U.S. patent application number 11/200043 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-10 for guided missile with distributed guidance mechanism.
Invention is credited to Ronen Ben-Horin, Asa Fein.
Application Number | 20080006735 11/200043 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35149639 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080006735 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fein; Asa ; et al. |
January 10, 2008 |
Guided missile with distributed guidance mechanism
Abstract
A weapons system including a guided missile and a guidance
mechanism, separate from the guided missile. The guided missile
includes a seeker for producing signals indicative of a position of
a target, and a steering mechanism for steering the guided missile.
The guidance mechanism controls the steering mechanism, based on
the signals, so as to steer the guided missile towards the
target.
Inventors: |
Fein; Asa; (Shchenia,
IL) ; Ben-Horin; Ronen; (Haifa, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DR. MARK FRIEDMAN LTD.;c/o Bill Polkinghorn
9003 Florin Way
Upper Marlboro
MD
20772
US
|
Family ID: |
35149639 |
Appl. No.: |
11/200043 |
Filed: |
August 10, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
244/3.15 ;
244/3.1; 244/3.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41G 7/2233 20130101;
F41G 7/308 20130101; F41G 7/30 20130101; F41G 7/2206 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
244/003.15 ;
244/003.1; 244/003.11 |
International
Class: |
F41G 7/00 20060101
F41G007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 10, 2004 |
IL |
163450 |
Claims
1. A weapons system comprising: (a) a guided missile including: (i)
a seeker for producing signals indicative of a position of a
target, and (ii) a steering mechanism for steering said guided
missile; and (b) a guidance mechanism, separate from said guided
missile, for controlling said steering mechanism, based on said
signals, so as to steer said guided missile towards said
target.
2. The weapons system of claim 1, wherein said guided missile is a
rocket-propelled grenade.
3. The weapons system of claim 1, wherein said guided missile is a
rifle grenade.
4. The weapons system of claim 1, wherein said guided missile is a
mortar shell.
5. The weapons system of claim 1, wherein said signals are digital
signals.
6. The weapons system of claim 1, wherein said signals are analog
signals.
7. The weapons system of claim 1, further comprising: (c) a
communication mechanism for sending said signals from said guided
missile to said guidance mechanism and for sending control commands
from said guidance mechanism to said guided missile.
8. The weapons system of claim 7, wherein said communication
mechanism is wireless.
9. The weapons system of claim 7, wherein said communication
mechanism includes a transmission medium for conveying said signal
from said guided missile to said guidance mechanism and for
conveying said control commands from said guidance mechanism to
said guided missile.
10. The weapons system of claim 9, wherein said transmission medium
includes an optical fiber.
11. The weapons system of claim 9, wherein said transmission medium
includes an electrically conductive wire.
12. The weapons system of claim 1, wherein said guidance mechanism
includes an authentication mechanism for restricting use of said
guidance mechanism to authorized users.
13. The weapons system of claim 12, wherein said authentication
mechanism includes a biosensing mechanism.
14. The weapons system of claim 1, wherein said guidance mechanism
is operative to provide battle damage assessment.
15. The weapons system of claim 1, wherein said guidance mechanism
is operative to process said signals, said controlling of said
steering mechanism being based on results of said processing.
16. The weapons system of claim 15, wherein said processing
includes image processing.
17. The weapons system of claim 15, wherein said processing
includes signal processing.
18. The weapons system of claim 1, wherein said guidance mechanism
includes an input mechanism wherewith an operator of said guidance
mechanism controls said steering mechanism.
19. The weapons system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of said
guided missiles.
20. The weapons system of claim 19, further comprising: (c) a
communication mechanism for sending said signals from each of said
guided missiles to said guidance mechanism and for sending said
control commands from said guidance mechanism to said each guided
missile.
21. The weapons system of claim 20, wherein said communication
mechanism is wireless.
22. The weapons system of claim 20, wherein said communication
mechanism includes, for each said guided missile, a respective
transceiver in said each guided missile for sending said signals of
said each guided missile from said each guided missile to said
guidance mechanism and for receiving said control commands for said
each guided missile from said guidance mechanism.
23. The weapons system of claim 22, wherein said communication
mechanism includes a single transceiver, operationally connected to
said guidance mechanism, for receiving said signals from said
guided missiles and for sending said control commands to said
guided missiles.
24. The weapons system of claim 22, wherein said communication
mechanism includes, for each said guided missile, a respective
transceiver, operationally connected to said guidance mechanism,
for receiving said signals of said each guided missile from said
each guided missile and for sending said control commands for said
each guided missile to said each guided missile.
Description
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to guided-missile-based
weapons systems and, more particularly, to a weapons system that
includes a guided missile and a separate guidance mechanism for
steering the guided missile towards a target.
[0002] FIG. 1 illustrates, schematically, a prior art guided
missile 10. Guided missile 10 includes a seeker head 12 that
acquires an indication of the position of a target towards which
guided missile 10 is to be steered. Typical examples of such
indications include an image of the target, a laser reflection from
the target and a radar reflection from the target.
[0003] Guided missile 10 also includes a guidance computer 14, a
propulsion mechanism represented by a rocket motor 16, and a
steering mechanism represented by fins 18. Seeker head 12 sends to
guidance computer 14 signals that represent the indication of the
position of the target. Guidance computer 14 processes these
signals to obtain estimates of the position and velocity of the
target. Guidance computer 14 then combines these estimates with
estimates of the position, velocity and attitude of guided missile
10 to generate control commands that are sent to propulsion
mechanism 16 and steering mechanism 18 to propel and steer guided
missile 10 towards the target.
[0004] This guidance mechanism suffers from drawbacks including the
high cost and high weight of guidance computer 14 that is destroyed
along with the rest of guided missile 10 when guided missile 10
strikes the target. Guidance computer 14 typically has a high power
requirement that must be satisfied by a bulky and expensive power
supply. Updating the algorithms used to guide guided missile 10
often entails replacing guidance computer 14 with a more powerful
guidance computer 14, which replacement must be done for every
guided missile 10 separately. Furthermore, despite continuing
advances in electronic miniaturization, guidance computer 14
typically is too bulky to be installed in a small missile such as a
rocket-propelled grenade.
[0005] There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be
highly advantageous to have, a guided-missile-based weapons system
that would overcome the disadvantages of presently known systems as
described above. In particular, although seeker heads 12 and
servomechanisms for activating fins 18 are available that are small
enough to be mounted in rocket-propelled grenades, no such guidance
computer 14 is presently known.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to the present invention there is provided a
weapons system including: (a) a guided missile including: (i) a
seeker for producing signals indicative of a position of a target,
and (ii) a steering mechanism for steering the guided missile; and
(b) a guidance mechanism, separate from the guided missile, for
controlling the steering mechanism, based on the signals, so as to
steer the guided missile towards the target.
[0007] Preferably, the guided missile is a rocket-propelled
grenade, a rifle grenade or a mortar shell.
[0008] Optionally, the signals are either digital signals or analog
signals.
[0009] Preferably, the weapons system also includes a communication
mechanism for sending the signals from the guided missile to the
guidance mechanism and for sending control commands from the
guidance mechanism to the guided missile. Preferably, the
communication mechanism is wireless. Alternatively, the
communication mechanism includes a transmission medium for
conveying the signals from the guided missile to the guidance
mechanism and for conveying the control commands from the guidance
mechanism to the guided missile. In one embodiment of the present
invention, the transmission medium includes an optical fiber. In
another embodiment of the present invention, the transmission
medium includes an electrically conductive wire.
[0010] Preferably, the guidance mechanism includes an
authentication mechanism for restricting use of the guidance
mechanism to authorized users. Most preferably, the authentication
mechanism includes a biosensing mechanism.
[0011] Preferably, the guidance mechanism is operative to provide
battlefield damage assessment.
[0012] Preferably, the guidance mechanism processes the signals
produced by the seeker, and controls the steering mechanism based
on results of that processing. Most preferably, the processing of
the signals produced by the seeker includes image processing and/or
signal processing.
[0013] Preferably, the guidance mechanism includes an input
mechanism with which an operator of the guidance mechanism controls
the steering mechanism.
[0014] Preferably, the weapons system of the present invention
includes a plurality of the guided missiles.
[0015] More preferably, the weapons system of the present invention
includes, in addition to the plurality of guided missiles, a
communication system for sending the signals from each guided
missile to the guidance mechanism and for sending the control
commands from the guidance mechanism to each guided missile. Most
preferably, the communication system is wireless. Each guided
missile includes a respective transceiver for sending the guided
missile's signals to the guidance mechanism and for receiving the
missile's control commands from the guidance mechanism. In one most
preferred embodiment of the present invention, the guidance
mechanism is operationally connected to a single transceiver for
receiving the signals from all the guided missiles and for sending
the control commands to the guided missiles. In another most
preferred embodiment of the present invention, the guidance
mechanism is operationally connected to a plurality of dedicated
transceivers, each transceiver for receiving the signals from a
respective one of the guided missiles and for sending that guided
missile's control commands to that guided missile.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The invention is herein described, by way of example only,
with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a prior art guided
missile;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a weapons system of
the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] The present invention is of a guided-missile-based weapons
system with distributed guidance. Specifically, the present
invention can be used to provide automatic guidance of small
missiles, such as rocket-propelled grenades, rifle grenades and
mortar shells, that conventionally are not thought of as "guided"
missiles.
[0020] The principles and operation of a weapons system according
to the present invention may be better understood with reference to
the drawings and the accompanying description.
[0021] Returning now to the drawings, FIG. 2 is a schematic
illustration of a weapons system 20 of the present invention.
Weapons system 20 includes a plurality of guided missiles 22. Each
guided missile 22 inherits from prior art guided missile 10 seeker
head 12, propulsion mechanism 16 and steering mechanism 18. Unlike
guided missile 10, each guided missile 22 lacks guidance computer
14. Instead, weapons system 20 includes a single guidance computer
34 as part of a guidance unit 30 that is separate from guided
missiles 22. Instead of guidance computer 14, each guided missile
22 includes a transceiver 24. Guidance unit 30 includes a set of
corresponding transceivers 32. Each transceiver 24 transmits the
signals produced by seeker head 12, along with other signals that
represent indications of the position, velocity and attitude of
guided missile 22, as RF signals 26 that are received by the
corresponding transceiver 32 and sent to guidance computer 34. As
in guided missile 10, the signals from seeker head 12 represent the
indication of the position of the target that is acquired by seeker
head 12. Guidance computer 34 performs whatever processing is
necessary on the RF signals 26 received from each guided missile
22, including signal processing and image processing, to obtain
estimates of the position and velocity of the target and of the
position, velocity and attitude of guided missile 22. Guidance
computer 34 then performs guidance computing to combine all these
estimates to generate control commands that are sent, as RF signals
28 via the appropriate transceivers 32 and 24, to each propulsion
mechanism 16 and steering mechanism 18 to propel and steer each
guided missile 22 towards its respective target. Unlike the prior
art, none of this processing is done inside any of guided missiles
22. In this manner, guidance unit 30 controls several guided
missiles 22, even guided missiles 22 of different types, at the
same time.
[0022] Alternatively, guidance unit 30 includes a single
transceiver 32 that communicates with all transceivers 24, using,
for example, time domain multiplexing.
[0023] Transceivers 24 and 32 constitute a wireless communication
mechanism with which guidance unit 30 communicates with guided
missiles 22. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention,
guidance unit 30 exchanges optical signals with guided missiles 22
via optical fibers that pay out behind guided missiles 22 as guided
missiles 22 fly toward their targets. In another alternative
embodiment of the present invention, guidance unit 30 exchanges
electrical signals with guided missile 22 via electrically
conductive wires that pay out behind guided missiles 22 as guided
missiles 22 fly towards their targets. In the various preferred
embodiments of the present invention, the signals exchanged between
guided missiles 22 and guidance unit 30 may be either analog
signals or digital signals.
[0024] In different preferred embodiments of the present invention,
guidance unit 30 may be carried by an operator of weapons system
20, or may be mounted on a vehicle.
[0025] Guidance computer 34 includes a biosensor 36 such as a
fingerprint detector or a retina scanner. Guidance computer 34 is
configured to be operated only by an operator that can authenticate
himself or herself using biosensor 36.
[0026] Guidance computer 34 also includes a display mechanism 38.
Guidance computer 34 is operative to present battlefield damage
assessment, based on signals 26, to the operator of guidance unit
30. Such battlefield damage assessment is well-known in the art and
need not be described in detail here. For example, RAFAEL's Popeye
air-to-surface missile system features similar battlefield damage
assessment capabilities.
[0027] Guidance computer 34 also includes a conventional input
mechanism 40, for example a keyboard and/or a mouse and/or a
joystick, that the operator of guidance computer 30 optionally uses
to override the control commands produced by guidance computer 30
so as to steer one of guided missiles 22 manually to its target,
for example with reference to an image of the target that is
computed from the signals received by guidance computer 30 from
that guided missile 22 and that is displayed to the operator of
guidance computer 30 using display mechanism 38.
[0028] One advantage of the present invention is that transceivers
22 are available that are considerably smaller and lighter than
guidance computer 14 and so can be mounted in small missiles such
as rocket-propelled grenades, rifle grenades and mortar shells. Of
course, the present invention also is applicable to larger
missiles, such as air-launched missiles, that conventionally are
guided missiles of the type illustrated in FIG. 1. Another
advantage of the present invention is that only one guidance
computer 34 must be upgraded as new algorithms and new hardware
become available. Yet another advantage of the present invention is
that guidance unit 30 can be configured to operate with missiles 22
of several different types.
[0029] While the invention has been described with respect to a
limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many
variations, modifications and other applications of the invention
may be made.
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