Star tracker having adjustable scan dependent upon radiation intensity

Claim 1

AN ELECTRO-OPTICAL SYSTEM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN OPTICAL RECEIVER HAVING AT LEAST AN OPTICAL AXIS AND A FIELD OF VIEW, SAID RECEIVER INCLUDING MEANS TO COLLECT RAY ENERGY FROM AN ILLUMINATION SOURCE AND FOCUS SAID ENERGY IN A PLANE, MEANS HAVING AN PERTURE IN SUCH FOCAL PLANE TO DEFINE THE OPTICAL FIELD OF VIEW, MEANS TO MODULATE SAID COLLECTED RAY ENERGY IN ACCORDANCE WITH AZIMUTH AND ELEVATION RELATIONS BETWEEN SAID SOURCE AND SAID SYSTEM TRANSDUCER MEANS LOCATED IN OPTICAL ALIGNMENT BEYOND SAID APERTURE TO PRODUCE ELECTRICAL SIGNALS REPRESENTATIVE OF MODULATED COLLECTED RAY ENERGY PASSING THROUGH SAID APERTURE, MEANS TO SEPARATELY POSITION SAID RECEIVER OPTICAL AXIS IN AZIMUTH AND IN ELEVATION, FIRST CONTROL MEANS TO CAUSE SAID POSITIONING MEANS TO MOVE SAID RECEIVER OPTICAL AXIS UNTIL AN ILLUMINATION SOURCE IS LOCATED, MEANS TO DE-ENERGIZE SAID FIRST CONTROL MEANS UPON THE LOCATION OF SAID ILLUMINATION SOURCE, AND SECOND CONTROL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE RESULTANT MODULATED ELECTRICAL SIGNALS TO PRODUCE ELECTRICAL SIGNALS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ERROR IN THE AZIMUTH AND ELEVATION RELATIONS BETWEEN SAID SOURCE AND SAID SYSTEM, SAID SECOND CON-