CONTROL DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING AN ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPE AND A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

Abstract

This invention relates to a control device for controlling an astronomical telescope and, specifically, to a control device for automatic locating of celestial bodies, and to a method for controlling an astronomical telescope. The control device comprises a power input interface, a master controller, and an intelligent motor drive controller. The master controller comprises a CPU, an optional RAM, a FLASH microprocessor, one or more buttons, an LCD, a buzzer, one or more backlight diode lamps, one or more LED lights, a serial to USB interface, and an internal serial bus. The intelligent motor drive controller comprises a chip microprocessor having IAP functions, a two-way reversible PWM driving circuit having an output end and a detection end, a direct current motor, an optical encoder, an optical encoder detection circuit, and an over-current protection circuit. By calculating the coordinates of target bodies and converting them to equatorial mount coordinates, the microprocessor in the intelligent motor controller controls the motor to run, realizing the tracking of target celestial bodies.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a control device according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an electrical circuit diagram of a power interface according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a master controller according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a motor drive controller according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method for controlling an astronomical telescope and for automatic location of celestial bodies using an astronomical telescope according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-hair, setting circles, and time position indications engraved into the reticle of a polar scope according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method for automatic location and tracking of celestial bodies using an astronomical telescope according to one embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling an astronomical telescope comprising a power input interface, a master controller and a motor drive controller

2. The control device of claim 1, wherein said power input interface comprises a protection circuit for protecting from a reverse polarity.

3. The control device of claim 1, further comprising a power output interface having a variable power output for powering a polar scope, a star locating telescope and an eyepiece.

4. The control device of claim 1, wherein said master controller comprises a CPU, an optional RAM, a FLASH microprocessor, one or more buttons, an LCD, a buzzer, one or more backlight diode lamps, one or more LED lights, a serial to USB interface, and an internal serial bus.

5. The control device of claim 4, wherein said serial to USB interface and the USB interface is further connected with a personal computer.

6. The control device of claim 4, comprising further a power-protected internal clock which can keep time in the absence of an external power.

7. The control device of claim 4, wherein said internal serial bus comprises sockets, a serial communication and a power line, andsaid sockets of said internal serial bus serving to connect with external ports are universal.

8. The control device of claim 4, wherein the master controller is capable of displaying on said LCD simultaneously a target declination, a current declination, a height, a direction, a time, a local star time, a motor speed, a hemisphere indication, and a status of the GPS module.

9. The control device of claim 1, wherein said motor drive controller comprises a chip microprocessor having In-Application Programming (IAP) functions, a two-way reversible PWM driving circuit having an output end and a detection end, a direct current motor, an optical encoder, an optical encoder detection circuit, and over current protection circuit;the output end of two-way reversible PWM driving circuit is connected with said direct current motor;the microprocessor is connected to said detection end of said two-way reversible PWM driving circuit by an input interface having an A/D function;the motor drive controller has an IAP function;the motor driver controller has over-current protection function; andthe control device is capable of controlling main parameters of the motor and mechanical parameters, and store the parameters in the motor drive controller.

10. A method for controlling an astronomical telescope comprising a mount, a polar scope, and a control device of claim 1 comprising the following steps: (a) inputting a geographical location and a time zone information into said control device, and identifying a celestial body to be observed;(b) aligning said mount with the North Celestial Pole or the South Celestial Pole using said polar scope;(c) determining a calibration function by using one or more known, bright celestial objects;(d) determining celestial coordinates of said celestial body to be observed, and converting said celestial coordinates into mount coordinates using the calibration function obtained in step (c); and(e) instructing said motor to orient said telescope according to said mount coordinates.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said geographical location and said time zone are inputted using an electronic map.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the controller calculates the position of Polaris or Octans using the time and geographical location information, and displays in real time the hour angle and the distance information of the Polaris or Octans in the polar telescope when the mount is aligned with the North Celestial Pole or the South Celestial Pole

13. The method of claim 10, wherein during step (c) the controller displays the distances and positions of objects used for calibration, allowing users to estimate if they are in view and choose whether or not they should be used or skipped for the purposed of calibration.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein when a user desires to observe a particular celestial body, the master controller first calculates the observed location of the target celestial body, and transforms its coordinates into telescope mount position coordinates by using the transforming function obtained in step (c);after calculating the telescope mount position coordinates corresponding to the celestial coordinates of the desired celestial body, the master controller sends orders to the motor drive controller by internal serial bus;the microprocessor of the motor drive controller receives commands from the microprocessor controller in the master controller, and controls the DC motor to point the telescope to a desired location;as the celestial body changes its position with respect to the telescope, the microprocessor of the master controller then continuously recalculates the telescope mount position coordinates corresponding to the celestial coordinates of the desired celestial body;as the coordinates of the target object change with time, the master controller repeats the above calculations and repositions the telescope until the errors between the real telescope mount position coordinates and the calculated values are in a very small range.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the master controller controls the motor drive controller and dynamically tracks the celestial body depending on the telescope mount type.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said mount is an equatorial mount.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said mount is not an equatorial mount.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the motor drive controller tracks the celestial body at a constant speed.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the master controller after a delay of between one and a few seconds calculates the position of the celestial body and then, after another delay of between one and a few seconds, calculates the motor speed needed to reach that position; the master controller sends the speed order to the motor drive controller by a serial bus and allows the motor to run at this speed.