Patent US4549273A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5350134A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5350134A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Target identification systems
Assignee: Ferranti International PLC
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Filing: 1973-07-03
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Granted: 1994-09-27
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Expires: 1993-07-03
Abstract
Abstract A target identification system includes a target marker for selecting, and directing radiation at, a target, a weapon delivery system, and means for establishing a two-way communication channel between the two by reflection from a selected target. The communication is by infra-red laser and coded information is sent between the target marker and the weapon delivery system to identify the selected target.
Inventors
- 👤 Ian D. Crawford
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 13:27
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41G; F41G7/00; F41G7/20; F41G7/22; F41G7/226; F41G7/2273; F41G7/2293
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A target identification system which includes a target marker capable of selecting, and directing radiation at, a target, a weapon delivery system to which the target is to be identified, means for establishing between the target marker and the weapon delivery system a two-way communication channel over which pulsed radiation may be transmitted from one to the other by reflection from the selected target, and means carried by the target marker and the weapon delivery system for so encoding the radiation transmitted over the communication channel as to identify uniquely the selected target to the weapon delivery system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
A target identification system which includes a target marker capable of selecting, and directing radiation at, a target, a weapon delivery system to which the target is to be identified, means for establishing between the target marker and the weapon delivery system a two-way communication channel over which pulsed radiation may be transmitted from one to the other by reflection from the selected target, and means carried by the target marker and the weapon delivery system for so encoding the radiation transmitted over the communication channel as to identify uniquely the selected target to the weapon delivery system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the target marker includes a laser operable to transmit radiation towards the target and a radiation-sensitive detector operable to receive laser radiation reflected from the target.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as claimed in claim 2 in which the radiation-sensitive detector carried by the target marker is provided with an optical system having an optical axis parallel to that of the laser carried by the target marker.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the weapon delivery system includes a laser operable to transmit radiation towards the target and a radiation-sensitive detector operable to receive laser radiation reflected from the target.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as claimed in claim 4 in which the radiation-sensitive detector carried by the weapon delivery system is provided with an optical system having an optical axis parallel to that of the laser carried by the weapon delivery system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as claimed in claim 5 in which the radiation-sensitive detector carried by the weapon delivery system is sensitive to the direction of incidence of radiation falling upon it.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as claimed in claim 4 in which the weapon delivery system includes means operable to prevent the transmission of radiation by its laser except when the optical axis of the laser is directed towards an apparent source of radiation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the encoding means carried by the target marker includes means for causing the laser carried thereby to emit a train of pulses of radiation at a predetermined repetition rate until a pulse of radiation is received by its radiation-sensitive device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as claimed in claim 8 in which the encoding means carried by the target marker also includes means responsive to a received pulse of radiation to transmit a single pulse of radiation after a preset delay.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the encoding means carried by the target marker includes means for determining the range of the target from the target marker.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the encoding means carried by the weapon delivery system includes means responsive to the detection of a train of pulses of radiation having a predetermined repetition rate to generate a train of gating pulses.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
A system as claimed in claim 11 in which the encoding means carried by the weapon delivery system also includes means responsive to a required number of coincidences between gating pulses and detected pulses of radiation to cause the laser to emit a single pulse of radiation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the encoding means carried by the weapon delivery system includes means for determining the range of the target from the weapon delivery system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as claimed in claim 2 in which the laser is operable to emit pulses of intra-red radiation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as claimed in claim 14 in which the laser is a Q-switched device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
A target marker for a target identification system as claimed in claim 1 which includes a laser operable to transmit radiation towards the target and a radiation-sensitive detector operable to receive laser radiation reflected from the target.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
A target marker as claimed in claim 16 in which the encoding means includes means for causing the laser to emit a train of pulses of radiation at a predetermined repetition rate until a pulse of radiation is received by its radiation-sensitive detector.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A target market as claimed in claim 17 in which the encoding means also includes means responsive to a received pulse of radiation to transmit a single pulse of radiation after a preset time delay.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A target marker as claimed in claim 16 which includes means for determining the range of the target from the target marker.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A weapon delivery system for a target identification system as claimed in claim 1 which includes a laser operable to transmit radiation towards the target and a radiation-sensitive detector operable to receive laser radiation reflected from the target.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
A weapon delivery system as claimed in claim 20 in which the radiation-sensitive detector is sensitive to the direction of incidence of radiation falling upon it.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
39 words
A weapon delivery system as claimed in claim 21 in which the encoding means includes means responsive to the detection of a train of pulses of radiation having a predetermined repetition rate to generate a train of gating pulses.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
43 words
A weapon delivery system as claimed in claim 22 in which the encoding means also includes means responsive to a required number of coincidences between gating pulses and detected pulses of radiation to cause the laser to emit a single pulse of radiation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
A weapon delivery system as claimed in claim 20 in which the encoding means includes means for determining the range of the target from the weapon delivery system.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as claimed in claim 4 in which the laser is operable to emit pulses of infra-red radiation.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as claimed in claim 25 in which the laser is a Q-switched device.
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) | 1997-09-26 | 1998-03-28 | 1998-09-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-09-26 | 2002-03-28 | 2002-09-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-09-26 | 2006-03-28 | 2006-09-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |