System and method for the measurement of full relative position and orientation of objects
First Claim
1. A system for measuring a position of an object in flight relative to a reference location, the system comprising:
- three or more illuminating sources, each disposed in a predefined position, the three or more illuminating sources together emitting a plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals to provide temporally synchronized, pulsed radio frequency signals that illuminate the object;
one or more sensors disposed on the object for receiving the plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals from each of the three or more illuminating sources in flight; and
a processor for measuring a time for the plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals to propagate from each of the three or more illuminating sources to the one or more sensors and to determine a position of the object relative to the three or more illuminating sources based on the measured times.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for measuring a position and orientation of an object in flight relative to a reference coordinate system is provided. The system including: three or more illuminating sources, each disposed in a predefined position, the three or more illuminating sources together emitting a plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals to provide temporally synchronized, pulsed radio frequency signals that illuminate the object; one or more waveguide cavities disposed on the object for receiving the plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals from each of the three or more illuminating sources in flight; and a processor for measuring a time for the plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals to propagate from each of the three or more illuminating sources to the one or more waveguide cavities and the level of signal received at the waveguide cavities and to determine a position of the object relative to the three or more illuminating sources based on the measured times and the orientation of the object relative to the reference coordinate system based on the measure levels of received signals.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A system for measuring a position of an object in flight relative to a reference location, the system comprising:
-
three or more illuminating sources, each disposed in a predefined position, the three or more illuminating sources together emitting a plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals to provide temporally synchronized, pulsed radio frequency signals that illuminate the object; one or more sensors disposed on the object for receiving the plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals from each of the three or more illuminating sources in flight; and a processor for measuring a time for the plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals to propagate from each of the three or more illuminating sources to the one or more sensors and to determine a position of the object relative to the three or more illuminating sources based on the measured times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for measuring a position of an object in flight relative to a reference location, the method comprising:
-
disposing three or more illuminating sources in predefined positions; emitting a plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals from the three or more illuminating sources to provide temporally synchronized, pulsed radio frequency signals that illuminate the object; disposing one or more sensors on the object for receiving the plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals from each of the three or more illuminating sources in flight; measuring a time for the plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals to propagate from each of the three or more illuminating sources to the one or more sensors; and determining a position of the object relative to the three or more illuminating sources based on the measured times. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A munition comprising:
-
a casing having a nose and tail; two or more fins disposed on the tail; and at least a first of three or more sensors disposed on the casing and others on one or more fins, wherein the at least first of the sensors are embedded in the casing and one or more fins and receive a plurality of distinct polarized radio frequency signals from one or more illuminating sources for determining at least one of a position and orientation of the object relative to a reference location, and at least one fin having a first sensor embedded in a longitudinal surface and a second sensor embedded in a radial surface.
-
-
16. A system for measuring an orientation of an object in flight relative to a reference coordinate system, the system comprising:
-
an illuminating source disposed in a predefined position, the illuminating source emitting a distinct polarized radio frequency signal to illuminate the object; three or more waveguide cavities disposed on the object for receiving the distinct polarized radio frequency signal from the illuminating source in flight; and a processor for measuring a level of signal received by each of the three or more the waveguide cavities from the illuminating source and to determine an orientation of the object relative to the illuminating source based on the levels of measured signals. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
-
18. A method for measuring an orientation of an object in flight relative to a reference coordinate system, the method comprising:
-
disposing an illuminating source in a predefined position; emitting a distinct polarized radio frequency signal from the illuminating source to illuminate the object; disposing three or more waveguide cavities on the object for receiving the distinct polarized radio frequency signal from the illuminating source in flight; measuring a level of signal received by each of the three or more waveguide cavities; and determining an orientation of the object relative to the illuminating source based on the measured level of received signals.
-
Specification