Method and apparatus for celestial navigation
Patent 4104722 Issued on August 1, 1978. Estimated Expiration Date: 
September 10, 1996. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
September 10, 1996. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent References 2818211 2936120 3194949 3214575 3571567 InventorApplicationNo. 05/722085 filed on 09/10/1976US Classes:701/222, Using star tracker33/21.2, Spherical33/268, Celestial708/440, Evaluation of trigonometric function73/178RNAVIGATIONExaminersPrimary: Smith, JerryAttorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesG01S 5/00 (20060101)G01C 21/02 (20060101) AbstractThis invention provides an improved method and apparatus for celestial navigation. A reference spherical triangle is established from the coordinates of the ground position of an observed selected celestial body and an assumed position for the observer. A second right spherical triangle is then derived from a functional relationship between the first triangle and the observed height of the celestial body. The location of the end of the hypotenuse of the second triangle opposite the ground position defines a point of position on a line of position for the observer. The compass bearing for the line of position is functionally derived from conventional relationships and the line of position may be plotted through the point of position. Plotting means are provided to maintain the spaced relationship between lines of longitude and lines of latitude as a function of latitude for a mercator map projection and to directly plot the point of position on the plotting means. | |
