Scanning Light Source for Cube Corner Posture Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical systems for measuring the orientation of objects in space, such as aircraft pilot helmets, suffer from inefficiencies like excessive light loss, measurement uncertainty, and limited precision due to continuous wide-angle illumination and the need for multiple measurements to account for unknown center of projection, which can lead to errors in high-speed rotations.
Innovation Solution
A posture detection system utilizing a scanning light source that emits a parallel or almost-parallel pencil beam, allowing for angular control and focusing on a cube corner reflector with a mask, enabling precise posture determination by analyzing the position of mask border points using a photoreceptor and semi-reflecting plate, with two operational modes for search and measurement phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a point source continuously emits light into a wide angular opening to cover all possible positions of the reflector, then the measurement coverage is improved, but light intensity is lost and stealth is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a scanning light source that dynamically changes its emission angle to track and illuminate the reflector across different positions. Instead of continuous wide-angle emission, the system actively scans through angular positions to follow the reflector's movement, maintaining measurement coverage while minimizing light loss at any given moment.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning light source performs periodic angular sweeps to cover the full range of reflector positions. By cycling through angular positions systematically, the system ensures complete measurement coverage over time while concentrating light energy during each sweep, rather than continuously dispersing it across all angles simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a point source continuously emits light into a wide angular opening, then all possible reflector positions are covered, but light is radiated into surrounding space compromising stealth
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning mechanism dynamically adjusts the light emission direction to follow the reflector's position. This dynamic tracking ensures that light is only emitted toward the actual reflector location rather than continuously illuminating all surrounding spaces, maintaining position coverage capability while eliminating unnecessary light radiation that would compromise stealth.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and eliminates the harmful component of wide-angle continuous emission by implementing directional scanning. Only the specific angular direction needed to illuminate the reflector is activated at any moment, removing the extraneous light radiation into surrounding space while preserving the ability to cover all possible reflector positions through the scanning motion.
3Measurement precision
If two measurements are combined to eliminate the unknown center of projection, then measurement accuracy is improved, but the overall uncertainty cumulates the error of each measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a known reference frame or intermediary measurement system that provides a fixed reference point for the projection center. By using this intermediary reference, the system can determine the projection center directly rather than through combination of two separate measurements, thereby achieving accurate orientation measurement while avoiding the cumulative uncertainty that would result from combining multiple independent measurements.
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 minimizes energy loss and measurement time, improving precision and reducing errors by focusing the light beam on the reflector, allowing for accurate posture determination with reduced uncertainty and enhanced stealth capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
an optical assembly comprising at least one cube corner disposed on the mobile object, the said cube corner comprising a mask of known geometrical shape disposed on its entry face; the photoreceptor being configured for receiving the pencil beam of light retro-reflected by the cube corner
Implementation Method 2
the source emits a parallel or almost-parallel pencil beam of light; the electro-optical device comprises means for generating a pencil light beam which is angularly controlled and rotating about a fixed point
Data Source
AI summary
The general field of the invention is that of systems for detecting the posture of a mobile object in space. The system according to the invention comprises an electro-optical device comprising a light source, a photoreceptor and means of analysis, and a retro-reflecting cube corner disposed on the mobile object. The cube corner comprises a mask disposed on its entry face. The source emits a parallel or almost-parallel pencil beam. The electro-optical device comprises means for deviating, about a fixed point, the said pencil beam of light by an angle varying as a function of time. The photoreceptor is configured for receiving the pencil beam of light retro-reflected by the cube corner. The means of analysis are configured in such a manner as to determine, based on the signal coming from the photoreceptor, the position of a number of points representative of the borders of the mask and, using this positional information, the posture of the cube corner in space.