Failure detection and control means for improved drift performance of a gimballed platform system

Claim 2

A gimballed platform system, comprising: a first gimballed platform; a second gimballed platform coupled to the first platform in redundant configuration; a first plurality of gyros supported by the first platform; a second plurality of gyros supported by the second platform; the input axes of the gyros in the first and second pluralities of gyros being skewed relative to an orthogonal triad; means for providing signals corresponding to angular misalignment between said first and second platforms, said means including a plurality of resolvers mounted to one of said first and second platforms, a voltage source connected to the resolvers for exciting said resolver to provide outputs, and a plurality of resolvers mounted to the other of said first and second platforms and connected to corresponding resolvers in the first mentioned plurality of resolvers for being excited by the outputs therefrom to provide sine outputs corresponding to said angular misalignment; and means connected to said last mentioned means and to the gyros in one of the first and second pluralities of gyros for controlling said gyros in response to the misalignment signals.

Claim 3

A gimballed platform system, comprising: a first gimballed platform; a second gimballed platform coupled to the first platform in redundant configuration; a first plurality of gyros supported by the second platform; each of the first and second gimballed platforms including a base, a redundant gimbal coupled to the base, an outer gimbal coupled to the redundant gimbal, a middle gimbal coupled to the outer gimbal and an inner gimbal coupled to the middle gimbal; the fIrst plurality of gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the first platform and the second plurality of gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the second platform; the input axes of the gyros in the first and second pluralities of gyros being skewed relative to an orthogonal triad; means for providing signals corresponding to angular misalignment between said first and second platforms; and means connected to said last mentioned means and to the gyros in one of the first and second pluralities of gyros for controlling said gyros in response to the misalignment signals.

Claim 4

A gimballed platform system, comprising: a first gimballed platform; a second gimballed platform coupled to the first platform in redundant configuration; a first plurality of gyros supported by the second platform; each of the first and second gimballed platforms including a base, a redundant gimbal coupled to the base, an outer gimbal coupled to the redundant gimbal, a middle gimbal coupled to the outer gimbal and an inner gimbal coupled to the middle gimbal; the fIrst plurality of gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the first platform and the second plurality of gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the second platform; the input axes of the gyros in the first and second pluralities of gyros being skewed relative to an orthogonal triad; means for providing signals corresponding to angular misalignment between said first and second platforms; and means connected to said last mentioned means and to the gyros in one of the first and second pluralities of gyros for controlling said gyros in response to the misalignment signals.

Claim 5

A system as described by claim 2, wherein each of the inner, middle, outer and redundant gimbals of the first and second platforms has pivot means coupling it to an adjacent gimbal and the means for providing signals corresponding to angular misalignment between said first and second platforms includes: resolvers for each of the inner, middle, outer and redundant gimbals of one of said first and second platforms and mounted to the respective gimbal pivot means; a voltage source connected to the resolvers for exciting said resolvers to provide outputs; and other resolvers for each of the inner, middle, outer and redundant gimbals of the other of the first and second platforms and mounted to the respective gimbal pivot means, and connected to corresponding resolvers of said one platform for being excited by the outputs therefrom to provide outputs corresponding to said angular misalignment.

Claim 6

A gimballed platform system, comprising: a first gimballed platform; a second gimballed platform coupled to the first platform in redundant configuration; a first plurality of gyros supported by the first platform; a second plurality of gyros supported by the second platform; the first and second platforms including an inner gimbal, a middle gimbal, first pivot means for coupling the inner gimbal to the middle gimbal, an outer gimbal, second pivot means for coupling the middle gimbal to the outer gimbal, a redundant gimbal, third pivot means for coupling the middle gimbal to the redundant gimbal, a base, fourth pivot means for coupling the redundant gimbal to the base, the first plurality of gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the first platform and the second plurality of gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the second platform; the input axes of the gyros in the first and second pluralities of gyros being skewed relative to an orthogonal triad; means for providing signals corresponding to angular misalignment between said first and second platforms; and means connected to said last mentioned means and to the gyros in one of the first and second pluralities of gyros for controlling said gyros in response to the misalignment signals.

Claim 7

A gimballed platform system, comprising: a first gimballed platform; a second gimballed platform coupled to the first platform in redundant configuration; a first plurality of gyros supported by the first platform; a second plurality of gyros supported by the second platform; the first and second platforms including an inner gimbal, a middle gimbal, first pivot means for coupling the inner gimbal to the middle gimbal, an outer gimbal, second pivot means for coupling the middle gimbal to the outer gimbal, a redundant gimbal, third pivot means for coupling the middle gimbal to the redundant gimbal, a base, fourth pivot means for coupling the redundant gimbal to the base, the first plurality of gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the first platform and the second plurality of gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the second platform; the input axes of the gyros in the first and second pluralities of gyros being skewed relative to an orthogonal triad; means for providing signals corresponding to angular misalignment between said first and second platforms; and means connected to said last mentioned means and to the gyros in one of the first and second pluralities of gyros for controlling said gyros in response to the misalignment signals.

Claim 8

A system as described by claim 4, wherein the means for providing signals corresponding to angular misalignment between said first and second platforms includes: resolvers mounted to each of the first, second, third and fourth pivot means of the first and second platforms; means connected to the resolvers on the first and second platforms for comparing corresponding resolver outputs to provide inner gimbal misalignment command signals; and means connected to the comparing means and responsive to the command signals for providing inner gimbal error signals.

Claim 9

A system as described by claim 5, including: scaling means connected to the command signal means for providing torquing signals in response to the error signals; and one of the first and second plurality of gyros being connected to the scaling means for torquing the gyros in response to the torquing signals whereby at least one gyro in said one plurality of gyros generates an electrical moment in a sense to oppose a mechanical moment providing the inner gimbal misalignment.

Claim 10

A system as described by claim 6, including: a first servo loop connecting the one plurality of gyros to the first pivoT means; a second servo loop connecting the one plurality of gyros to the second pivot means; a third servo loop connecting the one plurality of gyros to the third pivot means; and said first, second and third servo loops being responsive to the electrical moment generated by the one gyro for driving the first platform until the angular velocity of the inner gimbal of said first platform matches the angular velocity of the inner gimbal of the second platform.

Claim 11

A system as described by claim 7, including: other scaling means for connecting the first, second and third servo loops to the one plurality of gyros.

Claim 12

A system as described by claim 4, wherein each of the first and second platforms includes: a servo loop for coupling the second pivot means to the fourth pivot means for slaving the middle gimbal to the redundant gimbal.

Claim 13

A gimballed platform system, comprising: a first platform including an inner gimbal, a middle gimbal supporting the inner gimbal, an outer gimbal supporting the middle gimbal, a redundant gimbal supporting the outer gimbal and a base supporting the redundant gimbal; a second platform including an inner gimbal, a middle gimbal supporting the inner gimbal, an outer gimbal supporting the middle gimbal, a redundant gimbal supporting the outer gimbal and a base supporting the redundant gimbal; a first group of three gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the first platform, said gyros having their input axes skewed relative to an orthogonal triad; a second group of three gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the second platform, said gyros having their input axes skewed relative to an orthogonal triad; means connected to the gimbals of said platforms for comparing the alignments of corresponding gimbals and for providing error signals corresponding to the misalignment thereof; means connected to the comparing means for providing torquing signals in response to the error signals for torquing at least one gyro in one of the first and second groups of gyros; and the one gyro being torqued by said signals for providing an electrical moment in a sense to oppose a mechanical moment providing said misalignment.

Claim 14

A gimballed platform system, comprising: a first platform including an inner gimbal, a middle gimbal supporting the inner gimbal, an outer gimbal supporting the middle gimbal, a redundant gimbal supporting the outer gimbal and a base supporting the redundant gimbal; a second platform including an inner gimbal, a middle gimbal supporting the inner gimbal, an outer gimbal supporting the middle gimbal, a redundant gimbal supporting the outer gimbal and a base supporting the redundant gimbal; a first group of three gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the first platform, said gyros having their input axes skewed relative to an orthogonal triad; a second group of three gyros supported by the inner gimbal of the second platform, said gyros having their input axes skewed relative to an orthogonal triad; means connected to the gimbals of said platforms for comparing the alignments of corresponding gimbals and for providing error signals corresponding to the misalignment thereof; means connected to the comparing means for providing torquing signals in response to the error signals for torquing at least one gyro in one of the first and second groups of gyros; and the one gyro being torqued by said signals for providing an electrical moment in a sense to oppose a mechanical moment providing said misalignment.