Projectile navigation enhancement method
US8519313B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 1, 2008 |
| Grant date | Aug 27, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 10, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF42B15/01
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A projectile, such as a missile, rolls during at least a portion of its flight, while retaining its roll reference to enable navigation during the rolling period of flight. The roll reference may be retained by using a sensor, such as magnetometer, to periodically check and correct the roll reference. Alternatively or in addition the missile may alternate roll directions, for example varying roll rate in a substantially sinusoidal function. By rolling the missile inaccuracies in an inertial measurement unit (IMU) of the missile may be ameliorated by being to a large extent canceled out by the changes in orientation of the missile as the missile rolls. This enables use of IMUs with lower accuracy than would otherwise be required to obtain accurate flight. Thus accurate flight may be accomplished with less costly IMUs, without sacrificing the ability to navigate.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.