Vehicle guidance control link utilizing light beam
US4018405A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 18, 1974 |
| Grant date | Apr 19, 1977 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 18, 1994 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF41G7/30
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An electromagnetic beam which is preferably generated by means of a laser is transmitted to a vehicle such as a missile to be controlled, and reflected back from such vehicle by means of an optical reflector. The beam is passed through separate optical modulators, one of these being at the control station, where the transmitter is located; the other of these being on the controlled vehicle. A television type camera is installed on the vehicle and provides a picture of objects in the path of the vehicle. This picture is modulated onto the beam by means of the aforementioned modulator. The picture is received at the control station and fed to a display device for viewing by an operator. Using this picture, the operator moves a hand control device in azimuth and elevation, as may be necessary, to generate control signals to correct the path of the vehicle so as to properly direct its course towards a selected target. The control signals so generated are modulated onto the beam and received at the vehicle where they are decoded and utilized to control the steering of the vehicle.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.