Abstract A radar telemetering system for pinpointing targets employs means for defining, on the basis of incoming echo pulses, a line or plane of referance dividing the space into two off-boresight zones. The radar receiver supplies signal pulses to a range-gate selector in response to the arriving echoes, the selector controlling in turn an off-boresight-angle discriminator whose dc-output voltage readjusts the selector in a sense tending to reduce the discriminator output to zero. The present invention relates to radar systems for pinpointing a target in a telemetering radar, more particularly but not exclusively to airborne telemetering radar aystems for use in air to ground attack by aircraft. An object of the present invention is to improve such radar systems to make them as accurate as possible without greatly increasing their weight, size, complexity or production costs. The radar receiver described herein is capable of defining a line or at least a plane in space with the aid of a conventional device called an ''''angle discriminator''''. The radar receiver further includes a conventional range-gate selector. According to the invention the radar receiver comprises a servocontrol loop so designed that, on the one hand, the reflected wave energy arriving at this receiver gives rise to echo pulses supplied to a range-gate selector which in turn controls an angle discriminator and that, on the other hand, the range gate or telemetering window of this selector is shifted by a d-c voltage obtained from the output of the discriminator, preferably through the intermediary of an amplifier, in a direction which tends to nullify this output voltage. Such a d-c voltage, as is well known per se, corresponds in sign and magnitude to the deviation of the target position from the reference line or plane established by the discriminator.
A radar telemetering system comprising: transmitting means for wave energy to be reflected by a target to be pinpointed; receiving means for generating echo pulses in response to wave energy reflected by a target; selector means forming a shiftable range gate for incoming echo pulses from said receiving means; discriminator means connected to said selector means for receiving therefrom the echo pulses passing said range gate, said discriminator means having a d-c output voltage corresponding in sign and magnitude to the deviation of a reflecting target from a reference plane having a predetermined orientation relative to said transmitting and receiving means; and servo means connected to said discriminator means for feeding said output voltage to a control input of said selector means to shift said range gate to a time position in which said output voltage goes to zero.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A radar telemetering system comprising: transmitting means for wave energy to be reflected by a target to be pinpointed; receiving means for generating echo pulses in response to wave energy reflected by a target; selector means forming a shiftable range gate for incoming echo pulses from said receiving means; discriminator means connected to said selector means for receiving therefrom the echo pulses passing said range gate, said discriminator means having a d-c output voltage corresponding in sign and magnitude to the deviation of a reflecting target from a reference plane having a predetermined orientation relative to said transmitting and receiving means; and servo means connected to said discriminator means for feeding said output voltage to a control input of said selector means to shift said range gate to a time position in which said output voltage goes to zero.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said servo means comprises an amplifier working into said control input.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising scanning means connected to said control input for normally displacing said range gate in a repetitive sweep, and stop means responsive to echo pulses passing said range gate for arresting said scanning means, thereby making said selector means receptive to said output voltage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as defined in claim 3, further comprising indicator means connected to said scanning means for registering target distance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as defined in claim 1 mounted aboard an aircraft, said reference plane including the longitudinal axis of said aircraft.