Patents by Inventor Leon G. Palmer

Leon G. Palmer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5734736
    Abstract: Disclosed is an autonomous rendezvous and docking system and method therefor used for the rendezvous and docking of spacecraft. The autonomous rendezvous and docking system allows spacecraft rendezvous, proximity maneuvering, and docking between a chase spacecraft and a target spacecraft by determining the relative position between the two spacecrafts. The relative position is determined based on the location of target reflections from a reflective target positioned on the target spacecraft. The target reflections are identified by intensity, shape, size and location from various other spurious reflections. This ultimately allows the autonomous rendezvous and docking system to determine the x, y, z, roll, pitch and yaw positions of the target spacecraft in relation to the chase spacecraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Leon G. Palmer, Timothy J. Murphy, John A. Morrison, Teresa M. Morrison