Patent US2219605A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3670334A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Attitude control system
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1969-03-24
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Granted: 1972-06-13
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Expires: 1989-03-24
Abstract
Abstract A radar system for use on an aircraft or spacecraft for determining and controlling the attitude of the system antenna or of the craft, the system including an antenna unit producing four equiangularly spaced beams each of which is angularly offset by a substantial amount from a center reference axis, and means for applying radar pulse signals to each beam in succession and for deriving, from the received pulses returning from the ground, range and velocity information which is employed for orienting the antenna unit or the craft on which the system is mounted so as to impart a vertical orientation to the antenna system reference axis.
Inventors
- 👤 Alfred F Gaheen Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:05
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/02; G01S13/50; G01S13/58; G01S13/60; G01S1/00; G01S1/02; G01S13/06; G01S13/08; G01S13/10; G01S13/18; G01S13/66; G01S13/70
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
355 words
A pulse radar attitude sensing system for use in an aircraft or spacecraft, comprising in combination: a. antenna means for radiating radar pulse signals toward the ground and receiving their reflections along two pairs of beams, with the beams of each pair being angularly spaced from one another to define a large acute angle and the center axis of one pair of beams defining a longitudinal plane which intersects the plane defined by the center axis of the other pair of beams along a line constituting the reference axis of said system, said beams in said longitudinal plane being directed fore and aft, respectively, of said reference axis, the beams of said other pair being directed transversely of said longitudinal plane; b. radar pulse generating means for generating a train of radar pulses and commutation means connected between said generating means and said antenna means for causing said radar pulses to be sequentially routed to said antenna means to sequentially generate said angularly spaced beams; c. signal processing means connected to said antenna means for receiving echo pulses resulting from transmission of said radar pulses; d. means for determining the transient time between the transmission and reception of said pulses along each of said beams to determine altitude information; e. means for determining the Doppler frequency shift in the received echo pulses for determining the velocity components with respect to the ground along orthogonal axes, f. antenna attitude control means responsive to the output signals from said signal processing means for adjusting the attitude of said antenna means in accordance with information included in said echo signals; g. said commutator means being constructed to connect said antenna to generate in sequential order the forwardly directed beam in said longitudinal plane, then the other beam in said longitudinal plane, then the first one and then the other of said transverse beams; h. and gate means responsive to received echo signals for controlling said commutation means so that the received echo signal associated with each antenna element is received and processed before a radar pulse signal is applied to said antenna means to generate the next beam.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
355 words
A pulse radar attitude sensing system for use in an aircraft or spacecraft, comprising in combination: a. antenna means for radiating radar pulse signals toward the ground and receiving their reflections along two pairs of beams, with the beams of each pair being angularly spaced from one another to define a large acute angle and the center axis of one pair of beams defining a longitudinal plane which intersects the plane defined by the center axis of the other pair of beams along a line constituting the reference axis of said system, said beams in said longitudinal plane being directed fore and aft, respectively, of said reference axis, the beams of said other pair being directed transversely of said longitudinal plane; b. radar pulse generating means for generating a train of radar pulses and commutation means connected between said generating means and said antenna means for causing said radar pulses to be sequentially routed to said antenna means to sequentially generate said angularly spaced beams; c. signal processing means connected to said antenna means for receiving echo pulses resulting from transmission of said radar pulses; d. means for determining the transient time between the transmission and reception of said pulses along each of said beams to determine altitude information; e. means for determining the Doppler frequency shift in the received echo pulses for determining the velocity components with respect to the ground along orthogonal axes, f. antenna attitude control means responsive to the output signals from said signal processing means for adjusting the attitude of said antenna means in accordance with information included in said echo signals; g. said commutator means being constructed to connect said antenna to generate in sequential order the forwardly directed beam in said longitudinal plane, then the other beam in said longitudinal plane, then the first one and then the other of said transverse beams; h. and gate means responsive to received echo signals for controlling said commutation means so that the received echo signal associated with each antenna element is received and processed before a radar pulse signal is applied to said antenna means to generate the next beam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein each said beam lies at an angle of 15* with respect to said reference axis of said system.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3184736A
Cited
US3362024A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-13 | 1975-12-13 | 1976-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-13 | 1979-12-13 | 1980-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-13 | 1983-12-13 | 1984-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |