Abstract Electronic apparatus mounted on a moving projectile for determining the time remaining until the projectile encounters a target. By continuously measuring the amplitude versus time slope of a target-reflected signal and comparing it with the known range law, the apparatus predicts, outputs, and/or displays the time remaining until target encounter. A control voltage is developed from the output of a differential amplifier which uniquely represents the distance until encounter, or of the time remaining until encounter assuming constant velocity. One input to the differential amplifier is a time-delayed version of the target-reflected signal received by the projectile. The other input to the differential amplifier is an attenuated version of the target-reflected signal. Attenuation is achieved by a variable attenuator whose attenuation ratio is changed according to the control voltage, which is the output of the differential amplifier. Variations in the received signal caused by varying target aspect, vehicle attitude, flight path curvature, and the like are taken into account by a smoothing network which integrates the output of the amplifier to provide the desired output function.
Electronic apparatus mounted on a moving projectile for determining the time remaining until said projectile encounters a target, said projectile including means for receiving a signal reflected from said target, which comprises: means for delaying said received signal for a predetermined time interval; variable attenuator means for attenuating said received signal according to the magnitude of a control signal; and differential amplifier means having as its two inputs the respective outputs from said delaying means and said variable attenuator means for producing as its output said control signal; whereby said control signal is indicative of the time remaining until said projectile encounters said target.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
Electronic apparatus mounted on a moving projectile for determining the time remaining until said projectile encounters a target, said projectile including means for receiving a signal reflected from said target, which comprises: means for delaying said received signal for a predetermined time interval; variable attenuator means for attenuating said received signal according to the magnitude of a control signal; and differential amplifier means having as its two inputs the respective outputs from said delaying means and said variable attenuator means for producing as its output said control signal; whereby said control signal is indicative of the time remaining until said projectile encounters said target.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising integrating means connected to receive the output from said differential amplifier means for smoothing said output.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said two inputs to said differential amplifier means comprise an inverting input and a non-inverting input and wherein the output from said delaying means is applied to said inverting input and the output from said variable attenuator means is applied to said non-inverting input.