Tactical vectoring equipment

• US 6,717,525 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2001
• 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: McCord, Thomas H., Ahumada, Albert J. Jr., Krebs, William K., Evanoff, Thomas V.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/206,740
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/815.43, 340/815.45, 340/815.54, 340/815.65, 340/815.66, 340/815.67, 340/815.76, 340/984, 340/982, 340/950, 340/955, 340/985, 362/249, 362/293, 362/477, 356/416, 356/326
• US Class Current: 340/815.43
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 45/04 the devices being intended to indicate the vessel or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 11/00 Aircraft carriers other vessels or floating structures for aircraft B63B35/50; launching or arresting gear for aircraft B64F

Abstract

a plurality of bi-color lights is mounted to the stern of a ship such as an aircraft carrier. The lights are arranged so that they are visible from an escort ship that is following the aircraft carrier while attempting to maintain a selected range and angular position relative to the aircraft carrier. The lights are arranged such that the number of lights of each color that are visible from the escort ship depends upon the angular position of the escort ship relative to the aircraft carrier.

Claims

1. A vectoring system for indicating relative angular position of a first object at a first location relative to a second object at a second location, comprising:

a plurality of bi-color lights mounted on the first object such that each of the lights is visible from the second location, each light including a lamp arranged to produce a light beam, a first filtered lens arranged to receive the light beam from the lamp and produce a plurality of light beams of a first color along selected angles and a second filtered lens arranged to receive the light beam from the lamp and produce a plurality of light beams of a second color along selected angles, the light beams of the first and second colors being arranged such that the number of lights of each color that are visible at selected angles indicate the relative angular orientation of the first and second objects.

2. The vectoring system of claim 1 wherein the bi-color lights are arranged in a linear array.

3. The vectoring system of claim 1 wherein the first and second filtered lenses comprise Fresnel lenses.