Patent ID: 6304799
Filing Date: 2001-10-16
Classification: B64G,H04B

Abstract:
An apparatus for determining an initial pointing uncertainty of a communications beam in a satellite communications system comprising:a communications terminal which generates said communications beam;a pointing mechanism coupled to said communications mechanism and operative to move and point said communications mechanism;a data storage device configured to store data from which an actual position of a preselected light source which radiates a reference light is capable of being determined;an acquisition sensor configured to move with said communications terminal said communications terminal configured to focus said reference light onto the acquisition sensor;a control mechanism coupled to said pointing mechanism and operative to move said pointing mechanism to a position which would focus the reference light at a preselected position onto said acquisition sensor upon said initial pointing uncertainly being substantially zero, said reference light focusing at a measured position on said acquisition sensor; and,a processor coupled to said acquisition sensor and operative to calculate a difference between said preselected position and said measured position, said pointing uncertainty can be determined from said difference.