Automatic path follower guidance system

Claim 2

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. optical scanning means located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. optical information storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said optical scanning means, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said optical scanning means, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. A second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path.

Claim 3

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. optical information storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path.

Claim 4

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. optical information storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path.

Claim 5

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. magnetic tape storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of sAid first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path.

Claim 6

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. magnetic tape storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of sAid first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path.

Claim 7

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. magnetic tape storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path, j. and means coupled to said first and third null detectors for producing altitude correcting signals.

Claim 8

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. magnetic tape storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path, j. and means coupled to said first and third null detectors for producing altitude correcting signals.

Claim 9

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. magnetic tape storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path, j. a difference circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector and producing a positive output signal when the output of said first null detector is greater than the output signal from said third null detector and a negative output signal when the output signal from said third null detector is greater than tHe output signal from said first null detector, k. polarity detecting means coupled to the output of said difference circuit for comparing the output of said difference circuit with the cross-range sweep generator voltage for producing a corrective signal to the focal length control of said television camera.

Claim 10

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. magnetic tape storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path, j. a difference circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector and producing a positive output signal when the output of said first null detector is greater than the output signal from said third null detector and a negative output signal when the output signal from said third null detector is greater than tHe output signal from said first null detector, k. polarity detecting means coupled to the output of said difference circuit for comparing the output of said difference circuit with the cross-range sweep generator voltage for producing a corrective signal to the focal length control of said television camera.

Claim 11

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. magnetic tape storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path, j. and means coupled to the output of said second null detector for maintaining the stored information in synchronism with the information received from said television camera.

Claim 12

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. magnetic tape storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path, j. and means coupled to the output of said second null detector for maintaining the stored information in synchronism with the information received from said television camera.

Claim 13

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. magnetic tape storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path, j. a sawtooth wave generator, k. a phase detector having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to said sawtooth wave generator for generating a corrective signal in response to a difference in phase between the occurrence of the sawtooth wave and the occurrence of an output signal from said second null detector to maintain the stored information in synchronism with the information received from said televIsion camera.

Claim 14

In an airborne vehicle automatic path follower guidance system, the combination comprising: a. a television camera located in the airborne vehicle for scanning a landscape below said vehicle at a predetermined repetition rate, b. magnetic tape storage means for storing information peculiar to the terrain of the path over which the vehicle is intended to fly, c. first, second, and third null detectors, d. each of said null detectors having a first input coupled to said television camera, e. said first null detector having a second input coupled directly to said information storage means, f. said second null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a first delay circuit having a time delay equal one scan of said television camera, g. said third null detector having a second input coupled to said information storage means through a second delay circuit having a time delay twice that of said first time delay, h. a first comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said first null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said second null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the left of said flight path, i. a second comparator circuit having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to the output of said third null detector for producing a corrective signal when said vehicle moves to the right of said flight path, j. a sawtooth wave generator, k. a phase detector having a first input coupled to the output of said second null detector and a second input coupled to said sawtooth wave generator for generating a corrective signal in response to a difference in phase between the occurrence of the sawtooth wave and the occurrence of an output signal from said second null detector to maintain the stored information in synchronism with the information received from said televIsion camera.