Missile command system

Claim 2

A command-type guided missile system comprising: a control station for launching a missile and controlling its flight path, said missile including means for emitting, during flight and rearwardly to said control station, a modulated infrared tracer signal, said control station including 1. a gunsight which a gunner can adjust before and during missile flight to establish and maintain a line of sight on a target, 2. infrared tracker means, coupled to said gunsight, having a tracking axis and responsive to the modulated infrared light of said tracer signal, for providing error signals indicative of any deviation of a received image of said means for emitting from said tracking axis, 3. common optical means, coupled to said gunsight and said infrared tracker means, for (a) receiving visible light from said target and infrared light from said means for emitting through a common aperture and directing both types of light along a single axis so that said line of sight will be precisely aligned with said tracking axis, and (b) splitting said infrared and visible light so as to direct said infrared light to said infrared tracker means and said visible light to said gunsight, and 4. means responsive to said error signals for transmitting to said missile an infrared command signal having a narrow directional beam which is modulated with information related to the direction of deviation of said missile from said tracking axis and hence said line of sight, said missile also including means responsive to said infrared command signal for changing the flight path of said missile in a direction opposite to its direction of deviation from said flight path, thereby to cause said flight path substantially to coincide with said line of sight.

Claim 3

infrared tracker means, coupled to said gunsight, having a tracking axis and responsive to the modulated infrared light of said tracer signal, for providing error signals indicative of any deviation of a received image of said means for emitting from said tracking axis,

Claim 4

infrared tracker means, coupled to said gunsight, having a tracking axis and responsive to the modulated infrared light of said tracer signal, for providing error signals indicative of any deviation of a received image of said means for emitting from said tracking axis,

Claim 5

The missile system of claim 1 wherein said infrared tracker means comprises (1) a detector having a photosensitive surface divided into plurality of sections, and (2) means for nutating said infrared beam over said sections such that said beam impinges on each of said sections an equal amount of time only when said image of said means for emitting is on said tracking axis.

Claim 6

In a command-type guided missile system of the type comprising: a control station for launching a missile and transmitting command guidance signals to said missile when in flight in order to maintain the flight path of said missile substantially coincident with a line of sight to a target established by a gunner in said control station who trains a manually adjustable gunsight on said target, said missile including a light source for providing a position indicating tracer, said control station including (1) an optical sensor, having a tracking axis and coupled to said gunsight so that said tracking axis is approximately aligned with said line of sight, responsive to light from said light source for providing error signals indicative of the deviation of said missile from said line of sight, and (2) a transmitter responsive to said error signals for transmitting to said missile said command guidance signal, tHe improvement wherein said light source of said missile emits modulated infrared light so that light from said source can be readily distinguished and separated from visible light from said target and other infrared light not so modulated, said optical sensor of said control station is responsive to said infrared light from said source, said control station includes common optical means, coupled optically to said optical sensor and said gunsight, for (a) receiving, through a common aperture thereof, infrared light from said source and visible light from said target, (b) directing both types of light along a single axis so that said tracking axis and said line of sight are precisely aligned, (c) splitting said two types of light and directing said infrared light to said optical sensor and said visible light to said gunsight, said transmitter being arranged to transmit to said missile a infrared command guidance signal having a narrow directional beam, whereby said signal will be difficult to detect or jam.

Claim 7

In a command-type guided missile system of the type comprising: a control station for launching a missile and transmitting command guidance signals to said missile when in flight in order to maintain the flight path of said missile substantially coincident with a line of sight to a target established by a gunner in said control station who trains a manually adjustable gunsight on said target, said missile including a light source for providing a position indicating tracer, said control station including (1) an optical sensor, having a tracking axis and coupled to said gunsight so that said tracking axis is approximately aligned with said line of sight, responsive to light from said light source for providing error signals indicative of the deviation of said missile from said line of sight, and (2) a transmitter responsive to said error signals for transmitting to said missile said command guidance signal, tHe improvement wherein said light source of said missile emits modulated infrared light so that light from said source can be readily distinguished and separated from visible light from said target and other infrared light not so modulated, said optical sensor of said control station is responsive to said infrared light from said source, said control station includes common optical means, coupled optically to said optical sensor and said gunsight, for (a) receiving, through a common aperture thereof, infrared light from said source and visible light from said target, (b) directing both types of light along a single axis so that said tracking axis and said line of sight are precisely aligned, (c) splitting said two types of light and directing said infrared light to said optical sensor and said visible light to said gunsight, said transmitter being arranged to transmit to said missile a infrared command guidance signal having a narrow directional beam, whereby said signal will be difficult to detect or jam.

Claim 8

common optical means, coupled to said gunsight and said infrared tracker means, for (a) receiving visible light from said target and infrared light from said means for emitting through a common aperture and directing both types of light along a single axis so that said line of sight will be precisely aligned with said tracking axis, and (b) splitting said infrared and visible light so as to direct said infrared light to said infrared tracker means and said visible light to said gunsight, and

Claim 9

common optical means, coupled to said gunsight and said infrared tracker means, for (a) receiving visible light from said target and infrared light from said means for emitting through a common aperture and directing both types of light along a single axis so that said line of sight will be precisely aligned with said tracking axis, and (b) splitting said infrared and visible light so as to direct said infrared light to said infrared tracker means and said visible light to said gunsight, and

Claim 10

means responsive to said error signals for transmitting to said missile an infrared command signal having a narrow directional beam which is modulated with information related to the direction of deviation of said missile from said tracking axis and hence said line of sight, said missile also including means responsive to said infrared command signal for changing the flight path of said missile in a direction opposite to its direction of deviation from said flight path, thereby to cause said flight path substantially to coincide with said line of sight.

Claim 11

means responsive to said error signals for transmitting to said missile an infrared command signal having a narrow directional beam which is modulated with information related to the direction of deviation of said missile from said tracking axis and hence said line of sight, said missile also including means responsive to said infrared command signal for changing the flight path of said missile in a direction opposite to its direction of deviation from said flight path, thereby to cause said flight path substantially to coincide with said line of sight.

Claim 12

The missile system of claim 3 wherein said optical detector comprises (1) a photosensitive surface having a plurality of separate sections, and (2) means for nutating said infrared beam over said sections such that said beam impinges on each of said sections for an equal amount of time only when said image of said source is on said tracking axis.