Fiber optic track/reaim system
First Claim
1. In a missile system wherein a missile is launched from a movable housing and directed toward a target, a missile guidance method comprising the steps of:
- launching a missile along a selectable path,generating azimuth and elevation guidance commands for said missile at a tracker station on said movable housing,guiding said guidance commands along a confined optical path from the tracker station to the missile,optically imaging a selectable field of view along and adjacent to said path ahead of said missile,guiding a video signal of said optical imaging from said missile to said tracker station along said confined optical path for providing selectable missile azimuth and elevation guidance signals to the tracker,directing said video signal to a video display on said movable housing for providing a visual image of optically imaged scenes,measuring the angular rate of movement of said movable housing for providing azimuth and elevation signals indicative of changes in direction of movement of said tracker and said video display,coupling the azimuth and elevation signals obtained from the measured angular rate of movement as a selectable input to said tracker station, andcontrollably switching between said video signal azimuth and elevation input signals to the tracker station and said angular rate azimuth and evaluation input to the tracker station for controlling said generating of azimuth and elevation guidance commands.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a missile tracking and guidance system, a fiber optic link is maintained between a missile and the launcher. Tracking after launch is via a video link between the missile seeker and a video imager at the launcher. Guidance signals are derived from the video signal input to the imager and transmitted back to the missile. Additionally, rate sensors and an interrupt or reaim circuit within the launcher allows an operator to reacquire the target for refining the missile seeker look axis toward a target during flight. After the target aimpoint is refined the operator can then release the interrupt circuit, allowing the system to continue tracking from the video input, with a newly established seeker heading established during the aimpoint refinement.
51 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. In a missile system wherein a missile is launched from a movable housing and directed toward a target, a missile guidance method comprising the steps of:
-
launching a missile along a selectable path, generating azimuth and elevation guidance commands for said missile at a tracker station on said movable housing, guiding said guidance commands along a confined optical path from the tracker station to the missile, optically imaging a selectable field of view along and adjacent to said path ahead of said missile, guiding a video signal of said optical imaging from said missile to said tracker station along said confined optical path for providing selectable missile azimuth and elevation guidance signals to the tracker, directing said video signal to a video display on said movable housing for providing a visual image of optically imaged scenes, measuring the angular rate of movement of said movable housing for providing azimuth and elevation signals indicative of changes in direction of movement of said tracker and said video display, coupling the azimuth and elevation signals obtained from the measured angular rate of movement as a selectable input to said tracker station, and controllably switching between said video signal azimuth and elevation input signals to the tracker station and said angular rate azimuth and evaluation input to the tracker station for controlling said generating of azimuth and elevation guidance commands. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. In a missile system wherein a missile having a video imaging seeker for scanning a selectable look angle is launched from a portable launcher comprising a launch tube, a missile tracker, a video display, a switching circuit for controlling the source of missile guidance commands, and angular rate sensors all supported on said portable launcher;
- a missile guidance method comprising the steps of;
aiming and launching a missile from said launch tube along a selectable path, directing azimuth and elevation guidance signals from said angular rate sensors to said tracker, transmitting azimuth and elevation guidance commands from said tracker to said missile during and after launching of said missile, optically imaging a video image signal from said imaging seeker in said video display of visual scenes ahead of said missile seeker, confining said azimuth and elevation commands directed from the tracker to the missile and said video image signal to a common, meandering optical path between said tracker and said missile, coupling said video image signal to said tracker, processing said video image signal by said tracker to derive missile azimuth and elevation guidance signals indicative of missile trajectory coordinates and sensor look angle, and releasably switching between the azimuth and elevation guidance signals from said angular rate sensors and the derived azimuth and elevation signals for providing alternatively selectable azimuth and elevation guidance commands. - View Dependent Claims (5)
- a missile guidance method comprising the steps of;
-
6. In a missile system wherein a missile is launched from a portable launcher, the improvement of a missile guidance system comprising:
- a tracker mounted on said portable launcher, a fiber optic link coupled between said missile and said tracker for coupling tracking commands to and video signals from said missile, said tracker receiving said video signals and providing azimuth and elevation commands in response to said video signals, a television display mounted on said launcher and being further coupled to receive said video signals for displaying a video image from said missile on said display, angular rate sensing means mounted on said portable launcher for sensing angular motion of said launcher, and signal processing means coupled between said sensing means and said tracker for providing signals indicative of launcher azimuth and elevation aimpoint changes to said tracker.
- View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
Specification