Seeker/designator handoff system for use in dual-mode guided missiles
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F41G-007/26
F41G-007/22
F41G-007/00
F41G-003/14
F41G-003/00
출원번호
US-0269601
(2016-09-19)
등록번호
US-10126101
(2018-11-13)
발명자
/ 주소
Ell, Todd
출원인 / 주소
Rosemount Aerospace Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Kinney & Lange, P.A.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
16
초록▼
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a dual-mode seeker for a guided missile equipped with seeker/designation handoff capabilities. The dual-mode seeker has Semi-Active Laser (SAL) and Image InfraRed (IIR) modes of operation. SAL-mode operation includes detecting laser pulses reflected by a ta
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a dual-mode seeker for a guided missile equipped with seeker/designation handoff capabilities. The dual-mode seeker has Semi-Active Laser (SAL) and Image InfraRed (IIR) modes of operation. SAL-mode operation includes detecting laser pulses reflected by a target designated by a remote Laser Target Designator (LTD) and determining target direction using the detected laser pulses. SAL-mode operation also includes determining the Pulse Repetition Interval (PRI) of the detected laser pulses, and predicting timing of future pulses generated by the LTD. IIR-mode operation includes capturing Short-Wavelength InfraRed (SWIR) images of a scene containing the designated target and determining target location using one or more image features associated with the designated target. After the target direction can be determined using the IIR-mode of operation, an illuminator projects a signal onto the designated target so as to communicate to a remote operator that LTD target designation can be suspended.
대표청구항▼
1. A dual-mode seeker for a guided missile, the dual-mode seeker comprising: a first-mode target locator configured to: detect laser pulses reflected by a target within a scene aligned along a missile axis, each of the laser pulses projected onto the target by a remote Laser Target Designator (LTD)
1. A dual-mode seeker for a guided missile, the dual-mode seeker comprising: a first-mode target locator configured to: detect laser pulses reflected by a target within a scene aligned along a missile axis, each of the laser pulses projected onto the target by a remote Laser Target Designator (LTD) thereby designating the target;determine, based on the detected laser pulses, a direction of the designated target relative to the optical axis; andgenerate an output signal indicative of the direction of the designated target relative to the missile axis;a second-mode target locator configured to: capture Short-Wavelength InfraRed (SWIR) images of the aligned scene, each of the SWIR images captured at an exposure time period in which the remote LTD is not projecting a laser pulse onto the designated target;identify an image feature within each of the SWIR images, the image feature corresponding to the designated target;determine, based on the identified image feature, the direction of the designated target relative to the missile axis; andgenerate an output signal indicative of the direction of the designated target relative to the missile axis; andan active SWIR illuminator aligned parallel to the missile axis and configured to: illuminate the designated target during an illumination time offset by a Phase Offset Interval (POI) from the exposure time period. 2. The dual-mode seeker of claim 1, wherein illuminating the designated target during the illumination time period offset by the POI from the exposure time period is detectable by the remote LTD to indicate that the dual-mode seeker has identified the image feature corresponding to the designated target. 3. The dual-mode seeker of claim 1, wherein the designated target is illuminated by the active SWIR illuminator during the exposure time period of at least one of the SWIR images. 4. The dual-mode seeker of claim 1, wherein the first-mode target locator is further configured to: identify, based on the detected laser pulses, a Pulse Repetition Interval (PRI) at which the remote LTD projects the laser pulses onto the target within the scene. 5. The dual-mode seeker of claim 4, wherein the first-mode target locator is further configured to: interpret, based on the identified PRI, communications from the LTD. 6. The dual-mode seeker of claim 5, wherein the first-mode target locator is further configured to: generate, based on the interpreted communications, an abort command or a retargeting command. 7. The dual-mode seeker of claim 1, wherein the first-mode target locator is further configured to: predict, based on the detected laser pulses, a time interval corresponding to a future laser pulse projected by the remote LTD of the designated target within the aligned scene. 8. The dual-mode seeker of claim 1, wherein the second-mode target locator is further configured to: continue, after identifying the image feature within each of the SWIR images, the capturing, identifying, determining and generating steps of the second-mode target locator in a repetitious fashion. 9. A Laser Target Designator (LTD) for a guided missile, the LTD comprising: a laser configured to: project laser pulses onto a target aligned along a laser axis, thereby designating the target, the laser pulses projected at a Pulse Frequency Rate (PFR); anda Short-Wavelength InfraRed (SWIR) camera configured to: capture SWIR images of a scene aligned along the laser axis;detect SWIR illumination pulses of the designated target by a target illuminator of a guided missile; andidentify a Pulse Offset Interval (POI) between the projected laser pulses and the detected SWIR illumination pulses. 10. The LTD of claim 9, wherein the SWIR camera is further configured to: generate an output signal indicative that the POI corresponds to a predetermined interval. 11. The LTD of claim 9, wherein the SWIR camera is further configured to: display, on a display screen, indicia indicative the detected SWIR illumination pulses. 12. The LTD of claim 9, wherein the laser is further configured to: project secondary laser pulses onto the aligned target at a Secondary Offset Interval (SOI) between the detected SWIR illumination pulses and the projected secondary laser pulses. 13. The LTD of claim 9, wherein projecting secondary laser pulses is indicative of a retargeting command or an abort command. 14. A method of tracking a target for a guided missile, the method comprising: detecting laser pulses reflected by a designated target;determining based on the detected laser pulses, a direction of the designated target;capturing Short-Wavelength InfraRed (SWIR) images of a scene that includes the designated target, each of the SWIR images captured at an exposure time period in which laser pulses are not being projected onto the designated target;identifying an image feature within each of the SWIR images, the image feature corresponding to the designated target;determining, based on the identified image feature, the direction of the designated target;generating an output signal indicative of the direction of the designated target; andilluminating the designated target during an illumination time offset by a Phase Offset Interval (POI) from a time period corresponding to the detected laser pulses. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein illuminating the designated target during the illumination time period offset by the POI from the time period corresponding to the detected laser pulses communicates to a remote Laser Target Detector (LTD) that the image feature corresponding to the designated target has been identified. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the illumination time period coincides with the exposure time period. 17. The method of claim 14, further comprising: identifying, based on the detected laser pulses, a Pulse Repetition Interval (PRI) at which a remote LTD designates the target within the scene. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: interpreting, based on the identified PRI, communications from the LTD. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: generating, based on the interpreted communications, an abort command or a retargeting command. 20. The method of claim 14, further comprising: predicting, based on the detected laser pulses, a time interval corresponding to a next designation by a remote LTD of the designated target within the aligned scene.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (16)
Brien J. Housand ; Gene D. Tener ; Susan J. Jesse ; William A. Pearson ; G. Edward Newberg ; John F. Weaver ; Timothy A. Hill ; Helmuth Bauer ; Bhikhubbai L. Patel ; Ward D. Robertson ; Joh, Combined laser/FLIR optics system.
English James E. ; White Ronald O. ; Springer James L. ; Schneider Raymond W., Semi-active laser last pulse logic seeker utilizing a focal plane array.
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