US3782667A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Beamrider missile guidance method
Assignee: United States Department of the Army
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Filing: 1972-07-25
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Granted: 1974-01-01
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Expires: 1992-07-25
Abstract
Abstract In the improved beamrider guidance an optical beam is electronically modulated and transmitted toward a target. A missile is launched into the beam path and is caused to automatically seek the center of the beam as it flies toward the target. The transmitted beam is spatially encoded to provide guidance signals which the missile automatically responds to in seeking the center of the beam. The beamrider missile does not require tracking or correctional guidance from an external source as it generates its correctional commands internally from the beams''s spatial encoding. The missile is immune to optical countermeasures, being within the narrow corridor of the beam and responsive only to the encoded intelligence in the beam for seeking or maintaining flight along the beam center.
Inventors
- 👤 W Miller
- 👤 T Peacher
- 👤 J Duke
- 👤 R Sitton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 13:43
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41G; F41G7/00; F41G7/20; F41G7/24; F41G7/26; F41G7/263
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
In a missile guidance system wherein a target is tracked by visual line-of-sight, a method of directing a missile toward a target and comprising the steps of: visually tracking a target from a target tracking station; directing an amplitude coded beam of optical energy, having a high intensity center portion and a reduced intensity outer portion, from said target tracking station along the line-of-sight to the target; launching a missile into the path of said optical beam toward said target; encoding said optical energy by electronically modulating a single solid state, photodiode source for providing an optical frequency reference; and generating correctional guidance within the missile in response to said optically encoded energy for maintaining missile trajectory along the line-of-sight.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
In a missile guidance system wherein a target is tracked by visual line-of-sight, a method of directing a missile toward a target and comprising the steps of: visually tracking a target from a target tracking station; directing an amplitude coded beam of optical energy, having a high intensity center portion and a reduced intensity outer portion, from said target tracking station along the line-of-sight to the target; launching a missile into the path of said optical beam toward said target; encoding said optical energy by electronically modulating a single solid state, photodiode source for providing an optical frequency reference; and generating correctional guidance within the missile in response to said optically encoded energy for maintaining missile trajectory along the line-of-sight.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method of directing a missile toward a target as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising the steps of: simultaneously detecting first and second intensity levels of said optical energy by said missile for directing said missile toward the high intensity center portion of the beam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 and further comprising the steps of: nutating said amplitude coded beam, transmitting a nutator position timing signal in said amplitude coded beam, and detecting by said missile the variation in signal amplitude during nutation and the timing signal for directing said missile toward the high intensity center portion of the beam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
148 words
In a missile guidance system wherein a target is tracked by visual line-of-sight a method of directing a missile toward a target and comprising the steps of: electronically modulating a plurality of solid state, photodiode sources with respective individual frequencies for providing individually encoded optical beams; forming said individually encoded beams into a single beam of adjacent segments having a common central point by transmitting the output of said plurality of diode sources through an optical integrator and imaging the output face of the optical integrator to form the projected beam; visually tracking a target from a target tracking station; directing said beam of optical energy from said target tracking station along the line-of-sight to the target; launching a missile into the path of said optical beam; and generating correctional guidance within the missile in response to said optically encoded energy for maintaining missile trajectory along the line-of-sight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
148 words
In a missile guidance system wherein a target is tracked by visual line-of-sight a method of directing a missile toward a target and comprising the steps of: electronically modulating a plurality of solid state, photodiode sources with respective individual frequencies for providing individually encoded optical beams; forming said individually encoded beams into a single beam of adjacent segments having a common central point by transmitting the output of said plurality of diode sources through an optical integrator and imaging the output face of the optical integrator to form the projected beam; visually tracking a target from a target tracking station; directing said beam of optical energy from said target tracking station along the line-of-sight to the target; launching a missile into the path of said optical beam; and generating correctional guidance within the missile in response to said optically encoded energy for maintaining missile trajectory along the line-of-sight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method of directing a missile toward a target as set forth in claim 4 and further comPrising the steps of electronically modulating first, second, third, and fourth laser diodes with respective first, second, third, and fourth frequencies for providing said encoded optical energy path to said target; and forming said single segmented beams into quadrants of uniform intensity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
141 words
In a missile guidance system wherein a target is tracked by visual line-of-sight a method of directing a missile toward a target and comprising the steps of: electronically modulating an array of photodiodes with a plurality of individual frequencies for providing individual modulated optical beams; shaping said beams with respective light pipes into a plurality of optical lines; forming said optical lines into a plural line beam having a common, central, line terminal point with optically void zones adjacent said optical lines; visually tracking a target from a target tracking station; directing said plural line beam of optical energy from said target tracking station along the line-of-sight to the target; launching a missile into the path of said optical beam; and generating correctional guidance within the missile in response to said optically encoded energy for maintaining missile trajectory along the line-of-sight.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
141 words
In a missile guidance system wherein a target is tracked by visual line-of-sight a method of directing a missile toward a target and comprising the steps of: electronically modulating an array of photodiodes with a plurality of individual frequencies for providing individual modulated optical beams; shaping said beams with respective light pipes into a plurality of optical lines; forming said optical lines into a plural line beam having a common, central, line terminal point with optically void zones adjacent said optical lines; visually tracking a target from a target tracking station; directing said plural line beam of optical energy from said target tracking station along the line-of-sight to the target; launching a missile into the path of said optical beam; and generating correctional guidance within the missile in response to said optically encoded energy for maintaining missile trajectory along the line-of-sight.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method of directing a missile toward a target as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising the steps of: modulating first, second, third, and fourth photodiodes with respective first, second, third, and fourth frequencies for providing an orthogonal optical axes energy path as said plural line beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
113 words
A beamrider missile guidance system comprising: apparatus for transmitting an optical beam toward a target; a missile for traversing the path of said optical beam, an optical detector on said missile responsive to said optical beam energy for directing the missile trajectory within said beam and wherein said apparatus for transmitting an optical beam includes a plurality of photodiodes arranged in an array, a plurality of electronic modulators coupled to respective of said diodes for individually modulating said diodes, an optical integrator responsive to the output optical energy of said diode array for directing said energy as distinct adjacent sections of a composite beam, and a nutator for nutating the optical output beam.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
113 words
A beamrider missile guidance system comprising: apparatus for transmitting an optical beam toward a target; a missile for traversing the path of said optical beam, an optical detector on said missile responsive to said optical beam energy for directing the missile trajectory within said beam and wherein said apparatus for transmitting an optical beam includes a plurality of photodiodes arranged in an array, a plurality of electronic modulators coupled to respective of said diodes for individually modulating said diodes, an optical integrator responsive to the output optical energy of said diode array for directing said energy as distinct adjacent sections of a composite beam, and a nutator for nutating the optical output beam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
A missile guidance system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said optical integrator is a plurality of light pipes for shaping individual beam segments into a pattern segment, said photodiodes are laser diodes, and said composite beam is a quadrant beam.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-31 | 1977-07-02 | 1978-01-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-31 | 1981-07-02 | 1982-01-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-31 | 1985-07-02 | 1986-01-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |