Patent ID: 6982681

Claim:
An apparatus for detecting electromagnetic radiation ( 300 ), in particular for radio astronomic applications, comprising: a receiving element ( 10 ) designed to detect the electromagnetic radiation ( 300 ) of defined frequency and to generate as output corresponding signals addressed to a reception and processing centre; a plurality of reflecting elements ( 20 ) which are associated with each other in such a way as to form the surface ( 30 ) designed to receive the electromagnetic radiation ( 300 ) and to direct it at the receiving element ( 10 ); a plurality of actuators ( 40 ), each one positioned close to at least one of the reflecting elements ( 20 ) and operating on at least one reflecting element ( 20 ) in such a way as to vary the latter's position, each of the actuators ( 40 ) being equipped with: a drive unit ( 41 ); mechanical transmission means ( 42 ), connected to the drive unit ( 41 ) and to the respective reflecting element ( 20 ) in order to transmit to the reflecting element ( 20 ) the motion generated by the drive unit ( 41 ), the mechanical transmission means ( 42 ) being mobile between a plurality of working positions, each of which corresponds to at least one predetermined position of the respective reflecting element ( 20 ); a processing unit ( 50 ) connected to the actuators ( 40 ) and designed to send to the actuators ( 40 ) control signals ( 100 ) enabling the drive units ( 41 ) of the actuators ( 40 ) to move the transmission means ( 42 ) connected to the drive units ( 41 ) between said working positions, each of the control signals ( 100 ) containing at least one positioning parameter ( 100 a ) defining a working position of the transmission means ( 42 ) of a target actuator; the apparatus being characterised in that it further comprises a plurality of smart circuit blocks ( 60 ), each connected to a corresponding actuator ( 40 ) and located between the processing unit ( 50 ) and the drive unit ( 41 ) of the corresponding actuator ( 40 ), each of the smart circuit blocks ( 60 ) being designed to receive as input a control signal ( 100 ) from the processing unit ( 50 ) and to generate as output a corresponding displacement parameter ( 101 ) addressed to the drive unit ( 41 ) of the corresponding actuator ( 40 ) to position at least one reflecting element ( 20 ) connected to it.