Electro-optic space positioner with background compensator

Claim 1

An apparatus for analyzing aircraft wing movement under load, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of light sources located on an aircraft wing which moves relative to a fuselage; a diode array mounted on the aircraft fuselage for sensing light from the sources as well as background, and converting sensed light to analog signals corresponding to wing displacement; analog/digital converting means connected to the diode array output for converting the analog signals to corresponding digital signals after elimination of residual charge in the diode array; means for storing the digital signals derived from background light alone; means connected to the output of the storing means for subtracting the digital signals during the two time periods - (a) non-energization of the light sources when only background light is present, (b) energization of the light sources when the background light is also present; whereby the effects of background light are eliminated thereby correlating an output from the diode array solely to the light sources on the wing; an overflow output of the subtracting means for carrying data representing the location of a sensed light source exceeding a threshold and located relative to a reference point; and means having an input connected to the overflow output for gating overflow data with a system clock, the latter clock providing system timing for the light sources and the light-sensing array.

Claim 2

An apparatus for analyzing aircraft wing movement under load, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of light sources located on an aircraft wing which moves relative to a fuselage; a diode array mounted on the aircraft fuselage for sensing light from the sources as well as background, and converting sensed light to analog signals corresponding to wing displacement; analog/digital converting means connected to the diode array output for converting the analog signals to corresponding digital signals after elimination of residual charge in the diode array; means for storing the digital signals derived from background light alone; means connected to the output of the storing means for subtracting the digital signals during the two time periods - (a) non-energization of the light sources when only background light is present, (b) energization of the light sources when the background light is also present; whereby the effects of background light are eliminated thereby correlating an output from the diode array solely to the light sources on the wing; an overflow output of the subtracting means for carrying data representing the location of a sensed light source exceeding a threshold and located relative to a reference point; and means having an input connected to the overflow output for gating overflow data with a system clock, the latter clock providing system timing for the light sources and the light-sensing array.

Claim 3

A method for analyzing aircraft wing movement under load comprising the steps: sensing background light over an array of diode elements mounted in a co-planar manner on an aircraft fuselage and converting the light to analog signals corresponding to wing displacement; eliminating residual charge on the diode elements; converting the analog signals to corresponding digital signals; storing the digital signals derived from sensed background light alone; sequentially energizing a plurality of light sources located on a wing of the aircraft; subtracting the corresponding digital signals during the two time periods - (a) non-energization of the light sources when only background light is present, (b) energization of the light sources when the background light is also present; whereby the effects of background light are eliminated thereby correlating an output from the diode elements solely to the sources on the wing; generating an overflow from the subtraction when the subtraction yields a value greater than a threshold value, the overflow representing a location of an energized light source relative to a reference point; and gating the overflow data with a system clock, the latter providing system timing for the light sources and the light-sensing array.

Claim 4

A method for analyzing aircraft wing movement under load comprising the steps: sensing background light over an array of diode elements mounted in a co-planar manner on an aircraft fuselage and converting the light to analog signals corresponding to wing displacement; eliminating residual charge on the diode elements; converting the analog signals to corresponding digital signals; storing the digital signals derived from sensed background light alone; sequentially energizing a plurality of light sources located on a wing of the aircraft; subtracting the corresponding digital signals during the two time periods - (a) non-energization of the light sources when only background light is present, (b) energization of the light sources when the background light is also present; whereby the effects of background light are eliminated thereby correlating an output from the diode elements solely to the sources on the wing; generating an overflow from the subtraction when the subtraction yields a value greater than a threshold value, the overflow representing a location of an energized light source relative to a reference point; and gating the overflow data with a system clock, the latter providing system timing for the light sources and the light-sensing array.