Laser distance and altitude measuring apparatus
US4978221A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 16, 1990 |
| Grant date | Dec 18, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 16, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/88
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Two laser distance measuring functions are preformed on board of a ground-hugging cruise missile by at least one laser distance meter for taking downwardly directed altitude measurements and diagonally or slantedly forwardly directed distance measurements for producing corrected altitude signals for use in controlling the flight of the missile. Both types of measurements can be made by one laser distance meter that is tiltable in the required direction or two laser units are provided. The correction provides a clear recognition of artificial fog by evaluating both types of measured values in an intelligent signal processing unit which compares the intensities of the measured values from the same ground locations, determines the extinction coefficient of the fog and takes the angular distribution of the back-scattering intensity of the laser beams into consideration for correcting the altimeter readings.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.