Patent US3383239A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3603775A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3603775A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Steering computer and indicator
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1968-08-21
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Granted: 1971-09-07
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Expires: 1988-08-21
Abstract
Abstract A steering control system for automatically navigating a vehicle along a predetermined course having a reference station for supplying distance and timing data signals, signal generators for supplying vehicle data signals, a receiver, and a computer for computing the steering mechanism actuations necessary to make said vehicle maintain the aforesaid predetermined course in response to said data signals.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard T Galloway
- 👤 David H Brunk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:53
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/02; G05D1/0206; G06; G06G; G06G7/00; G06G7/48; G06G7/78
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
623 words
A navigation system for guiding a vehicle having a steering means toward and along a predetermined course comprising in combination: means for determining the distance said vehicle has deviated from said predetermined course and generating a data signal representative thereof; means for generating a plurality of data signals respectively representing vehicle speed, vehicle compass heading, vehicle drift angle, and predetermined course direction; means connected to said vehicle steering means for generating a data signal representing the disposition thereof; means effectively connected to the output of said vehicle course deviation data signal generating means for receiving and storing the deviation data signal generated thereby; an integrator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof effectively connected to a reset pulse; a sine potentiometer having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said means for generating a plurality of data signals for response to the vehicle speed data signal produced thereby, with the other input thereof being a control shaft input, and with the output thereof connected to the other input of said integrator; a first subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said means for generating a plurality of data signals for response to the course direction data signals produced thereby, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said means for generating a plurality of data signals for response to the vehicle drift angle data signal produced thereby; a second subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said means for generating a plurality of data signals for response to the vehicle compass heading signal produced thereby, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said first subtract circuit; a comparator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said second subtract circuit, and with the other input thereof being a control shaft input; a reversible motor having an input and a shaft output, with the input thereof effectively connected to the output of said comparator, with the shaft output thereof coupled to the control shaft input of said comparator for the null-balance thereof, and with the shaft output thereof coupled to the control shaft input of the aforesaid sine potentiometer; means connected to the shaft output of said reversible motor for generating an output signal representing the first derivative thereof with respect to time; a potentiometer having adjustable shaft input coupled to the shaft output of said reversible motor; a first adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with the inputs thereof respectively connected to the outputs of said first derivative signal generating means and said potentiometer; a second adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said storage means, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said integrator; a third adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof Connected to the output of said first adder circuit, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said second adder circuit; and a third subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said third adder circuit, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said vehicle steering means disposition data signal generating means for response to the vehicle steering means disposition data signal produced thereby.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
623 words
A navigation system for guiding a vehicle having a steering means toward and along a predetermined course comprising in combination: means for determining the distance said vehicle has deviated from said predetermined course and generating a data signal representative thereof; means for generating a plurality of data signals respectively representing vehicle speed, vehicle compass heading, vehicle drift angle, and predetermined course direction; means connected to said vehicle steering means for generating a data signal representing the disposition thereof; means effectively connected to the output of said vehicle course deviation data signal generating means for receiving and storing the deviation data signal generated thereby; an integrator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof effectively connected to a reset pulse; a sine potentiometer having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said means for generating a plurality of data signals for response to the vehicle speed data signal produced thereby, with the other input thereof being a control shaft input, and with the output thereof connected to the other input of said integrator; a first subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said means for generating a plurality of data signals for response to the course direction data signals produced thereby, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said means for generating a plurality of data signals for response to the vehicle drift angle data signal produced thereby; a second subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said means for generating a plurality of data signals for response to the vehicle compass heading signal produced thereby, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said first subtract circuit; a comparator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said second subtract circuit, and with the other input thereof being a control shaft input; a reversible motor having an input and a shaft output, with the input thereof effectively connected to the output of said comparator, with the shaft output thereof coupled to the control shaft input of said comparator for the null-balance thereof, and with the shaft output thereof coupled to the control shaft input of the aforesaid sine potentiometer; means connected to the shaft output of said reversible motor for generating an output signal representing the first derivative thereof with respect to time; a potentiometer having adjustable shaft input coupled to the shaft output of said reversible motor; a first adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with the inputs thereof respectively connected to the outputs of said first derivative signal generating means and said potentiometer; a second adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said storage means, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said integrator; a third adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof Connected to the output of said first adder circuit, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said second adder circuit; and a third subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said third adder circuit, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said vehicle steering means disposition data signal generating means for response to the vehicle steering means disposition data signal produced thereby.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention of claim 1 further characterized by means effectively connected between an output of said vehicle distance deviation determining means and an input of said steering disposition changing means for timely updating the vehicle deviation distance data signal supplied thereto.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
113 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means for determining the distance said vehicle has deviated from said predetermined course and generating a data signal representative thereof comprises: means for determining the distances from a known reference station to said vehicle and from said reference station and the predetermined course to be traveled by said vehicle; means connected to said distance determining means for computing the distance said vehicle is located from said predetermined course in response to the aforesaid determined distances; and a signal generator means connected to said computing means for generating an output signal corresponding to the distance said vehicle is located from said predetermined course at any given instant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means for generating a plurality of data signals respectively representing vehicle speed, vehicle compass heading, vehicle drift angle, and predetermined course direction comprises a like plurality of signal generators located on board said vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means connected to said vehicle steering means for generating a data signal representing the disposition thereof comprises a signal generator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 1 further characterized by a readout connected to the output of said third subtract circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The invention of claim 1 further characterized by: a steering servo connected to the output of said third subtract circuit; and a vehicle control means connected between the output of said steering servo and the input of the aforesaid vehicle steering means disposition data signal generating means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
514 words
A computer for navigating a vehicle having a steering means toward and along a predetermined course in response to a plurality of input data signals representing the error distance between said vehicle and said predetermined course at any given instant, vehicle speed, vehicle compass heading, vehicle drift angle, the compass direction of said predetermined course, and the disposition of the aforesaid vehicle steering means, and a reset pulse, respectively, comprising in combination: a first subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof adapted for response to the data signal representing the compass direction of said predetermined course, and with the other input thereof adapted for response to the data signal representing said vehicle drift angle; a second subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof adapted for response to the data signal representing the vehicle compass heading, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said first subtract circuit; an adjustable sine potentiometer having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof adapted for response to the data signal representing vehicle speed, and with the other input thereof being a control shaft input; null-balance means connected to the output of said second subtract circuit for producing the mechanical equivalent thereof in the form of a shaft position proportional thereto, with the shaft output thereof connected to the coNtrol shaft input of the aforesaid sine potentiometer; another potentiometer having an adjustable shaft input connected to the shaft output of said null-balance means; a tachometer signal generator having a rotatable shaft input connected to the shaft output of said null-balance means for producing a signal at the output thereof representative of the first derivative of the shaft input thereof with respect to time; a first adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with the inputs thereof respectively connected to the outputs of said tachometer signal generator and said another potentiometer; a storage means for storing the input data signal representing the error distance between said vehicle and said predetermined course at any given instant; an integrator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof adapted for response to said reset pulse, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of the aforesaid sine potentiometer; a second adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said storage means, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said integrator; a third adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with the inputs thereof respectively connected to the outputs of said first and second adder circuits; and a third subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof adapted for response to the data signal representing the disposition of said vehicle steering means, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of the aforesaid third adder circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
514 words
A computer for navigating a vehicle having a steering means toward and along a predetermined course in response to a plurality of input data signals representing the error distance between said vehicle and said predetermined course at any given instant, vehicle speed, vehicle compass heading, vehicle drift angle, the compass direction of said predetermined course, and the disposition of the aforesaid vehicle steering means, and a reset pulse, respectively, comprising in combination: a first subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof adapted for response to the data signal representing the compass direction of said predetermined course, and with the other input thereof adapted for response to the data signal representing said vehicle drift angle; a second subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof adapted for response to the data signal representing the vehicle compass heading, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said first subtract circuit; an adjustable sine potentiometer having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof adapted for response to the data signal representing vehicle speed, and with the other input thereof being a control shaft input; null-balance means connected to the output of said second subtract circuit for producing the mechanical equivalent thereof in the form of a shaft position proportional thereto, with the shaft output thereof connected to the coNtrol shaft input of the aforesaid sine potentiometer; another potentiometer having an adjustable shaft input connected to the shaft output of said null-balance means; a tachometer signal generator having a rotatable shaft input connected to the shaft output of said null-balance means for producing a signal at the output thereof representative of the first derivative of the shaft input thereof with respect to time; a first adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with the inputs thereof respectively connected to the outputs of said tachometer signal generator and said another potentiometer; a storage means for storing the input data signal representing the error distance between said vehicle and said predetermined course at any given instant; an integrator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof adapted for response to said reset pulse, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of the aforesaid sine potentiometer; a second adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said storage means, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of said integrator; a third adder circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with the inputs thereof respectively connected to the outputs of said first and second adder circuits; and a third subtract circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof adapted for response to the data signal representing the disposition of said vehicle steering means, and with the other input thereof connected to the output of the aforesaid third adder circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 8 further characterized by a readout connected to the output of said third subtract circuit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3342982A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-06 | 1975-03-08 | 1975-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-06 | 1979-03-08 | 1979-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-06 | 1983-03-08 | 1983-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |