SMALL SMART WEAPON AND WEAPON SYSTEM EMPLOYING THE SAME

• US 20110017864A1
• Filed: 08/04/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lone Star IP Holdings, LP
• Original Assignee: Lone Star IP Holdings, LP
• Inventors: Roemerman, Steven D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,541,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/3.16
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/001 Devices or systems for testing or checking
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2246 Active homing systems, i.e. comprising both a transmitter and a receiver
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/226 Semi-active homing systems, i.e. comprising a receiver and involving auxiliary illuminating means, e.g. using auxiliary guiding missiles
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2293 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/26 Optical guidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/64 of fins
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/04 of armour-piercing type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/362 Arrows or darts F42B12/38 takes precedence, having means for implantation, e.g. hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54; arrows or darts in general F42B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/44 of incendiary type F42B12/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 25/00 Fall bombs F42B10/00, F42B12/00 take precedence; for practice or training F42B8/12 ; gliding type bombs F42B15/105
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/005 Combination-type safety mechanisms, i.e. two or more safeties are moved in a predetermined sequence to each other
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/20 wherein a securing-pin or latch is removed to arm the fuze, e.g. removed from the firing-pin F42C9/041 and F42C15/40 take precedence

Abstract

A weapon and weapon system, and methods of manufacturing and operating the same. In one embodiment, the weapon includes a warhead including destructive elements and a guidance section with a seeker configured to guide the weapon to a target. The seeker includes a detector configured to receive a distorted signal impinging on an objective lens from the target, memory configured to store target criteria and a correction map, and a processor configured to provide a correction signal based on the distorted signal, the target criteria and the correction map to guide the weapon to the target.

Claims

1. A seeker, comprising:

a detector configured to receive a distorted signal impinging on an objective lens from a target,

memory configured to store target criteria and a correction map, and

a processor configured to provide a correction signal based on said distorted signal, said target criteria and said correction map to guide a weapon to said target.

2. The seeker as recited in claim 1 wherein said objective lens is integrated with a hemi-dome of said seeker.

3. The seeker as recited in claim 1 wherein said objective lens includes a fast fresnel lens.

4. The seeker as recited in claim 1 wherein a central region of a front surface of said objective lens is a flattened cone and outer regions of said front surface of said objective lens are sharper cones.

5. The seeker as recited in claim 1 wherein a back surface of said objective lens is configured to provide a complimentary corrective curvature to a front surface of said objective lens.

6. The seeker as recited in claim 1 further comprising a dome configured to provide environmental protection for said objective lens

7. The seeker as recited in claim 1 further comprising a standoff between said objective lens and said detector.

8. The seeker as recited in claim 1 wherein said correction map is derivable in accordance with a response map from a calibration array in comparison to known angles of illumination.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving a distorted signal impinging on an objective lens from a target,

storing target criteria and a correction map, and

providing a correction signal based on said distorted signal, said target criteria and said correction map to guide a weapon to said target.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein a back surface of said objective lens is configured to provide a complimentary corrective curvature to a front surface of said objective lens.

11. The method as recited in claim 9 further comprising providing environmental protection for said objective lens.

12. The method as recited in claim 9 further comprising deriving said correction map in accordance with a response map from a calibration array in comparison to known angles of illumination.

13. A weapon, comprising:

a warhead including destructive elements; and

a guidance section with a seeker, including;

a detector configured to receive a distorted signal impinging on an objective lens from a target,

memory configured to store target criteria and a correction map, and

a processor configured to provide a correction signal based on said distorted signal, said target criteria and said correction map to guide said weapon to said target.

14. The weapon as recited in claim 13 wherein said objective lens is integrated with a hemi-dome of said seeker.

15. The weapon as recited in claim 13 wherein said objective lens includes a fast fresnel lens.

16. The weapon as recited in claim 13 wherein a central region of a front surface of said objective lens is a flattened cone and outer regions of said front surface of said objective lens are sharper cones.

17. The weapon as recited in claim 13 wherein a back surface of said objective lens is configured to provide a complimentary corrective curvature to a front surface of said objective lens.

18. The weapon as recited in claim 13 wherein said seeker includes a dome configured to provide environmental protection for said objective lens.

19. The weapon as recited in claim 13 wherein said seeker includes a standoff between said objective lens and said detector.

20. The weapon as recited in claim 13 wherein said correction map is derivable in accordance with a response map from a calibration array in comparison to known angles of illumination.