IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,749,885
Granted Patent B2
US 8,749,885 · App. 13/597,961 · Granted Jun 10, 2014

Apparatus for automatically introducing celestial object, terminal device and control system for astronomical telescope

Inventors: Norimasa Fujimoto (Tokorozawa, JP); Mitsuaki Hirono (Tokorozawa, JP)
Assignee: Vixen Co., Ltd.
G02B23/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,749,885
App. No.
13/597,961
Granted
Jun 10, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A terminal device of an apparatus to automatically introduce a target celestial object includes an input operation section executing a command operation on the apparatus. An image display section indicates a star map image in accordance with a display scale factor. The input operation section includes a rotation command means that executes a rotational driving of the astronomical telescope in a telescope control mode. A scale factor input means executes an input specification of the display scale factor for the displayed star map image, which corresponds to a position on a celestial sphere toward which the astronomical telescope is headed, while a speed of rotation of the astronomical telescope controlled by the rotation command means changes in accordance with a decreasing function of the display scale factor.

Claims (10)

1. A handheld type terminal device connectable to an automatic introduction apparatus for automatically introducing a target celestial object by controlling a rotation of an astronomical telescope around at least two axes, said terminal device comprising:

an input operation section for executing a command operation on said automatic introduction apparatus;

an image display section of said handheld-type terminal device indicating a star map image for a predetermined area on a celestial sphere in accordance with a display scale factor;

an azimuth detection means for detecting an azimuth along the direction to which said handheld-type terminal device is oriented; and

a gradient detection means for detecting a gradient along the direction to which said handheld-type terminal device is oriented, wherein

said image display section of the handheld-type terminal device includes a constellation quick reference mode for displaying a star map image for a predetermined area which is observed along the direction specified by the azimuth detected by said azimuth detection means and the gradient detected by said gradient detection means at a current date and time and a longitude and latitude of an observation site.

2. The handheld type terminal device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein

in said constellation quick reference mode, at least one of a celestial object selecting mode and a telescope control mode can be executed,

said celestial object selecting mode allowing either of a target celestial object for automatic introduction or a fundamental celestial object for alignment to be selected over said star map image displayed in said image display section, and

said telescope control mode providing a control of said astronomical telescope so as to be oriented toward a direction specified by the azimuth detected by said azimuth detection means and the gradient detected by said gradient detection means.

Priority Claims (1)
WO PCT/JP2003/006877 · May 30, 2003 · international
Continuity (3)
Division 12816630 · Jun 16, 2010
Division 10559141
Related Publication 20120320456A1 · Dec 20, 2012