FIELD: radio engineering, communication.
SUBSTANCE: apparatus for determining the angular position of a light source has four identical photodetectors and an electrical circuit. The photodetectors receive light flux from the light source, are arranged in pairs opposite each other relative to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus and are also connected in pairs to the electrical circuit. Detectors of one pair are connected in parallel and in a unipolar manner, and detectors of the other pair are connected in a unipolar manner, but separately through a switch. The method of determining the angular position of a light source includes simultaneous detection of two components of light flux using two pairs of oppositely arranged photodetectors and determining the direction of the source based on the detection results. An even-symmetric direction-finding characteristic is determined for one pair of detectors and an odd-symmetric direction-finding characteristic, shifted on the ordinate axis, is determined for the other pair.
EFFECT: reduced weight, dimensions and power consumption of the apparatus for determining the angular position of a light source.
10 cl, 5 dwg
