US PATENT SUBCLASS 356 / 139.04
.~ Automatic following or aligning while indicating measurement

Current as of: June, 1999
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356 /   HD   OPTICS: MEASURING AND TESTING

138  DF  ANGLE MEASURING OR ANGULAR AXIAL ALIGNMENT {11}
139.04.~ Automatic following or aligning while indicating measurement {3}
139.05  DF  .~.~> With optical elements moving relative to fixed housing to follow or align
139.06  DF  .~.~> With optical housing moving to follow or align
139.07  DF  .~.~> With photodetection of reflected beam angle with respect to a unidirectional source beam {1}

DEFINITION

Classification: 356/139.04

Automatic following or aligning while indicating measurement:

(under subclass 138) Subject matter including means to maintain an optical axis in register with a movable object or movable photodetecting station, while indicating relative angular position with respect to the optical axis.

(1) Note. For classification in this subclass, there must be claimed some means to indicate angle or relative alignment which is effectively measured as contrasted with Class 250, subclasses 203.1+ where there is no indication required.

(2) Note. The object must be either self-luminous or must reflect ambient light; otherwise, it will be found in subclasses 139.07+.

(3) Note. Examples of automatic following or aligning found in this subclass, and not below, involve remote missile control, robot control, or table platform alignment of an imaged object with indication of a measurement.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:

139.01+, for techniques that may be used in star or sun angle measurements.

139.07+, for objects that reflect a unidirectional beam of illumination from which beam angle is determined. 139.09+, for techniques that may be used in wheel alignment with photodetection.

141.1, for objects that reflect a unidirectional beam of illumination from which an apex of an angle at the detecting station is determined, but where there is no automatic following or aligning.

141.2+, for objects that follow or align on a unidirectional beam that is not reflected.

152.2+, for objects that reflect a unidirectional beam of illumination from which alignment or the apex of an angle remote from the detecting station is determined and there is no automatic following or aligning.

399+, for parallel nonangular alignment of a beam to the detecting station.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

244, Aeronautics,

3.13, and 3.16 for optical angular orientation of a viewed missile with respect to an optical axis.

250, Radiant Energy,

203.1+, for following a self-luminous or remotely illuminated target without any indication of angle or misalignment;

subclasses 206.1+ for alternative outputs of measured coordinates that are not displayed, per se.

318, Electricity: Motive Power Systems, 640, for photoelectric measuring instrument control of a servo mechanism.

359, Optics: Systems (Including Communication) and Elements,

159, for optical communication alignment that does not technically indicate a measurement.