Karl C Oittinen

US Patent:

8587775, Nov 19, 2013

Filed:

Apr 14, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/760042

Inventors:

Kitchener Clark Wilson - Santa Barbara CA, US
Scott J. Rau - Murrieta CA, US
Karl C. Oittinen - Irvine CA, US

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

G01B 11/26

US Classification:

35613901

Abstract:

A system for tracking a structure relative to the sun using an azimuth motor and an elevation motor, the system including an ephemeris calculator configured to output an anticipated azimuth angle and an anticipated zenith angle of the sun relative to the structure geographic location at a given time, a command calculator configured to generate an azimuth motor shaft position command corresponding to the anticipated azimuth angle and an elevation motor shaft position command corresponding to the anticipated zenith angle, an azimuth control loop configured to minimize a difference between the azimuth motor shaft position command and the actual azimuth motor shaft position, and an elevation control loop configured to minimize a difference between the elevation motor shaft position command and the actual elevation motor shaft position.