Apparatus and system for navigating in GPS denied environments

• US 8,556,173 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Huebner, Jonathan D., Ghaleb, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Thien T
• Application Number:
  US12/726,192
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 235/404, 235/454, 235/411, 235/492, 235/375, 244/3.1, 343/911.R, 701/1, 701/302
• US Class Current: 235/411
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/008 Combinations of different guidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2206 using a remote control station
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2253 Passive homing systems, i.e. comprising a receiver and do not requiring an active illumination of the target
• 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 7/2286 using radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2293 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/12 Target-seeking control

Abstract

An apparatus and system for allowing accurate navigation to a target regardless of GPS jamming levels. An apparatus and system can be used to update the navigation solution based upon seeker measurements in at least one of three electromagnetic frequency domains: infrared, visible, and radio frequency (RF).

Claims

1. A system for guiding an object to a target in a GPS denied environment, comprising:

an infrared seeker associated with said object;

an electro-optic seeker associated with said object;

a radio frequency seeker associated with said object;

an RFID tag configured to respond to at least one millimeter wave signal;

a plurality of markers, each of said plurality of markers being a product having said RFID tag integrated therein, each of said plurality of markers also having an exothermic material being detectable in the infrared electromagnetic frequency and at least one material in the visible electromagnetic frequency detectable by said electro-optic seeker;

an aerial vehicle configured to determine a location of at least three of said plurality of markers in relation to said target by detecting through image processing said exothermic material and said material in the visible electromagnetic frequency, said aerial vehicle configured to communicate said location of said at least three of said plurality of markers in relation to said target to said object;

said object being configured to calculate an angle to each of said at least three of said plurality of markers using passively detected signals from said exothermic material detected via said infrared seeker, passively detected electro-optic signals detected via said electro-optic seeker, and data from detected radio frequency signals detected via said radio frequency seeker; and

said object being configured to determine a location of said object in relation to said target using said calculated angle to each of said at least three of said plurality of markers and said communicated location of said at least three of said plurality of markers in relation to said target without use of GPS information.