Modeling and algorithm of attitude measurement of moving target by laser tracking systems

Jinwen Liang Tsinghua University State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments Department of Precision Instruments Beijing 100084 China Abstract. We demonstrate theoretically the feasibility of the full-attitude measurement of a moving target by laser tracking systems. Based on the combination of retroreflector target, laser tracking, and interferometry techniques, two kinds of laser tracking systems known as distanceangle-measurement (DAM) and distance-only-measurement (DOM) systems are proposed for the attitude measurement of a moving target in real time. Mathematical models and algorithms of both systems are built to determine and calculate the dynamic attitude of the target under the world coordinate system and the target’s initial coordinate system respectively. The coordinate transform between different coordinate systems and the initial geometric parameters of the laser tracking stations can be self-calibrated. The coordinate transform self-calibration algorithm can be solved by the singular matrix decomposition method, while the self-calibration algorithm of the initial geometric parameters of the DOM system can be solved by the Levenberg-Marquardt method. The simulation results show that the self-calibration algorithm converges rapidly and its accuracy is satisfactory under noise measurement. © 2003 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. [DOI: 10.1117/1.1534595]