Celestial Sighting Optics for Navigation Through Cloud Scattering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Clouds scatter celestial body light, making it difficult to determine their location for navigation purposes, as existing technologies struggle to filter out non-directional light and maintain directional information effectively.
Innovation Solution
A wide field-of-view celestial sighting system that uses a selective light collector, such as a mask or optical fibers, positioned in the imaging plane of an imaging optic to filter out all scattered light except for forward-scattered light, which is then focused onto a detector to determine the orientation and position of celestial bodies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clouds are present in the sky, then celestial body light is scattered making location determination difficult, but the system needs to maintain accurate navigation capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the forward-scattered light component from the total scattered light by using a movable mask that selectively blocks non-forward scattered light. The mask is positioned in the imaging plane and adjusted to allow passage of light traveling in substantially the forward direction while blocking light scattered at other angles, thereby isolating the useful navigational signal from the harmful scattered light.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be dynamically adjusted to track the position of celestial bodies as they move across the sky. The mask can be repositioned to maintain optimal alignment with the forward-scattered light path, ensuring continuous accurate navigation capability despite changing sky conditions and celestial body positions.
2Measurement precision
If a selective light collector is used to filter forward scattered light, then directional information is preserved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a movable mask as an intermediary element positioned in the imaging plane between the imaging optic and the light detector. This mask serves as a selective filter that mediates between the scattered light from clouds and the detector, allowing only forward-scattered light to reach the detector while blocking other scattered light, thereby preserving directional information without requiring complex optical systems.
3Measurement precision
If all scattered light is blocked except forward scattered light, then navigational accuracy is improved, but light intensity from celestial bodies is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates the forward-scattered light component which, although representing only a portion of the total scattered light, contains the critical directional information for navigation. By using the movable mask to select only this specific component, the system achieves navigational accuracy while maximizing the usable light intensity from the celestial bodies that passes through the cloud cover.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate tracking of celestial bodies even under cloudy conditions by maximizing the intensity of forward-scattered light, allowing for precise determination of navigational parameters like heading and position.
Implementation Method 1
an imaging optic secured to the platform and configured to focus light from a plurality of light sources onto an imaging surface
Implementation Method 2
the selective light collector configured to allow forward scattered light from each of the plurality of light sources to pass through the selective light collector
Implementation Method 3
a light detector configured to receive the forward scattered light from the selective light collector and configured to sense an intensity of the forward scattered light
Data Source
AI summary
A wide field-of-view celestial sighting system and method are provided. The method includes orienting an imaging optic to collect light from at least one light source, such as at least one celestial body, the imaging optic being secured to a platform. The method further includes selectively collecting light from the at least one celestial body through a selective light collector secured to the platform and positioned in an imaging surface, such as an imaging plane, of the imaging optic. The method further includes combining forward scattered light from the at least one celestial body to provide a combined forward scattered light, and detecting a light intensity of the combined forward scattered light. Systems for performing the method are provided.