US3743215A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Switching system and method for missile guidance control in a tvm system
Assignee: United States Department of the Army
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Filing: 1971-08-25
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Granted: 1973-07-03
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Expires: 1991-08-25
Abstract
Abstract In switching from earth-based radar data to missile-borne radar data for missile guidance in a TVM system the data from each radar receiver is compared to determine when switching of the guidance control is most feasible. In target-via-missile (TVM) guidance, data from an earth-based radar is used to guide an interceptor missile part of the way to a target, then data from a radar receiver on board the interceptor missile is used to guide the interceptor for the remainder of the flight. The missileborne sensor receives a signal which is transmitted by earthbased radar and reflected by the target. This signal is processed to yield data proportional to the pointing error of the missileborne tracking antenna. The pointing error data from the missileborne radar is transmitted to a system computer and therein processed to yield the desired guidance information.
Inventors
- 👤 J Harris
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 20:57
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41G; F41G7/00; F41G7/20; F41G7/22; F41G7/226; F41G7/2266; F41G7/2273; F41G7/2286
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
In a missile guidance system having an earth-based radar tracking station for target tracking and missile guidance, wherein energy reflected by a target is processed by said tracking station and compared with missile position in trajectory for providing missile navigation signals, the improvement of a guidance switching system for providing enhanced terminal guidance comprising: a target sensor within said missile responsive to reflected radar energy from said target for providing missile-target positional signals and sensor pointing error signals for transmission to said radar tracking station; a tracking station computer for processing said missile navigation signals and said sensor pointing error signals to provide directional guidance and sensor pointing commands for said missile; and switching means responsive to the difference between sensor pointing error signals and missile-target line-of-sight angle signals for switching said directional guidance response to the dominant signal, said switching means having first, second and third differential amplifiers, said first amplifier being connected for coupling computer calculated instantaneous and averaged, missile-target, line-of-sight angle signals thereto, said second amplifier being connected to said computer for coupling instantaneous and averaged missile sensor pointing error signals thereto, and said third amplifier having inputs coupled to outputs of said first and second differential amplifiers for responding to the difference therebetween to provide a negative or positive navigation switching signal output.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
In a missile guidance system having an earth-based radar tracking station for target tracking and missile guidance, wherein energy reflected by a target is processed by said tracking station and compared with missile position in trajectory for providing missile navigation signals, the improvement of a guidance switching system for providing enhanced terminal guidance comprising: a target sensor within said missile responsive to reflected radar energy from said target for providing missile-target positional signals and sensor pointing error signals for transmission to said radar tracking station; a tracking station computer for processing said missile navigation signals and said sensor pointing error signals to provide directional guidance and sensor pointing commands for said missile; and switching means responsive to the difference between sensor pointing error signals and missile-target line-of-sight angle signals for switching said directional guidance response to the dominant signal, said switching means having first, second and third differential amplifiers, said first amplifier being connected for coupling computer calculated instantaneous and averaged, missile-target, line-of-sight angle signals thereto, said second amplifier being connected to said computer for coupling instantaneous and averaged missile sensor pointing error signals thereto, and said third amplifier having inputs coupled to outputs of said first and second differential amplifiers for responding to the difference therebetween to provide a negative or positive navigation switching signal output.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A guidance switching system as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a switch responsive to the positive or negative output signal of said third differential amplifier for coupling pointing error or line-of-sight angular rate signals to said radar, and first and second squaring circuits connected between respective outputs of said first and second amplifiers and said third amplifier inputs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
211 words
In a guidance system for directing a missile toward a target being tracked, a method for changing the mode of target tracking for enhancing terminal guidance while maintaining missile trajectory toward said target, comprising the steps of: a. periodically directing pulses of high frequency energy from an earth based radar station toward said target during missile trajectory toward said target, b. receiving and detecting radar energy directly reflected from said target by said radar station for determining relative target position, c. transmitting navigation and target sensor positional signals from said radar station toward said missile in response to said detected radar energy from said target for guiding said missile toward said target, d. detecting and processing reflected radar energy from said target by a sensor within said missile, e. transmitting sensor processed energy sIgnals from said missile to said radar station, f. comparing said sensor processed signals with said directly reflected signals for determining which received signals are most noise free, and g. switching from transmitting missile navigation signals in response to directly reflected energy to transmitting missile navigation signals in response to received sensor processed signals when said compared sensor processed signal noise is less than said directly reflected energy noise for terminal guidance of said missile to said target.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
211 words
In a guidance system for directing a missile toward a target being tracked, a method for changing the mode of target tracking for enhancing terminal guidance while maintaining missile trajectory toward said target, comprising the steps of: a. periodically directing pulses of high frequency energy from an earth based radar station toward said target during missile trajectory toward said target, b. receiving and detecting radar energy directly reflected from said target by said radar station for determining relative target position, c. transmitting navigation and target sensor positional signals from said radar station toward said missile in response to said detected radar energy from said target for guiding said missile toward said target, d. detecting and processing reflected radar energy from said target by a sensor within said missile, e. transmitting sensor processed energy sIgnals from said missile to said radar station, f. comparing said sensor processed signals with said directly reflected signals for determining which received signals are most noise free, and g. switching from transmitting missile navigation signals in response to directly reflected energy to transmitting missile navigation signals in response to received sensor processed signals when said compared sensor processed signal noise is less than said directly reflected energy noise for terminal guidance of said missile to said target.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
87 words
A method for changing the mode of guidance as set forth in claim 3 and further comprising the steps of: a. obtaining the difference between instantaneous sensor processed signals and preceeding, averaged sensor processed signals, b. determining the missile-target line-of-sight (LOS) angle, c. combining the instantaneous LOS angle with preceeding averaged LOS angles for obtaining the difference signal therebetween, and d. comparing the LOS angle difference signal with the sensor processed difference signal and transmitting said missile navigation signals in response to the most noise free signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method for changing the mode of guidance as set forth in claim 4 and further comprising the steps of: a. periodically directing pulses of high frequency energy from an earth-based radar station toward said missile during trajectory thereof toward said target, and b. receiving and detecting radar energy directly reflected from said missile by said radar station for obtaining missile position relative to said target position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3363858A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-02 | 1977-01-01 | 1977-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-02 | 1981-01-01 | 1981-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-02 | 1985-01-01 | 1985-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |