Thomas N Bank

US Patent:

62526278, Jun 26, 2001

Filed:

Aug 25, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/383060

Inventors:

Wayne Frame - Cedarridge CO
Thomas Bank - Boulder CO
Richard Deters - Boulder CO

Assignee:

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. - Boulder CO

International Classification:

H04N 5335

US Classification:

348311

Abstract:

A tracker for stellar objects including stars is provided. The star tracker includes a charge coupled device having an image section and a memory section. The image section is useful in obtaining acquisition information related to determining the presence of one or more stars. The image section is also useful in obtaining location information useful in determining the position of each such star. The image section also obtains discardable information, such as information related to dark current and background star generated charge. The memory section receives the location or acquisition information from the image section. Such information is stored in significantly fewer lines and cells in the memory section than the number of lines from which such information was obtained in the image section. When storing location information in the memory section, at least one guard line can be provided intermediate the location information and the discardable information.