Patent US5529262A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5529262A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Guidance seeker for small spinning projectiles
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1995-04-05
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Granted: 1996-06-25
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Expires: 2015-04-05
Abstract
Abstract A guidance seeker for a spinning projectile defined by its angular momentum vector, comprises a lens system or a millimeter-wave antenna for receiving radiation derived from a target and forming an image of the target. The lens system has a reticle having a pattern of concentric circles nutating about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the target image as the image moves across the concentric circles. The millimeter-wave antenna generates concentric lobes nutating about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the target image as the image moves across the concentric lobes. A detector is coupled to the lens system or the antenna for receiving the modulated radiation. The detector is adapted to generate an output in response to the received modulated radiation. A circuit is provided to process the output from the detector to determine the deviation of the target image from the axis of the concentric circles or lobes.
Inventors
- 👤 Tibor G. Horwath
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:32
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S3/00; G01S3/78; G01S3/782; G01S3/787; F; F41; F41G; F41G7/00; F41G7/20; F41G7/22; F41G7/222; F41G7/2253; F41G7/2273; F41G7/2286; F41G7/2293; G01S13/00; G01S13/02; G01S13/06; G01S13/42; G01S13/422
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A guidance seeker for a spinning projectile having an angular momentum vector, comprising: a) means for receiving radiation derived from a target and forming an image of the target, said receiving means for being disposed stationary with respect to the projectile; b) said receiving means having a plurality of concentric circles nutating about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the target image as the image moves across said concentric circles, said concentric circles having an axis; c) a detector coupled to said receiving means for receiving the modulated radiation, said detector adapted to generate an output in response to the received modulated radiation; and d) means for processing the output from said detector to determine the deviation of the target image from the axis of said concentric circles.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A guidance seeker for a spinning projectile having an angular momentum vector, comprising: a) means for receiving radiation derived from a target and forming an image of the target, said receiving means for being disposed stationary with respect to the projectile; b) said receiving means having a plurality of concentric circles nutating about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the target image as the image moves across said concentric circles, said concentric circles having an axis; c) a detector coupled to said receiving means for receiving the modulated radiation, said detector adapted to generate an output in response to the received modulated radiation; and d) means for processing the output from said detector to determine the deviation of the target image from the axis of said concentric circles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 1, wherein: a) said receiving means comprises a reticle having a pattern of said concentric circles; and b) said detector is a photodetector disposed behind said reticle for receiving the modulated radiation through said reticle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 2, wherein: a) said detector output is a pulse train indicative of the drift rate of the target image with respect to said concentric circles axis; and b) said processing means comprises a pulse counter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 2, wherein: a) said reticle pattern is integrated on a silicon chip.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 2, wherein: a) said reticle pattern comprises alternating opaque and transparent concentric circles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 2, wherein: a) said reticle pattern comprises alternating first and second color interference filters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 6, wherein: a) said first and second colors are red and blue, respectively.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 1, wherein: a) said receiving means comprises an antenna array for generating said concentric circles from concentric lobes; and b) a receiver coupled to said antenna array for detecting the modulated radiation caused by the target image traveling across said concentric lobes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 8, wherein: a) said antenna array is a plurality of annular slot antennas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 8, wherein: a) said antenna array is a millimeter-wave antenna.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
140 words
A guidance seeker for a spinning projectile having an angular momentum vector, comprising: a) a lens for gathering radiation derived from a target; b) a reticle disposed behind said lens, said reticle having a pattern of concentric circles nutating about the projectile angular momentum vector such that radiation passing therethrough is modulated by a target image formed thereon as the image moves across said concentric circles; c) a detector coupled to said reticle for receiving the transmitted modulated radiation, said detector adapted to generate an output in response to the received modulated radiation; d) said lens, reticle and detector defining an optical axis, and said lens, reticle and detector for being disposed stationary with respect to the projectile; and e) means for processing said output from said detector to determine the deviation of the target image from said optical axis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
140 words
A guidance seeker for a spinning projectile having an angular momentum vector, comprising: a) a lens for gathering radiation derived from a target; b) a reticle disposed behind said lens, said reticle having a pattern of concentric circles nutating about the projectile angular momentum vector such that radiation passing therethrough is modulated by a target image formed thereon as the image moves across said concentric circles; c) a detector coupled to said reticle for receiving the transmitted modulated radiation, said detector adapted to generate an output in response to the received modulated radiation; d) said lens, reticle and detector defining an optical axis, and said lens, reticle and detector for being disposed stationary with respect to the projectile; and e) means for processing said output from said detector to determine the deviation of the target image from said optical axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 11, wherein: a) said detector output is a pulse train indicative of the drift rate of the target image with respect to said optical axis; and b) said processing means comprises a pulse counter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 11, wherein: a) said reticle pattern is integrated on a silicon chip.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 11, wherein: a) said reticle pattern comprises alternating opaque and transparent concentric circles.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 11, wherein: a) said reticle pattern comprises alternating first and second color interference filters.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 15, wherein: a) said first and second colors are red and blue, respectively.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 11, wherein: a) said detector is a photodetector.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
134 words
A guidance seeker for a spinning projectile having an angular momentum vector, comprising: a) an antenna array for receiving radiation reflected from a target and forming an image thereof, said antenna array having a response of concentric cone lobes, said antenna array and said concentric cone lobes for being disposed stationary with respect to the projectile and nutating with the projectile about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the target image as the image moves across said concentric cone lobes, said concentric cone lobes having an axis; b) a receiver coupled to said antenna array for detecting the modulated radiation; and c) means for processing the modulated radiation from said receiver to determine the deviation of the target image from the axis of said concentric cone lobes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
134 words
A guidance seeker for a spinning projectile having an angular momentum vector, comprising: a) an antenna array for receiving radiation reflected from a target and forming an image thereof, said antenna array having a response of concentric cone lobes, said antenna array and said concentric cone lobes for being disposed stationary with respect to the projectile and nutating with the projectile about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the target image as the image moves across said concentric cone lobes, said concentric cone lobes having an axis; b) a receiver coupled to said antenna array for detecting the modulated radiation; and c) means for processing the modulated radiation from said receiver to determine the deviation of the target image from the axis of said concentric cone lobes.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 18, wherein: a) said antenna array is a plurality of annular slot antennas.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 18, wherein: a) said antenna array is a millimeter-wave antenna.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
170 words
A guidance seeker for a spinning projectile having an angular momentum vector, comprising: a) first and second means for receiving radiation reflected from a target and forming respective images of the target, said first and second receiving means for being disposed stationary with respect to the projectile; b) said first and second receiving means each having a plurality of concentric circles about an axis and nutating about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the respective target image as the image moves across the respective concentric circles; c) first and second detectors coupled to respective first and second receiving means for receiving the respective modulated radiation, each of said first and second detectors adapted to generate an output in response to the received modulated radiation; d) means for switching between said first and second receiving means; and e) means for processing the output from one of said first and second means to determine the deviation of the respective target image from the respective axis.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
170 words
A guidance seeker for a spinning projectile having an angular momentum vector, comprising: a) first and second means for receiving radiation reflected from a target and forming respective images of the target, said first and second receiving means for being disposed stationary with respect to the projectile; b) said first and second receiving means each having a plurality of concentric circles about an axis and nutating about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the respective target image as the image moves across the respective concentric circles; c) first and second detectors coupled to respective first and second receiving means for receiving the respective modulated radiation, each of said first and second detectors adapted to generate an output in response to the received modulated radiation; d) means for switching between said first and second receiving means; and e) means for processing the output from one of said first and second means to determine the deviation of the respective target image from the respective axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 21, wherein: a) said first means comprises a reticle having a pattern of said concentric circles; and b) said first detector is a photodetector disposed behind said reticle for receiving the modulated radiation through said reticle.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
52 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 21, wherein: a) said second receiving means comprises an antenna array having an antenna response of concentric lobes; and b) said second detector is a receiver coupled to said antenna array for detecting the modulated radiation caused by the target image traveling across said concentric lobes.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 23, wherein: a) said antenna array comprises a plurality of annular slot antennas.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for guiding a spinning projectile to a target, the projectile having an angular momentum vector, said method comprising the steps of: a) receiving radiation derived a target; b) forming an image of the target; c) providing a reticle having a plurality of concentric circles, said reticle being disposed stationary with respect to the projectile; d) nutating the plurality of concentric circles about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the target image as the image moves across the concentric circles; e) counting the number of circles crossed by the image per nutation cycle whereby the change of number of circles crossed between nutation cycles is proportional to the drift rate of the target image; f) determining the direction of drift rate of the image; and g) correcting the trajectory of the projectile.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for guiding a spinning projectile to a target, the projectile having an angular momentum vector, said method comprising the steps of: a) receiving radiation derived a target; b) forming an image of the target; c) providing a reticle having a plurality of concentric circles, said reticle being disposed stationary with respect to the projectile; d) nutating the plurality of concentric circles about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the target image as the image moves across the concentric circles; e) counting the number of circles crossed by the image per nutation cycle whereby the change of number of circles crossed between nutation cycles is proportional to the drift rate of the target image; f) determining the direction of drift rate of the image; and g) correcting the trajectory of the projectile.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as in claim 25, wherein: a) said receiving is performed with a lens.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 25, wherein: a) said receiving is performed with a millimeter-wave antenna.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as in claim 25, wherein: a) said counting is performed with a detector adapted to generate an output of pulse train such that a pulse is generated when a circle is crossed by the target image.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
29 words
A guidance seeker as in claim 1, wherein: a) said concentric circles are photodetector zones; and b) said detector includes a differential amplifier alternately connected to said photodetector zones.
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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) | 1999-06-25 | 1999-12-25 | 2000-06-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-06-25 | 2003-12-25 | 2004-06-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-06-25 | 2007-12-25 | 2008-06-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |