Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Return signal controls external device – Missile or spacecraft guidance
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-22
2001-11-06
Pihulic, Daniel T. (Department: 3662)
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Return signal controls external device
Missile or spacecraft guidance
C244S003130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06313784
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are certain advantages in beamrider guidance systems over terminal homing and command guidance systems for directing a missile toward a target. For example, because it is located on the rear of the missile and faces rear, the beamrider receiver is less vulnerable to countermeasures than the terminal homing receiver and the beacon tracker of the command guidance systems.
Briefly, performing beamrider guidance involves establishing a sight line to the selected target by optical or other suitable means and aligning the center line of the beam projector with the sight line. The beam that is emitted from the beam projector along the sight line is spatially encoded so that one part of the beam has some characteristic that renders it distinguishable from the other parts of the beam. This is usually accomplished by having a separate modulator for each part of the beam that imparts a distinguishing characteristic to each part. Into this beam, then, is the missile launched. The beamrider receiver on the missile senses the missile position relative to the center line of the modulated beam and develops command signals that constrain the missile to fly down the center line to the target. However, the optical or infrared beamrider guidance system is limited in usability because the rocket exhaust, dust and debris generated during launching tends to obscure the missile during the initial stage of the flight while weather effects may impair guidance performance during later stages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Implementing the beamrider guidance system using millimeter wave technology not only overcomes the initial obscuration of the missile but also provides a means for maintaining a constant energy density at the missile as the missile flies down range as well as maintaining the same error signals for the same displacement from the center line.
The millimeter-wave zoom antenna for guiding a beamrider hypervelocity missile uses varying range information derived from the actual flight of the missile toward the target as a control signal for the beam control computer to perform electronically the zooming and the nutation of the millimeter wave guidance beam that emits from a phased array antenna.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4501399 (1985-02-01), Loomis, III
patent: 5473331 (1995-12-01), Kennedt et al.
Bates Raymond C.
Fleischman John C.
Halladay Ralph H.
Lane Richard A.
Pittman William C.
Bush Freddie M.
Chang Hay Kyung
Pihulic Daniel T.
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
LandOfFree
Millimeter-wave zoom antenna for guilding beamrider... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Millimeter-wave zoom antenna for guilding beamrider..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Millimeter-wave zoom antenna for guilding beamrider... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2607536