Process for piloting and guiding projectiles in the terminal phase and a projectile comprising means for implementing this process

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of measuring the polar coordinate of the target image is carried out twice during the period of rotation of the projectile.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1, wherein the optical image of the target is received on a plane support comprising a linear array of photocells radially arranged from the longitudinal axis of the projectile to the periphery of the projectile, so that the photocell impressed by the said image of the target is representative of the direction of the target.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 3, wherein the photocells are arranged with respect to each other, so that, when said magnitude exceeds the said threshold, the image of the target impresses two different photocells between a first revolution of the projectile and the next one.

Claim 6

A projectile rotating around its longitudinal axis (A-B) and having a barrel of n impellers equally spaced around the circumference of the projectile for generating an orientable lateral thrust P, and an optoelectronic sensor located within its nose-section, said optoelectronic sensor comprising: (a) a clock source; (b) a first electronic means for calculating the period of rotation T of the projectile; (c) at least a linear array of optical detector cells extending radially from the longitudinal axis of the projectile, this detector array being located in the image plane of the lens; (d) a second electronic means for detecting the polar coordinate (ρi) of the target image received on a detector cell on successive rotations of the projectile; (e) a third electronic means for calculating the value of magnitude rate of change of the detected polar coordinate of the image target on successive rotation of the projectile; (f) a signal level comparator having inputs connected to the third electronic means and a threshold signal source for generating a triggering signal when said magnitude exceeds said threshold signal which is provided to a first impeller and sequentially via a time delay to a second, third, and finally to the n th impeller so that the mean thrust of all the impellers is in the same direction to correct said terminal portion of tragectory.

Claim 7

A projectile rotating around its longitudinal axis (A-B) and having a barrel of n impellers equally spaced around the circumference of the projectile for generating an orientable lateral thrust P, and an optoelectronic sensor located within its nose-section, said optoelectronic sensor comprising: (a) a clock source; (b) a first electronic means for calculating the period of rotation T of the projectile; (c) at least a linear array of optical detector cells extending radially from the longitudinal axis of the projectile, this detector array being located in the image plane of the lens; (d) a second electronic means for detecting the polar coordinate (ρi) of the target image received on a detector cell on successive rotations of the projectile; (e) a third electronic means for calculating the value of magnitude rate of change of the detected polar coordinate of the image target on successive rotation of the projectile; (f) a signal level comparator having inputs connected to the third electronic means and a threshold signal source for generating a triggering signal when said magnitude exceeds said threshold signal which is provided to a first impeller and sequentially via a time delay to a second, third, and finally to the n th impeller so that the mean thrust of all the impellers is in the same direction to correct said terminal portion of tragectory.

Claim 8

A projectile according to claim 5, wherein the optoelectric sensor comprises a first linear array of detector cells and a second one, both these arrays of detectors being diametrically situated with respect to the longitudinal axis of the projectile.

Claim 9

A projectile according to claim 5, wherein the value of the spacing between two adjacent detector cells is in direct relation to the value of the threshold signal source.