Navigation through reception of a remote position fix via data link

• US 7,953,524 B1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Roggendorf, Brian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brainard; Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US12/074,055
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 342/62
• US Class Current: 701/17
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/02 using an independent line of sight
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/303 Sighting or tracking devices especially provided for simultaneous observation of the target and of the missile
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/34 based on predetermined target position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/883 for missile homing, autodirectors missile guidance systems F41G7/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations

Abstract

A method of navigating a mobile platform. A reflectable electronic signal is transmitted. A reflection of the reflectable signal is received. A position of the mobile platform is determined based upon the reflection of the reflectable signal. A platform position signal is transmitted to the mobile platform. The platform position signal provides the mobile platform the determined position of the mobile platform. The mobile platform is navigated based upon the platform position signal.

Claims

1. A method of navigating a mobile platform, comprising:

transmitting a radar signal from a friendly asset to the mobile platform, the mobile platform being an aerial platform;

receiving, at the friendly asset, a radar return of the radar signal;

comparing, by the friendly asset, a radar signature of the radar return against a plurality of pre-determined aerial platform radar signatures;

identifying, via the friendly asset, the mobile platform based upon said comparing of the received radar return against the pre-determined radar signatures;

determining, via the friendly asset, a position of the mobile platform based upon the radar return of the radar signal;

transmitting a platform position signal from the friendly asset to the mobile platform, wherein the platform position signal includes the friendly asset-determined position of the mobile platform;

transmitting a second radar signal from the friendly asset to a mobile target, the mobile target being positioned away from the mobile platform and the friendly asset;

receiving a radar return of the second radar signal;

determining, via the friendly asset, a position of the mobile target based upon the radar return of the second radar signal;

transmitting a mobile target position signal from the friendly asset to the mobile platform, the mobile target position signal providing to the mobile platform the friendly asset-determined position of the mobile target; and

navigating the mobile platform to the mobile target based upon the platform position signal and the mobile target position signal,

wherein the friendly asset is positioned away from the mobile platform.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the friendly asset is one of an aircraft and a terrestrial station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined position includes a latitude component and a longitude component.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the position information signal provides the only latitude and longitude position information to the mobile platform.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the aerial mobile platform is a guided projectile.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the aerial mobile platform is one of:

a missile, an artillery shell, an unmanned aerial vehicle, an aircraft, and an aerial gravity bomb.

7. A method of navigating an aerial mobile platform, comprising:

transmitting a first radar signal from a first friendly asset to the aerial mobile platform, the first friendly asset being disposed away from the aerial mobile platform;

receiving at the first friendly asset a radar return of the first radar signal;

comparing, by the first friendly asset, a radar signature of the radar return against a plurality of pre-determined aerial mobile platform radar signatures;

identifying, via the first friendly asset, the aerial mobile platform based upon said comparing of the received radar return against the pre-determined radar signatures;

determining, via the first friendly asset, a position of the aerial mobile platform based upon the radar return;

transmitting an aerial mobile platform position signal from the first friendly asset to the aerial mobile platform, the aerial mobile platform position signal providing the first friendly asset-determined position of the aerial mobile platform;

transmitting a second radar signal from a second friendly asset to an aerial mobile platform target, the second friendly asset being positioned away from the first friendly asset, the aerial mobile platform target being positioned away from the aerial mobile platform, first friendly asset and second friendly asset, the aerial mobile platform target being a moving target;

receiving at the second friendly asset a radar return of the second radar signal;

determining, via the second friendly asset, a position of the aerial mobile platform target based upon the return of the second radar signal;

transmitting an aerial mobile platform target position signal from the second friendly asset to the aerial mobile platform, the aerial mobile platform target position signal providing to the aerial mobile platform the second friendly asset-determined position of the aerial mobile platform target; and

navigating the guided projectile towards the aerial mobile platform target based upon the aerial mobile platform position signal and the aerial mobile platform target position signal.

8. A method of navigating an aerial mobile platform, comprising:

transmitting a first radar signal from a first friendly asset to the aerial mobile platform, the first friendly asset being disposed away from the aerial mobile platform;

receiving at the first friendly asset a radar return of the first radar signal;

comparing, by the first friendly asset, a radar signature of the radar return against a plurality of pre-determined aerial mobile platform radar signatures;

identifying, via the first friendly asset, the aerial mobile platform based upon said comparing of the received radar return against the pre-determined radar signatures;

determining, via the first friendly asset, a position of the aerial mobile platform based upon the radar return;

transmitting a second radar signal from the first friendly asset to an aerial mobile platform target, the aerial mobile platform target being positioned away from the aerial mobile platform and first friendly asset, the aerial mobile platform target being a moving target;

receiving at the first friendly asset a radar return of the second radar signal;

determining, via the first friendly asset, a position of the aerial mobile platform target based upon the return of the second radar signal;

transmitting an aerial mobile platform position signal from the first friendly asset to a second friendly asset, the second friendly asset being positioned away from the first friendly asset, the aerial mobile platform, and the aerial mobile platform target, the aerial mobile platform position signal providing the first friendly asset-determined position of the aerial mobile platform;

transmitting an aerial mobile platform target position signal from the first friendly asset to the second friendly asset, the aerial mobile platform target position signal providing the first friendly asset-determined position of the aerial mobile platform target;

transmitting the aerial mobile platform position signal and the aerial mobile platform target position signal from the second friendly asset to the aerial mobile platform;

navigating the aerial mobile platform towards the aerial mobile platform target based upon the aerial mobile platform position signal and the aerial mobile platform target position signal.