Despin control system for a multispin stabilized device

Claim 2

In a system including a device having a rotor section which is rotatably coupled to a despun section, apparatus for detecting the deviation of said despun section from a desired angular position comprising: means supported by said rotor section and said despun section for generating a master index pulse during rotation of said rotor section for each revolution of said rotor section relative to a fixed location on said despun section; means supported by said rotor section for generating a leading edge pulse during rotation of said rotor section when said rotor section is oriented with respect to one boundary of a region within which is said desired angular position, and a trailing edge pulse when said rotor section is oriented with respect to a different boundary of said region; and means responsive to the time of occurrence of said master index pulse relative to said leading edge and trailing edge pulses for generating a deviation error signal representative of the deviation of said despun section from said desired angular position.

Claim 3

In a system including a device having a rotor section which is rotatably coupled to a despun section, apparatus for detecting the deviation of said despun section from a desired angular position comprising: means supported by said rotor section and said despun section for generating a master index pulse during rotation of said rotor section for each revolution of said rotor section relative to a fixed location on said despun section; means supported by said rotor section for generating a leading edge pulse during rotation of said rotor section when said rotor section is oriented with respect to one boundary of a region within which is said desired angular position, and a trailing edge pulse when said rotor section is oriented with respect to a different boundary of said region; and means responsive to the time of occurrence of said master index pulse relative to said leading edge and trailing edge pulses for generating a deviation error signal representative of the deviation of said despun section from said desired angular position.

Claim 4

In a system including a device having a rotor section which is rotatably coupled to a despun section, apparatus for detecting the deviation of said despun section from a desired angular position comprising: means supported by said rotor section and said despun section for generating a master index pulse during rotation of said rotor section for each revolution of said rotor section relative to a fixed location on said despun section; means supported by said rotor section for generating a leading edge pulse during rotation of said rotor section when said rotor section is oriented with respect to one boundary of a region within which is said desired angular position, and a trailing edge pulse when said rotor section is oriented with respect to a different boundary of said region; and means responsive to the time of occurrence of said master index pulse relative to said leading edge and trailing edge pulses for generating a deviation error signal representative of the deviation of said despun section from said desired angular position.

Claim 5

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 including means responsive to said deviation error signal for moving said despun section toward said desired angular position.

Claim 6

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for generating said deviation error signal representative of the deviation of said despun section from said desired angular position includes: means for generating a ramp Signal changing in one sense in response to said leading edge pulse; means for causing said ramp signal to change in an opposite sense in response to the occurrence of said master index pulse; a bias circuit for producing a bias signal; and means responsive to the occurrence of said trailing edge pulse for comparing said ramp signal with said bias signal at the time of occurrence of said trailing edge pulse to produce said deviation error signal.

Claim 7

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means supported by said rotor section and said despun section for generating a master index pulse comprises a magnet and a coil respectively supported by said rotor section and said despun section, and said means for generating leading edge and trailing edge pulses comprises a bolometer.

Claim 8

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for generating said deviation error signal representative of the deviation of said despun section from said desired angular position includes: an integrator circuit to integrate responsive to the leading edge pulse and to cease integrating responsive to the trailing edge pulse; a one-shot circuit having its output connected to the input of said integrator to cause operation of said integrator; means for applying said master index pulse to said one-shot circuit to cause said one-shot circuit to change its input to said integrator circuit; a bias circuit; and means for comparing the output of said integrator with the output of said bias circuit upon the occurrence of a trailing edge pulse to produce said deviation error signal.

Claim 9

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, including additionally means for determining the rate of deviation of said despun section from a desired angular position comprising: means responsive to said leading edge pulse for generating a predetermined number of pulse signals during a cycle of rotation of said spinning rotor; counter means for counting said predetermined number of pulse signals; and means for comparing the time of occurrence of said master index pulse with a predetermined count output of said counter means for producing an angular rate error signal indicative of the time of occurrence of said master index pulse with respect to the time of occurrence of said predetermined count.

Claim 10

Apparatus as recited in claim 6 including means responsive to said deviation error signal and said angular rate error signal for angularly moving said despun section toward said desired position.

Claim 11

Apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said means for generating a predetermined number of pulses responsive to said leading edge pulse comprises: a voltage controlled oscillator; a counter having a predetermined count capacity; means for applying the output of said voltage controlled oscillator to said counter; and means responsive to the difference in time of arrival between a predetermined count of said counter and a leading edge pulse for controlling the frequency of said voltage controlled oscillator to minimize the difference in time of occurrence between said predetermined count of said counter and said leading edge pulse.

Claim 12

In a stabilized device wherein a rotor section is coupled through bearings to a despun section, apparatus for detecting the angular rate of deviation of said despun section from a reference angular position assumed by said rotor section during rotation, comprising: means supported by said rotor section for generating a master index pulse for each cycle of rotation of said rotor section relative to a fixed location on said despun section; means for generating a leading edge pulse during rotation of said rotor section each time said rotor section assumes a predetermined angular position relative to an external reference location; means responsive to said leading edge pulse for generating a predetermined number of pulse signals during a cycle of rotation of said rotor section; counter means for counting said predetermined number of pulse signals; and means for comparing the time of occurrence of said master index pulse with a predetermined count of said counter means for generating an error signal indicative of the time of occurrence of said master index pulse with respect to the time of occurrence of said predetermined count, said error signal representing the angular rate of deviation of said despun section from a reference angular position assumed by said rotor section during rotation.

Claim 13

In a stabilized device wherein a rotor section is coupled through bearings to a despun section, apparatus for detecting the angular rate of deviation of said despun section from a reference angular position assumed by said rotor section during rotation, comprising: means supported by said rotor section for generating a master index pulse for each cycle of rotation of said rotor section relative to a fixed location on said despun section; means for generating a leading edge pulse during rotation of said rotor section each time said rotor section assumes a predetermined angular position relative to an external reference location; means responsive to said leading edge pulse for generating a predetermined number of pulse signals during a cycle of rotation of said rotor section; counter means for counting said predetermined number of pulse signals; and means for comparing the time of occurrence of said master index pulse with a predetermined count of said counter means for generating an error signal indicative of the time of occurrence of said master index pulse with respect to the time of occurrence of said predetermined count, said error signal representing the angular rate of deviation of said despun section from a reference angular position assumed by said rotor section during rotation.

Claim 14

In a system as recited in claim 9 wherein said means responsive to said leading edge pulse for generating a predetermined number of pulse signals during a cycle of rotation of said rotor section comprises: a voltage controlled oscillator; a counter having a predetermined count capacity; means for applying the output of said voltage controlled oscillator to said counter; and means responsive to the difference in time of occurrence between a predetermined count of said counter and a leading edge pulse for controlling the frequency of said voltage controlled oscillator to minimize the difference of time of occurrence between said predetermined count and said leading edge pulse.