Lockheed Electronics Co., Inc.

Itt Corporation

Harris C Rawicz

Gene L Cangiani

Peter M Brodie

Vincent J Rizzo

Laurence J Doyle

William J Bigley

Rene C Yohannan

William R Buntemeyer

A system of making satellite-to-ground range measurements, carrying out communications between a ground station and a constellation of autonavigating satellites, and using these range measurements to improve navigation accuracy is disclosed. The system comprises an anchor that is in a fixed position relative to the earth. The anchor implements a filtering algorithm to arrive at solutions for the satellites' positions based on measured satellite positions and predicted satellite positions. Each time a new measurement is received by the anchor an update is generated. In this manner the system is capable of updating satellite positions at a greater rate than similar prior art systems, thereby, decreasing the transient response associated with satellite delta-v maneuvers and decreasing the quantity of data that must be exchanged by the anchor and the satellites.

Apparatus and method for autonavigation with one or more orbiting

An improved electronic control system employs a primary servomechanism loop which includes an error signalling difference node and a stability compensating forward gain/drive element intermediate an input command signal source and a controlled output element. A second, similar image feed back loop is operative upon a simulated representation of the controlled output element or plant, and is exercised by the input command source. The error node in the second image loop generates a loop error signal responsive to the difference between the input command and the simulated, predicted response for the controlled element. In accordance with the present invention, the two error signals produced by the actual and image feed back loops are compared and generate a supplementary feed back signal which is summed with the plant-driving signal applied to the controlled element. Accordingly, the structure above considered operates to vitiate any difference between the error signals in the actual and image loops, thereby forcing the response of the controlled element to track the desired, predicted response therefor in the image loop notwithstanding any degredation experienced by the controlled plant.

Electronic controller apparatus

Vehicle tracking and position predicting apparatus includes an improved Kalman velocity filter feedback loop having a forward gain matrix for loop coordinate error factors and those of their derivatives; and position predicting computing apparatus in the loop feedback path between the system output and an input error node. Sensor reference target signals (e.g., range, bearing and elevation) are connected as inputs to the filter error node. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, sensor coordinate reference errors from the input error node are converted to target reference coordinates. Pursuant to a further aspect of the present invention, the gain matrix is varied dependent upon sensor coordinate variables. Gain matrix variations are thus independent of geometry and sensor reference coordinates.

Target vehicle tracking apparatus

Improved automated fire control apparatus includes servomotor positioned weapon(s), range-determining radar, optical sight and controller, and a data processor. Multiple, improved feedback network organizations are provided to control the optical sighting path vis-a-vis gun mount for automated lead angle implementation under overall gunner supervision. Thus, for example, optical line of sight deflection is controlled, inter alia, by radar antenna positioning, target flight projection computations as well as manual gunner signal entry.

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Bridgewater, NJ, United States of America

Harris C Rawicz