US3984068A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle guidance system using angular rate of change
Assignee: Bendix Corp
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Filing: 1972-08-28
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Granted: 1976-10-05
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Expires: 1992-08-28
Abstract
Abstract In a vehicle guidance system, a method for computing the true rate of change of the angle between the line of sight to the target and the gyro reference. Two antennas are spaced apart a distance upon the vehicle. The outputs of both antennas are converted to a subcarrier frequency. One of the antenna outputs is then converted to a linear voltage by means of a phase detector and, subsequently, combined with the gyro reference voltage. By means of a high gain control loop and a voltage control oscillator, a combined sinusoid signal is given with both the carrier frequency and the gyro reference. In the high gain control loop, appropriate scaling factors and frequency division and multiplication must be used to eliminate repeating values of phase in excess of 360°. Now, by modulating the combined signal with the signal received from the other antenna, the carrier frequency can be eliminated. By further differentiation and multiplication, and the combining of the results thereof, a true rate of change of the angle between the gyro reference and the line of sight to the target can be obtained.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter J. McPhee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 12:24
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41G; F41G7/00; F41G7/20; F41G7/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
A guidance system for bringing a vehicle and a target together, said system comprising: antenna means located on said vehicle for receiving an energy wave front from said target; means for converting said energy received from said wave front to a low frequency signal; gyro means for producing a reference signal; means for combining said low frequency signal from said antenna means with said reference signal to give a combined signal, said combining means having a feedback control loop; means for demodulating said combined signal with said low frequency signal from said antenna means to remove carrier frequencies from said low frequency signal angle to give an approximate trigometric angle between said reference signal angle and a line of sight signal to said target; means for differentiating said approximate trigometric signal angle to get a rate of change signal times said approximate trigometric signal angle; and processing means for eliminating said approximate trigometric signal angle to give a signal correlative to said rate of change in one plane of said line of sight to said target.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
176 words
A guidance system for bringing a vehicle and a target together, said system comprising: antenna means located on said vehicle for receiving an energy wave front from said target; means for converting said energy received from said wave front to a low frequency signal; gyro means for producing a reference signal; means for combining said low frequency signal from said antenna means with said reference signal to give a combined signal, said combining means having a feedback control loop; means for demodulating said combined signal with said low frequency signal from said antenna means to remove carrier frequencies from said low frequency signal angle to give an approximate trigometric angle between said reference signal angle and a line of sight signal to said target; means for differentiating said approximate trigometric signal angle to get a rate of change signal times said approximate trigometric signal angle; and processing means for eliminating said approximate trigometric signal angle to give a signal correlative to said rate of change in one plane of said line of sight to said target.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The guidance system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said combining means includes: means for linear phase detection to convert said low frequency signal to a detector voltage; first means for summing said detector voltage with said reference signal to give a summed voltage; and high gain amplifying means feeding said summed voltage back to said linear phase detection means to give said combined signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The guidance system, as recited in claim 2, wherein: said converting means includes a means for dividing said low frequency signal by a first constant signal; said gyro signal includes a scaling factor less than π; and said combining means includes a means for multiplying said combined signal by said first constant signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The guidance system, as recited in claim 3, further comprising a means for phase splitting said combined signal, both phase outputs of said phase splitting means being fed into said demodulating means, said demodulating means being of a balanced type to produce both sine signal and cosine signal outputs respectively of said approximate trigometric angle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The guidance system, as recited in claim 4, wherein: said differentiating means differentiates both said sine signal and cosine signal outputs of said approximate trigometric angle signal; and said processing means includes multiplying means and a second summing means for eliminating said approximate trigometric angle signal.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
194 words
A system for guiding a vehicle toward a target comprising: means for receiving a signal from said target by at least two antenna means, a first of said antenna means being spaced from a second of said antenna means on said vehicle; gyro means on said vehicle for producing a reference line signal that is represented by a reference voltage; means for combining said reference voltage with an output from said first antenna means, said combining means giving a combined signal which includes the gyro reference voltage and said first antenna means output; means for eliminating the carrier frequency signal components of said combined signal and an output from said second antenna means to give a first signal representing an angle between the target and the reference line signal, said second antenna means output including a time difference relationship which corresponds to the difference in distance said first signal must travel to reach said second antenna means as compared to said first antenna means; and means for processing said first signal to provide a second signal corresponding to angular rate of change of a line of sight to said target and said reference line.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
194 words
A system for guiding a vehicle toward a target comprising: means for receiving a signal from said target by at least two antenna means, a first of said antenna means being spaced from a second of said antenna means on said vehicle; gyro means on said vehicle for producing a reference line signal that is represented by a reference voltage; means for combining said reference voltage with an output from said first antenna means, said combining means giving a combined signal which includes the gyro reference voltage and said first antenna means output; means for eliminating the carrier frequency signal components of said combined signal and an output from said second antenna means to give a first signal representing an angle between the target and the reference line signal, said second antenna means output including a time difference relationship which corresponds to the difference in distance said first signal must travel to reach said second antenna means as compared to said first antenna means; and means for processing said first signal to provide a second signal corresponding to angular rate of change of a line of sight to said target and said reference line.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
94 words
The system for guiding a vehicle toward a target, as recited in claim 6, wherein: said eliminating means includes a balanced phase demodulator means that gives a sine signal output and cosine signal output; and said means for processing includes a differentiating means and a multiplier means to give said rate of change times the square of said sine signal output and cosine signal output, said processing means then summing the rate of change signal times the square of the sine signal output and the cosine signal output to give said rate of change.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system for guiding a vehicle toward a target, as recited in claim 7, wherein said eliminating means further includes a means for phase splitting said combined signal, phase outputs of said phase splitting means being fed into said balanced phase demodulating means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
101 words
The system for guiding a vehicle toward a target, as recited in claim 6, wherein said combining means includes: voltage control oscillator means; means for linear phase detection to give a voltage proportional to the phase difference between the first antenna means and a voltage controlled oscillator output; means for summing said proportional voltage and said reference voltage; high gain amplifying means connected to the output of said summing means to produce a high gain loop connected to said linear phase detection means, said voltage control oscillator means being inserted in said high gain loop to reproduce said carrier frequency signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system for guiding a vehicle toward a target, as recited in claim 9, wherein: said reference voltage is scaled by a factor less than π; said first antenna means output is divided in frequency by a constant signals; and said combined signal being multiplied in frequency by said constant signals.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
184 words
A guidance system for aligning a vehicle with a target, said system comprising: first antenna means located on said vehicle for receiving a first signal from said target; second antenna means located on said vehicle a fixed distance from said first antenna means for receiving a second signal from said target; means connected to said first antenna means for converting said first signal into a low frequency signal; gyro means for producing a reference signal; means for combining said low frequency signal with said reference signal to create a combined signal; means for demodulating said combined signal with said second signal to remove carrier frequency signal components from said second signal to provide a signal correlative to an approximate trigometric angle between said reference signal and a line of sight to said target; means for differentiating said approximate trigometric angle signal to obtain a rate of change times said approximate trigometric angle signal; and processing means for eliminating said approximate trigometric angle signal to obtain a signal correlative to said rate of change in one plane of said line of sight to said target.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
184 words
A guidance system for aligning a vehicle with a target, said system comprising: first antenna means located on said vehicle for receiving a first signal from said target; second antenna means located on said vehicle a fixed distance from said first antenna means for receiving a second signal from said target; means connected to said first antenna means for converting said first signal into a low frequency signal; gyro means for producing a reference signal; means for combining said low frequency signal with said reference signal to create a combined signal; means for demodulating said combined signal with said second signal to remove carrier frequency signal components from said second signal to provide a signal correlative to an approximate trigometric angle between said reference signal and a line of sight to said target; means for differentiating said approximate trigometric angle signal to obtain a rate of change times said approximate trigometric angle signal; and processing means for eliminating said approximate trigometric angle signal to obtain a signal correlative to said rate of change in one plane of said line of sight to said target.
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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) | 1979-10-05 | 1980-04-05 | 1980-10-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-10-05 | 1984-04-05 | 1984-10-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-10-05 | 1988-04-05 | 1988-10-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |