Navigating in GPS denied environments using a dedicated aerial vehicle

• US 9,164,515 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• 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: Ghaleb, Sam, Huebner, Jonathan Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ORTIZ ROMAN, DENISSE Y
• Application Number:
  US13/778,618
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A method for allowing accurate navigation to a target regardless of GPS jamming levels. A method to update the navigation solution of an object being navigated toward a target based upon seeker measurements in at least one of three electromagnetic frequency domains: infrared, visible, and radio frequency (RF).

Claims

1. A method of navigating to a target, comprising:

providing a location of a target to an object being navigated;

creating at least three marks by deploying a plurality of markers from at least one aerial vehicle, wherein each of said plurality of markers comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, a bright day-glow color detectable by an electro-optic seeker, and an exothermic material detectable in the infrared (IR) electromagnetic frequency;

receiving at said object being navigated a first set of signals being sent by said plurality of markers;

receiving at a dedicated aerial vehicle a second set of signals sent by said plurality of markers;

using said second set of signals to determine a location of said plurality of markers in relation to said target;

transmitting said location of said plurality of markers in relation to said target from said dedicated aerial vehicle to said object being navigated;

calculating an angle to said plurality of markers using an electronic processor on-board said object being navigated based on information from said first set of signals; and

determining a location of said object being navigated in relation to said target using said calculated angle to said plurality of markers and said location of said plurality of markers in relation to said target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first set of signals and said second set of signals comprise signals sent by said exothermic material being detectable in the infrared (IR) electromagnetic frequency.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first set of signals and said second set of signals comprise signals being sent by said bright day-glow color detectable by an electro-optic seeker on said object being navigated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first set of signals comprise signals sent by said exothermic material being detectable in the infrared (IR) electromagnetic frequency and said second set of signals comprise signals being sent by said bright day-glow color detectable by an electro-optic seeker on said object being navigated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first set of signals comprise signals being sent by said bright day-glow color detectable by an electro-optic seeker on said object being navigated and said second set of signals comprise signals sent by said exothermic material being detectable in the infrared (IR) electromagnetic frequency.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first set of signals and said second set of signals comprise radio frequency (RF) signals sent from said RFID tags and said method further comprises causing each said RFID tag to activate and start sending data by emitting an activation signal from a transceiver and antenna associated with said object being navigated.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first set of signals comprise radio frequency (RF) signals sent from said RFID tags and said second set of signals comprise signals sent by said exothermic material being detectable in the infrared (IR) electromagnetic frequency, and said method further comprises causing each said RFID tag to activate and start sending data by emitting an activation signal from a transceiver and antenna associated with said object being navigated.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said first set of signals comprise radio frequency (RF) signals sent from said RFID tags and said second set of signals comprise signals being sent by said bright day-glow color detectable by an electro-optic seeker on said object being navigated, and said method further comprises causing each said RFID tag to activate and start sending data by emitting an activation signal from a transceiver and antenna associated with said object being navigated.