REMOTE OPTICAL POSITION SENSING DEVICE AND METHODS

摘要

An optical position sensing system and method for sensing a gimbal position in a gimbal-based optical system. One example of an optical position sensing system includes an off-gimbal light source that generates a position sensing light beam and transmits the position sensing light beam along an optical coude path of the optical system, and an on-gimbal optical element that causes a change in an intensity of the position sensing light beam based on rotation of the gimbal about the axis. The system further includes an off-gimbal detector configured to receive the position sensing light beam returned from the optical element and to detect the change in the intensity of the position sensing light beam, and a controller coupled to the detector and configured to determine the gimbal position based on a correlation between the change in the intensity of the position sensing light beam and the gimbal position.

主权项

1. An optical position sensing system for sensing a gimbal position in a gimbal-based optical system comprising:
a light source configured to generate a position sensing light beam, the light source being mounted off-gimbal in the optical system and further configured to transmit the position sensing light beam along an optical coude path of the optical system; an optical element mounted on an axis of the gimbal and configured to cause a change in an intensity of the position sensing light beam based on rotation of the gimbal about the axis; a detector mounted off-gimbal in the optical system and configured to receive the position sensing light beam returned from the optical element and to detect the change in the intensity of the position sensing light beam; and a controller coupled to the detector and configured to determine the gimbal position based on a correlation between the change in the intensity of the position sensing light beam and the gimbal position.