Relative guidance using the global positioning system

• US 5,344,105 A
• Filed: 09/21/1992
• Issued: 09/06/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Youhanaie, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US07/947,623
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 342/62, 342/352, 342/357, 342/453, 342/463, 244/3.14, 244/3.19, 244/3.11, 89/41.03
• US Class Current: 244/3.14
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/346 using global navigation satellite systems, e.g. GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS

Abstract

A method for guiding a vehicle (30) to a target (28) includes furnishing a first vehicle (20) having a first global positioning system (GPS) receiver (24) fixed to receive global positioning signals from a selected constellation (46) of satellites in orbit above the earth and the second vehicle (30) having a second GPS receiver (32) fixed to receive global positioning signals from the same selected constellation (46) of GPS satellites. The first vehicle (20) locates the target (28) with an onboard sensor (26) and converts the location of the target (28) to the frame of reference of the selected constellation (46) of satellites of the GPS. The first vehicle (20) communicates this target position and the available set of GPS satellites to a navigation system of the second vehicle (30). The second vehicle (30) proceeds to the target location provided from the first vehicle (20 ) in the frame of reference of the GPS under control of its navigation system using the positioning signal derived from the second GPS receiver (32) fixed to receive positioning signals from the selected constellation (46) of satellites. In these operations, the second vehicle (30) remains within a sufficiently small operating distance of the position of the first vehicle (20) that variations in systematic bias errors between the first GPS receiver (24) and the second GPS receiver (32) are negligible.

Claims

1. A method for guiding a vehicle to a target, comprising the steps of:

furnishing a first vehicle having a first global positioning system receiver aligned to receive global positioning signals from a selected constellation of satellites in orbit above the earth;

furnishing a second vehicle having a second global positioning system receiver aligned to receive global positioning signals from the same selected constellation of satellites in orbit above the earth;

the first vehicle locating a target with an onboard sensor and converting the location of the target to the frame of reference of the selected constellation of satellites of the global positioning system;

the first vehicle communicating the position of the target, expressed in the frame of reference of the selected constellation of satellites of the global positioning system, to a navigation system of the second vehicle;

the second vehicle remaining within a sufficiently small operating distance of the position of the first vehicle at the time of the step of locating and converting, that variations in systematic bias errors between the first global positioning system receiver and the second global positioning system receiver are negligible; and

the second vehicle proceeding to the target location communicated from the first vehicle under control of its navigation system while using the positioning signal derived from the second global positioning system receiver aligned to receive positioning signals from the selected constellation of satellites.

2. A method for directing a guided vehicle to a target location, comprising the steps of:

furnishing a first global positioning system receiver aligned to receive global positioning signals from a selected constellation of satellites in orbit above the earth;

furnishing a guided vehicle having a second global positioning system receiver aligned to receive global positioning signals from satellites selected from the same constellation of satellites in orbit above the earth;

locating a target and converting the location of the target to the frame of reference of the selected constellation of satellites of the global positioning system based on the position measurements of the first global positioning system receiver;

communicating the position of the target, expressed in the frame of reference of the selected constellation of satellites of the global positioning system, to a navigation system of the guided vehicle;

the guided vehicle remaining within a sufficiently small operating distance of the position of the first global positioning system receiver at the time of the step of locating and converting, that variations in systematic bias errors between the first global positioning system receiver and the second global positioning system receiver are negligible; and

the guided vehicle proceeding to the target location provided in the step of communicating under control of its navigation system while using the positioning signal derived from the second global positioning system receiver aligned to receive positioning signals from the selected constellation of satellites.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the guided vehicle is an aircraft and the target location is a location at which the aircraft is to land.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first global positioning receiver is stationary.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of locating a target is accomplished using a sensor.

6. A method for guiding a missile to a target, comprising the steps of:

furnishing a targeting vehicle having a targeting vehicle global positioning system receiver fixed to receive global positioning signals from a selected constellation of satellites in orbit above the earth;

furnishing a missile having a missile global positioning system receiver fixed to receive global positioning signals from the same selected constellation of satellites in orbit above the earth;

the targeting vehicle locating a target with an onboard sensor and converting the location of the target to the frame of reference of the selected constellation of satellites of the global positioning system;

the targeting vehicle communicating the position of the target, expressed in the frame of reference of the selected constellation of satellites of the global positioning system, to a navigation system of the missile; and

the missile proceeding to the target location under control of its navigation system using the target position communicated from the targeting vehicle and the positioning signal derived from the missile global positioning system receiver fixed to receive positioning signals from the selected constellation of satellites, wherein the missile remains within a sufficiently small operating distance of the position of the targeting vehicle, at the time of the step of locating and converting, that variations in systematic bias errors between the targeting global positioning system receiver and the missile global positioning system receiver are negligible.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the targeting vehicle is a guidance control aircraft that does not carry the missile at any time.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the targeting vehicle is a launch aircraft.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the selected constellation of global positioning system satellites includes at least four satellites.

10. A method for directing a guided missile to a target location, comprising the steps of:

furnishing a first global positioning system receiver aligned to receive global positioning signals from a selected constellation of satellites in orbit above the earth;

furnishing a guided missile having a second global positioning system receiver aligned to receive global positioning signals from satellites selected from the same constellation of satellites in orbit above the earth;

locating a target and converting the location of the target to the frame of reference of the selected constellation of satellites of the global positioning system based on the position measurements of the first global positioning system receiver;

communicating the position of the target, expressed in the frame of reference of the selected constellation of satellites of the first global positioning system, to a navigation system of the guided missile; and

the guided missile proceeding to the target location as communicated by the first global positioning system receiver under control of its guided missile navigation system while using the positioning signal derived from the second global positioning system receiver aligned to receive positioning signals from the selected constellation of satellites.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first global positioning system receiver is carried upon a targeting vehicle that does not carry the guided missile at any time.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first global positioning system receiver is carried upon a launch vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the selected constellation of global positioning system satellites includes four satellites.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the guided missile remains within a sufficiently small operating distance of the first global positioning system receiver at the time of the step of locating and converting, that variations in systematic bias errors between the first global positioning system receiver and the second global positioning system receiver are negligible.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the operating distance is less than about 100 miles.