US3624367A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Self-optimized and adaptive attitude control system
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1968-11-12
•
Granted: 1971-11-30
•
Expires: 1988-11-12
Abstract
Abstract Technique, method and apparatus for obtaining optimized, selfadaptive, attitude control in space vehicles using on-off reaction motor propulsion for torquing the vehicle about its axes of attitude. Formulation to determine a time duration of known thrust to impart a calculated angular acceleration is based on angular velocities and is calculated from maximum permissible angular deviation, an appropriate lesser deviation, initial mass and initial thrust force as parameters and time as a universal variable. Technique provides for operation both in presence of and absence of directional bias forces and includes updating of data representing vehicle parameters. Disclosure includes one apparatus to accomplish the method by application of digital computation.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephen B Hamilton
- 👤 Robert J Kelly Jr
- 👤 Robert C Wells
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 05:01
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64G; B64G1/00; B64G1/22; B64G1/24; B64G1/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
An attitude control system for maintaining a body within predetermined limits of deviation from a desired attitude with respect to an axis of that body about which said body has freedom of movement comprising: a. an attitude sensor producing an electric attitude signal representing the orientation of said body as measured about said axis of said body, b. torquing means for applying a force in at least one of several predetermined directions in response to electrical signals to move said body about said axis to change its orientation with respect to said axis, and c. an electronic adaptive control computer responsive to said attitude signals for generating signals for starting and stopping said torquing means to maintain said body within said predetermined limits of deviation including: 1. comparator means for comparing said attitude signal with stored reference signals representing predetermined amounts of deviation from said desired attitude and generating distinct limit signals indicating the time at which said attitude signal equals any of said reference signals, 2. sequencing logic responsive to said limit signals and to the sequence in which said limit signals occur for generating logic signals, and 3. computing and memory circuits responsive to said logic signals, to preset values and to time for generating said electrical signals to which said torquing means is responsive to maintain said body within said predetermined limit of deviation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
227 words
An attitude control system for maintaining a body within predetermined limits of deviation from a desired attitude with respect to an axis of that body about which said body has freedom of movement comprising: a. an attitude sensor producing an electric attitude signal representing the orientation of said body as measured about said axis of said body, b. torquing means for applying a force in at least one of several predetermined directions in response to electrical signals to move said body about said axis to change its orientation with respect to said axis, and c. an electronic adaptive control computer responsive to said attitude signals for generating signals for starting and stopping said torquing means to maintain said body within said predetermined limits of deviation including: 1. comparator means for comparing said attitude signal with stored reference signals representing predetermined amounts of deviation from said desired attitude and generating distinct limit signals indicating the time at which said attitude signal equals any of said reference signals, 2. sequencing logic responsive to said limit signals and to the sequence in which said limit signals occur for generating logic signals, and 3. computing and memory circuits responsive to said logic signals, to preset values and to time for generating said electrical signals to which said torquing means is responsive to maintain said body within said predetermined limit of deviation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
sequencing logic responsive to said limit signals and to the sequence in which said limit signals occur for generating logic signals, and
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
sequencing logic responsive to said limit signals and to the sequence in which said limit signals occur for generating logic signals, and
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The attitude control system of claim 1 wherein said torquing means when actuated applies a constant force and said electrical signals generated by said computing and memory circuits constitute pulse duration signals conveying a time for actuation of said torquing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
The attitude control system of claim 2 wherein said logic signals generated by said sequencing logic indicate a first mode of computation in response to a sequence of said limIt signals indicating a situation in which attitude deviation of said body is a result of random drift and indicate a second mode of computation in response to a sequence of limit signals indicating a situation in which attitude deviation of said body is a result of a bias force.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
computing and memory circuits responsive to said logic signals, to preset values and to time for generating said electrical signals to which said torquing means is responsive to maintain said body within said predetermined limit of deviation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
computing and memory circuits responsive to said logic signals, to preset values and to time for generating said electrical signals to which said torquing means is responsive to maintain said body within said predetermined limit of deviation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
92 words
The attitude control system of claim 3 wherein said stored reference signals include two maximum deviation signals + or -theta M and two secondary deviation signals + or - ( theta M-theta c) representing deviations symmetrically centered on said desired attitude to define a permissible zone 2 theta M of deviation subdivided into a central zone 2( theta M- theta c) bordered by two critical zones theta c and wherein said preset values include a stored signal Alpha c, a plant constant correlating the effectiveness of said torquing means to the system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
The attitude control system of claim 4 wherein said computing and memory circuits generate said pulse duration signal to have a pulse duration time ton according to: in said first mode: ton (1.5 theta c)/( Alpha cto) (22) in said second mode: wherein: to time of crossing critical zone theta c in deviation ti time within the central zone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
The attitude control system of claim 5 wherein said electrical signals generated by said computing and memory circuits in said second mode also includes a signal representing a new plant constant Alpha c'' computed from the results of the preceding correction of the deviation of said body according to: wherein tc time of crossing critical zone in correction.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
326 words
An apparatus for determining and applying an attitude correcting force to a body having rotational freedom about an axis to maintain said body within a predetermined limit of rotational error from a correct attitude with a minimum of correcting force comprising in combination: a. position sensing means for producing an error signal proportional to deviation of the body from the correct attitude; b. analog switch comparator means responsive to said error signal and to four zone boundary value signals preset in said comparator means for producing a distinct event signal indicating the occurrence of said error signal being equal to any said zone boundary value signal, said zone boundary value signals in pairs representing inner and outer zones of permissible rotational error centered on said correct attitude; c. electronic computer means responsive to said event signals, to stored signals carrying preset values, to time and to an established program for converting said event signals to directionally significant time duration signals, said computer being programmed to operate in a Mode A when said event signals occur in sequence from one extreme to the other indicating rotation of said body completely through said outer and inner zones and to operate in a Mode B when said event signals occur in a sequence of repetition indicating an oscillating rotation of said body about the borders of both said zones on one side of said correct attitude, said computer means producing said directionally significant time duration signals responsive to the sequence of passing said inner and outer permissible zone boundaries in that order, and said time duration signals being directionally significant to indicate the direction required for rotation of the body back into said zones; and, d. body torquing means responsive to said directionally significant time duration signal for applying a constant force to said body to torque said body about said axis in the direction and for the period of time prescribed by said directionally significant time duration signal.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
326 words
An apparatus for determining and applying an attitude correcting force to a body having rotational freedom about an axis to maintain said body within a predetermined limit of rotational error from a correct attitude with a minimum of correcting force comprising in combination: a. position sensing means for producing an error signal proportional to deviation of the body from the correct attitude; b. analog switch comparator means responsive to said error signal and to four zone boundary value signals preset in said comparator means for producing a distinct event signal indicating the occurrence of said error signal being equal to any said zone boundary value signal, said zone boundary value signals in pairs representing inner and outer zones of permissible rotational error centered on said correct attitude; c. electronic computer means responsive to said event signals, to stored signals carrying preset values, to time and to an established program for converting said event signals to directionally significant time duration signals, said computer being programmed to operate in a Mode A when said event signals occur in sequence from one extreme to the other indicating rotation of said body completely through said outer and inner zones and to operate in a Mode B when said event signals occur in a sequence of repetition indicating an oscillating rotation of said body about the borders of both said zones on one side of said correct attitude, said computer means producing said directionally significant time duration signals responsive to the sequence of passing said inner and outer permissible zone boundaries in that order, and said time duration signals being directionally significant to indicate the direction required for rotation of the body back into said zones; and, d. body torquing means responsive to said directionally significant time duration signal for applying a constant force to said body to torque said body about said axis in the direction and for the period of time prescribed by said directionally significant time duration signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said preset values carried by said stored signals include a plant constant Alpha c which is a measureMent of the effectiveness of said torquing means and wherein said electronic computer means is also programmed in Mode B to modify said stored signals to update said preset values to include a new plant constant Alpha c''.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
93 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said electronic computer is also programmed to store the time duration ton of said directionally significant time duration signals and to modify said stored signals according to: where, in addition to ton and Alpha c'': ti time between successive said event signals indicating time within inner zone to time between successive said event signals indicating rotation of body from inner zone to outside of outer zone tc time between successive said event signals indicating rotation of body from outside of outer zone to inside of inner zone.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
153 words
The apparatus defined in any one of claims 7, 8 or 9 wherein the said established program includes as the relationship between ton, the time duration of said directionally significant time duration signals and values defined by the other said signals: in Mode A: ton (1.5 theta c)/( Alpha cto) (22) in Mode B: wherein, in addition to ton: theta M angular measurement about body axis of outer zone of permissible rotational error in one direction of deviation from the correct attitude theta c angular measurement of separation of inner and outer zones of permissible error in one direction of deviation ti time between successive said event signals indicating time within inner zone to time between successive said event signals indicating rotation of body from inner zone to outside of outer zone tc time between successive said event signals indicating rotation of body from outside of outer zone to inside of inner zone.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-11-29 | 1975-05-31 | 1975-11-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-11-29 | 1979-05-31 | 1979-11-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-11-29 | 1983-05-31 | 1983-11-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |