Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
Apparatus for detecting the attitude relative to a reference plane of an airborne vehicle operating in the electrostatic field existing in the earth''s atmosphere, comprising: probe means mounted on said vehicle and responsive to the magnitude of said electrostatic field; means for rotating the probe means in a given plane; and, means connected to said probe means for producing an output signal having an amplitude proportional to the angular attitude of the given plane, relative to the reference plane, in which the probe means are rotated and a phase related to the azimuthal direction of maximum tilt of the given plane, said output signal indicating the degree of alignment between said plane and the reference plane, the reference plane comprising an equipotential plane existing in the earth''s electrostatic field.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
Apparatus for detecting the attitude relative to a reference plane of an airborne vehicle operating in the electrostatic field existing in the earth''s atmosphere, comprising: probe means mounted on said vehicle and responsive to the magnitude of said electrostatic field; means for rotating the probe means in a given plane; and, means connected to said probe means for producing an output signal having an amplitude proportional to the angular attitude of the given plane, relative to the reference plane, in which the probe means are rotated and a phase related to the azimuthal direction of maximum tilt of the given plane, said output signal indicating the degree of alignment between said plane and the reference plane, the reference plane comprising an equipotential plane existing in the earth''s electrostatic field.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising stabilizing means on the vehicle responsive to said output signal for adjusting the attitude of said vehicle to align the plane in which the probes are rotated with an equipotential plane existing in the earth''s electrostatic field.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said probe means comprise at least one electrostatic voltage sensing probe mounted on the vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said output signal producing means comprises a differential voltmeter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said output signal producing means comprises a current meter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the airborne vehicle is a helicopter and said means for rotating the probe means comprises the rotor blades of said helicopter, the probe means being disposed on at least one of the rotor blades.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the probe means are disposed on the vehicle for rotation in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the probe means are disposed on the vehicle for rotation in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the probe means comprises a dipole antenna.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the dipole antenna has electrostatic voltage sensing probes mounted on each pole thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 9 and further comprising means for rotating said first-mentioned rotating means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for stabilizing an airborne vehicle operating in the electrostatic field existing in the earth''s atmosphere relative to a reference plane, comprising the steps of: rotating at least one sensing probe responsive to the electrostatic field in a given plane; generating an output signal having an amplitude proportional to the angular attitude of the given plane, relative to the reference plane, in which the probe is rotated and a phase related to the azimuthal direction of maximum tilt of the given plane; and, angularly displacing the position of the plane in which the probe is rotating to align with the reference plane, said reference plane comprising an equipotential plane existing in the electrostatic field.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for stabilizing an airborne vehicle operating in the electrostatic field existing in the earth''s atmosphere relative to a reference plane, comprising the steps of: rotating at least one sensing probe responsive to the electrostatic field in a given plane; generating an output signal having an amplitude proportional to the angular attitude of the given plane, relative to the reference plane, in which the probe is rotated and a phase related to the azimuthal direction of maximum tilt of the given plane; and, angularly displacing the position of the plane in which the probe is rotating to align with the reference plane, said reference plane comprising an equipotential plane existing in the electrostatic field.