receiver being connected to one of the three antennas;
three RF receivers and one RF transmitter contained within the second one of the vehicles, each of the three receivers being connected to a different one of the three antennas located on the second vehicle, at least one of the receivers receiving RF signals from the transmitters via the antennas, and the transmitter being connected to one of the three antennas;
a processor receptive of signals received by the receivers in the second vehicle;
wherein the transmitter in the second vehicle sends RF signals to the receiver in the first vehicle and then the three transmitters in the first vehicle transmit RF signals via the three antennas on each vehicle to one or more of the three receivers and wherein the processor is operative to determine, based on the received signals, the angular position and attitude of the chase vehicle with respect to the target vehicle.
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21. A system for assisting in the automated docking of two space vehicles, one being a target vehicle and the other being a chase vehicle, the system comprising:
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four antennas located at spaced-apart positions on the target vehicle;
four antennas located at spaced-apart positions on the chase vehicle;
four RF transmitters and one RF receiver contained within a first one of the vehicles, each of the four transmitters being connected to a different one of the four antennas located on the first vehicle, the four transmitters transmitting RF signals via the antennas, and the receiver being connected to one of the four antennas;
four RF receivers contained within a second one of the vehicles, each of the four receivers being connected to a different one of the four antennas located on the second vehicle, at least one of the receivers receiving RF signals from the transmitters via the antennas, and the transmitter being connected to one of the four antennas;
a processor receptive of signals received by the receivers in the second vehicle;
wherein the transmitter in the second vehicle sends RF signals to the receiver in the first vehicle and then the four transmitters transmit RF signals via the four antennas on each vehicle to one or more of the four receivers and wherein the processor is operative to determine, based on the received signals, the angular position and attitude of the chase vehicle with respect to the target vehicle.
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22. A system for accurately determining the position of a maneuverable vehicle relative to an object, the system comprising:
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three antennas located at spaced-apart positions on a first one of the maneuverable vehicle and the object;
an antenna located on a second one of the maneuverable vehicle and the object;
an RF transmitter located on the second one, the transmitter being connected to the antenna located on the second one, the transmitter transmitting RF signals via the antenna;
three RF receivers located on the first one, each of the three receivers being connected to a different one of the three antennas located on the first one, at least one of the receivers receiving RF signals from the transmitters via the antennas;
a processor receptive of signals received by the receivers;
wherein the transmitter transmits RF signals via the antennas on each of the first one and the second one to one or more of the three receivers and wherein the processor is operative to determine, based on the received signals, the range and angular position of the maneuverable vehicle with respect to the object.
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23. A system for assisting in the automated docking of two space vehicles, one being a target vehicle and the other being a chase vehicle, the system comprising:
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a plurality of software defined radios on the target vehicle, wherein the software defined radios are controllable to perform the functions of receiving and decoding GPS signal from the constellation of GPS satellites and the functions of transmitting and receiving TDRSS data to and from the constellation of TDRSS satellites;
a plurality of antennas on the target vehicle associated with the plurality of software defined radios on the target vehicle;
a plurality of software defined radios on the chase vehicle, wherein the software defined radios are controllable to perform the functions of receiving and decoding GPS signal from the constellation of GPS satellites and the functions of transmitting and receiving TDRSS data to and from the constellation of TDRSS satellites;
a plurality of antennas on the chase vehicle associated with the plurality of software defined radios on the chase vehicle;
wherein the software defined radios on both the target vehicle and the chase vehicle are also controllable to perform a function of determining the range between and the relative angular attitude of the vehicles.
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24. A system for assisting in the automated docking of two space vehicles, one being a target vehicle and the other being a chase vehicle, the system comprising:
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one or more antennas located on a first one of the target vehicle and the chase vehicle;
an antenna located on a second one of the target vehicle and the chase vehicle;
an RF transmitter contained within the second one of the vehicles, the transmitter being connected to the antenna located on the second vehicle, the transmitter transmitting RF signals via the antenna;
one or more RF receivers contained within the first one of the vehicles, each of the receivers being connected to a different one of the antennas located on the first vehicle, at least one of the receivers receiving RF signals from the transmitters via the antennas;
a processor receptive of signals received by the receivers;
wherein the transmitter transmits RF signals via the antennas on each vehicle to the receivers and wherein the processor is operative to determine, based on the received signals, the range and angular position of the chase vehicle with respect to the target vehicle from a range of 50 km on into docking.
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Specification