US3922632A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic vehicle positioning system
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1965-12-14
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Granted: 1975-11-25
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Expires: 1985-12-14
Abstract
Abstract A system for guiding a forerunning slave marine vehicle over a ground course intended to be taken by an immediately following master ship regardless of the natural external ambient forces being applied thereto having a doppler sonar and computer which electrically adjusts the response parameters of a phase detection sonar located on the master ship in such manner as to compensate for the drift thereof when said phase detection sonar is receiving a bearing indication signal from the slave marine vehicle to be guided. An error signal representing the deviation of the slave marine vehicle from the intended ground course of the master ship is generated by said drift compensated phase detection sonar and broadcast to the slave vehicle guidance system to effect guidance thereof back toward the intended ground course of said master ship.
Inventors
- 👤 Francis J Murphree
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:50
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/87; G01S1/00; G01S1/02; G01S15/02; G01S15/50; G01S15/58; G01S15/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
346 words
An automatic vehicle positioning system comprising in combination: means for producing a signal proportional to the drift angle of a moving master vessel having spurious ambient forces applied thereto which causes the drift thereof from an intended ground course; a pair of receiving transducers for receiving a predetermined signal broadcast from a slave vehicle intended to be navigated along the aforesaid intended master vessel ground course; a variable phase shifter having a control input, a controlled input, and an output, with the control input thereof coupled to the output of said drift angle proportional signal producing means; a local oscillator, with the output thereof coupled to the controlled input of said variable phase shifter; a first mixer having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof coupled to the output of said local oscillator, and the other of the inputs thereof coupled to the output of one of the aforesaid pair of receiving transducers; a second mixer having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the other of said pair of receiving transducers, and the other input thereof connected to the output of said variable phase shifter; a pair of bandpass filter means respectively connected to the outputs of said first and second mixers; a phase detector effectively coupled to the outputs of said pair of bandpass filter means for producing an error compensating signal proportional to the phase relationship of the outputs thereof; means mounted on said master vessel and connected to the output of said phase detector for effectively broadcasting said error compensating signal towards the slave vehicle to be navigated; means mounted on said slave vehicle for receiving the error compensating signal broadcast by the aforesaid broadcasting means and for converting same into a navigation control signal proportional thereto; and means connected to the output of said immediately preceeding receiving and converting means and mounted on said slave vehicle for the steering thereof toward the intended ground course of said master vessel in response to the aforesaid navigation control signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
346 words
An automatic vehicle positioning system comprising in combination: means for producing a signal proportional to the drift angle of a moving master vessel having spurious ambient forces applied thereto which causes the drift thereof from an intended ground course; a pair of receiving transducers for receiving a predetermined signal broadcast from a slave vehicle intended to be navigated along the aforesaid intended master vessel ground course; a variable phase shifter having a control input, a controlled input, and an output, with the control input thereof coupled to the output of said drift angle proportional signal producing means; a local oscillator, with the output thereof coupled to the controlled input of said variable phase shifter; a first mixer having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof coupled to the output of said local oscillator, and the other of the inputs thereof coupled to the output of one of the aforesaid pair of receiving transducers; a second mixer having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the other of said pair of receiving transducers, and the other input thereof connected to the output of said variable phase shifter; a pair of bandpass filter means respectively connected to the outputs of said first and second mixers; a phase detector effectively coupled to the outputs of said pair of bandpass filter means for producing an error compensating signal proportional to the phase relationship of the outputs thereof; means mounted on said master vessel and connected to the output of said phase detector for effectively broadcasting said error compensating signal towards the slave vehicle to be navigated; means mounted on said slave vehicle for receiving the error compensating signal broadcast by the aforesaid broadcasting means and for converting same into a navigation control signal proportional thereto; and means connected to the output of said immediately preceeding receiving and converting means and mounted on said slave vehicle for the steering thereof toward the intended ground course of said master vessel in response to the aforesaid navigation control signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
152 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means for producing a signal proportional to the drift angle of a moving master vessel having spurious ambient forces applied thereto which causes the drift thereof from an intended ground course comprises: a doppler sonar transceiver including a transmitter and a receiver; a transmitting transducer connected to the transmitter portion of said doppler sonar transceiver for broadcasting acoustical energy at a predetermined angle towarD the sea floor located substantially under said moving master vessel; a pair of receiving transducers connected to the receiver portion of said doppler transceiver for receiving the acoustical energy broadcast by the aforesaid transmitting transducer after it is reflected from said sea floor; and a computer connected to the outputs of said doppler sonar transceiver for computing the drift angle of said master vessel therefrom as it moves along its intended ground course and for producing an output signal proportional thereto.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means mounted on said master vessel and connected to the output of said phase detector for effectively broadcasting said error compensating signal towards the slave vehicle to be navigated comprises: a cryptographic encoding sonar transmitter; and a transducer connected to the output of said cryptographic encoding sonar transmitter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
97 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means mounted on said master vessel and connected to the output of said phase detector for effectively broadcasting said error compensating signal towards the slave vehicle to be navigated comprises: a voltage controlled oscillator; a modulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof coupled to the output of said voltage controlled oscillator; a noise generator; a bandpass filter interconnecting the output of said noise generator and the other input to said modulator; and a transducer connected to the output of the aforesaid modulator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
93 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means mounted on said slave vehicle for receiving the error compensating signal broadcast by the aforesaid broadcasting means and for converting same into a navigation control signal proportional thereto comprises: a transducer; a first bandpass filter connected to the output of said transducer; an amplifer coupled to the output of said first bandpass filter; a detector connected to the output of said amplifier; a second bandpass filter connected to the output of said detector; and a discriminator connected to the output of said second bandpass filter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
88 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means connected to the output of said immediately preceeding receiving and converting means and mounted on said slave vehicle for the steering thereof toward the intended ground course of said master vessel in response to the aforesaid navigation control signal comprises: a steering control servo; and at least one control surface effectively connected to said steering control servo and mounted on said slave vehicle for the attitude and direction control thereof in an amount corresponding to the aforesaid navigation control signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention according to claim 1 further characterized by a sonar means disposed on said slave vehicle for broadcasting the aforesaid predetermined signal to said pair of receiving transducers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention according to claim 1 further characterized by a pair of intermediate frequency amplifiers respectively connected between the outputs of said pair of bandpass filters and the inputs of the aforesaid phase detector.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-24 | 1979-05-26 | 1979-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-24 | 1983-05-26 | 1983-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-24 | 1987-05-26 | 1987-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |