Abstract An open loop seeker aiming guiding system for directing a guided missile m its launching to its impact with a target. The system includes a fire control mechanism for initially controlling the flight of missile toward the target. Located on the missile itself is a seeker homing system for homing the missile onto the target signature. The system includes transition means for transferring control of the missile flight from the ground base fire control to the homing guidance control on the missile itself whenever the signal from the fire control is interrupted, the missile has been in flight a predetermined time, or the homing device on the missile itself locks in on the target to an extent predetermined, by comparing the image it receives from the target to an image stored in a storing device on the missile itself. Whenever either of these conditions occur control of the missile is transferred from fire control to the homing device on the missile. Significantly, the seeker is blindly pointed approximately at the target, using information derived from the line of sight guidance during the early portion of the flight. This approximate pointing in flight is what enables seeker target acquisition autonomously later in flight with no area target search required.
Inventors
👤 Walter E. Miller, Jr.
👤 Richard W. Currie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-28 07:58
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41G; F41G7/00; F41G7/008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
An open loop seeker guiding system for directing a guided missile from launch to impact with a target, comprising: (a) line of sight means for acquiring an image of said target; (b) control means disposed on said missile for controlling the flight of said missile to guide said missile along a flight path; (c) means for tracking said target and for transmitting a signal to said control means corresponding to the disposition of the target; (d) image storing means disposed on said missile for storing an image of said target; (e) means for transmitting the target image acquired by said line of sight means to said image storing means; (f) means disposed on said missile for detecting said target during flight and for forming an image thereof; (g) means for comparing said detected image to said stored image; and (h) means for disconnecting said control means from said signal transmitted by said target tracker when said signal is interrupted for a predetermined amount of time, when said missile has been in flight for a predetermined period of time, or when the said detected image matches said stored image to a predetermined degree, whichever occurs first, whereupon said means for detecting said target is connected to said control means for guiding said missile on a path to intersect and impact with said detected target.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
An open loop seeker guiding system for directing a guided missile from launch to impact with a target, comprising: (a) line of sight means for acquiring an image of said target; (b) control means disposed on said missile for controlling the flight of said missile to guide said missile along a flight path; (c) means for tracking said target and for transmitting a signal to said control means corresponding to the disposition of the target; (d) image storing means disposed on said missile for storing an image of said target; (e) means for transmitting the target image acquired by said line of sight means to said image storing means; (f) means disposed on said missile for detecting said target during flight and for forming an image thereof; (g) means for comparing said detected image to said stored image; and (h) means for disconnecting said control means from said signal transmitted by said target tracker when said signal is interrupted for a predetermined amount of time, when said missile has been in flight for a predetermined period of time, or when the said detected image matches said stored image to a predetermined degree, whichever occurs first, whereupon said means for detecting said target is connected to said control means for guiding said missile on a path to intersect and impact with said detected target.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
An open loop seeker aiming guiding system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said target image acquired by said line of sight means comprises a preselected image.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
An open loop seeker guiding system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said target image acquired by said line of sight means is the image observed by an operator at the time the missile is launched.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
An open loop seeker aiming guiding system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said line of sight means and said target tracking means are a part of a ground based fire control.