Optical Attitude Measurement via Beam Differential
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical systems for attitude adjustment in lightweight portable systems are expensive, calibration-intensive, and prone to misalignment due to large mechanical interfaces, which are sensitive to environmental conditions and require complex calibration processes.
Innovation Solution
An optical automatic attitude measurement device that uses a first optical device to provide an attitude beam and a second optical device to compute differential measurements between a reference beam and the attitude beam in the x and y planes at room temperature, reducing the need for precise mechanical coupling and environmental calibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If large mechanical interfaces (couplings) are used between optical devices to hold devices tightly and ensure good alignment, then alignment precision is improved, but device weight increases and sensitivity to fouling and damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical alignment interfaces with an optical measurement system. Two optical devices (laser and camera) emit and detect light beams to measure attitude angles. The mechanical coupling is reduced to a simple holder that maintains rough alignment, while precise attitude measurement is achieved optically through beam intersection and image coordinate analysis, eliminating the need for heavy precision mechanical interfaces.
2Stability of the object's composition
If large mechanical interfaces are used to ensure good alignment, then alignment stability is improved, but reliability decreases due to sensitivity to fouling, dirt, and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical alignment stability with optical measurement stability. The attitude measurement system uses light beam intersection and image coordinate detection that are not affected by mechanical fouling or damage. The simple mechanical holder only needs to maintain rough alignment, while precise attitude angles are measured optically, making the system reliable even when mechanical components are contaminated or damaged.
3Measurement precision
If checker board pattern method is used to generate parallel lines for depth information, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and calibration requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential function of the checker board method (measuring attitude angles) and implements it through a simpler optical system. Instead of using complex parallel line generation and depth information extraction from images, the system directly measures attitude angles by detecting the intersection point of two light beams and calculating angles from image coordinates, achieving the same measurement goal with reduced complexity.
4Measurement precision
If checker board pattern method is used with higher precision requirements, then attitude measurement precision is improved, but calibration intensity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex calibration process of the checker board method with a simpler optical calibration approach. The system uses two optical devices whose relative positions and orientations are determined through light beam intersection and image coordinate analysis, requiring less intensive calibration than the non-linear camera lens calibration needed for high-precision checker board methods.
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
This solution provides accurate, environmentally insensitive, and cost-effective attitude measurement between optical devices, reducing weight and tolerance requirements while maintaining high accuracy and robustness against fouling and environmental changes.
Implementation Method 1
a first optical device is configured to provide an attitude beam. A second optical device mechanically coupled to the first optical device to a lose tolerance. The second optical device is configured to provide a reference beam
Data Source
AI summary
An optical automatic attitude measurement device for a lightweight portable optical system is disclosed. In one embodiment, a first optical device is configured to provide an attitude beam. A second optical device mechanically coupled to the first optical device to a lose tolerance. The second optical device is configured to provide a reference beam and to receive the attitude beam from the first optical device. The second optical device is further configured to obtain an attitude measurement by computing a differential measurement between the reference beam and the attitude beam in x and y planes at room temperature.