Velometer, navigational apparatus and methods for direct measurement of object's own velocity

• US 8,213,023 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parker, Val
• Original Assignee: Parker, Val
• Inventors: Parker, Val
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, SANG H
• Application Number:
  US12/803,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20120008149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 356601-640, 356/27, 356/28, 356/28.5, 356/4.01, 340/552, 340/541, 340/555, 340/556, 340/567, 340/933, 340/942, 250/222.1, 250/221, 250/561, 250/559.22
• US Class Current: 356/614
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/12 executed aboard the object being navigated; Dead reckoning
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/68 using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light G01P3/80 takes precedence ; by reflection of waves G01S17/58

Abstract

A beam of light or other electromagnetic field is emitted and received in a vacuum, all within an apparatus in motion. The nature of light permits the beam of light to retain the characteristics of its motion in vacuum, regardless of motion of the apparatus in which the emitted light propagates. The light beam retains its position in space relative to the direction of motion of the apparatus. Since both entities, light beam and apparatus, are disposed in the same frame of reference, characteristics of their motion can be compared. The result of this comparison represents the vector of velocity V of the apparatus which is utilized in navigation of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A system to detect and measure, from within an unitary apparatus, the velocity V of movement of said apparatus relative to a reference line within but independent of said apparatus by measurement of displacement of said apparatus relative to said reference line, said system including:

an electromagnetic emitter disposed on an optical axis to emit electromagnetic energy along said optical axis; and

an electromagnetic receiver disposed on said optical axis, at a fixed distance from said emitter and facing said emitter, to receive electromagnetic energy therefrom;

wherein said reference line being a straight-line propagation of electromagnetic energy from said emitter to said receiver through vacuum within said apparatus, wherein said velocity V is measured as a function of elapsed time of travel of said electromagnetic energy from said emitter to said receiver.

2. A system as defined of claim 1, wherein said reference line is in the direction of travel of said apparatus.

3. A system as defined of claim 1, wherein said reference line is transverse of the direction of travel of said apparatus.

4. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said velocity V is measured as a function of characteristics of said electromagnetic energy at said receiver.

5. A system to detect and measure, from within an unitary apparatus, the velocity V of movement of said apparatus relative to a straight-line reference light beam within but independent of said apparatus by measurement of displacement of said apparatus relative to said reference light beam, said system including:

a light emitter disposed on an optical axis to emit said reference light beam along said optical axis;

a receiver including a planar array of light detectors at a fixed distance from said emitter and facing said emitter to receive said reference light beam, said detectors spaced from each other in a plane parallel to the direction of travel of said apparatus;

a central one of said detectors of said array being centered in said optical axis; and

said reference light beam propagating from said emitter to said receiver through vacuum within said apparatus;

wherein said reference light beam is detected by a receiver detector in said array, the separation of said receiver detector from said central detector being indicative of said velocity V, and wherein detection of light by a detector other than said central detector is indicative of movement of said apparatus, and the separation of said detector other than said central detector from said central detector is indicative of said velocity V of said movement.

6. A system to detect and measure, from within an unitary apparatus, the velocity V of movement of said apparatus relative to a reference light beam within but independent of said apparatus by measurement of displacement of said apparatus relative to said reference light beam, said system including:

a light emitter and a light receiver in said apparatus at a fixed distance from each other along an optical axis transverse to the direction of movement of said apparatus;

said optical axis extending from said emitter, via plural reflections/refractions, to said receiver so that a light beam from said emitter travels up and down, transverse to said movement of said apparatus, to said receiver; and

said reference light beam propagating from said emitter to said receiver through vacuum within said apparatus;

whereby the elapsed time from emission to reception of said light beam is a measure of said velocity of said apparatus, and wherein said velocity V is determined as a function of changes of characteristics of said light in response to said velocity.

7. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein said velocity V is determined as a function of changes of characteristics of said light in response to said velocity.

8. A system to detect and measure, from within an unitary apparatus, the velocity V of movement of said apparatus relative to a reference light beam within but independent of said apparatus by measurement of displacement of said apparatus relative to said reference light beam, said system including:

a light emitter disposed on an optical axis to emit said reference light beam along said optical axis;

a receiver disposed on said optical axis at a fixed distance from said emitter to receive said reference light beam;

said reference light beam propagating from said emitter to said receiver through vacuum within said apparatus; and

wedge optics disposed on said optical axis between said emitter and said receiver to fold said optical axis and to redirect light from said emitter to said receiver, said wedge optics including a front beam divider surface to reflect a reference portion of said reference light beam to said receiver, and a back internally-reflective surface to reflect an information portion of said reference light beam to said receiver, said wedge optics thereby delaying and modulating said information portion relative to said reference portion;

wherein the plane defined by said folded optical axis is normal to the direction of said movement of said apparatus, and wherein velocity V of said object is determined as a function of elapsed time of travel of said information portion between said emitter and said receiver, relative to elapsed time of travel of said reference portion between said emitter and said receiver.

9. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein velocity V of said object is determined as a function of modulations of said information portion relative to said reference portion of said reference light beam.