Raytheon Company

Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Honeywell International Inc.

Michael S Bielas

Tamim F El-Wailly

Andrew B Facciano

Philip Christopher Theriault

Rudolf C Dankwort

Thomas M Crawford

Richard A Paiva

Ric Romero

Rodney H Krebs

James A Ebel

Cody D Tretschok

Edward C Schlatter

Benjamin Mitchell

Paul H Oglesby

Michael S Spangler

Robert J LaPorte

Mathew R Danner

Brian T MacIntosh

An MKV interceptor includes a carrier vehicle (CV) that supports the deployment of M kill vehicles (KVs) and provides centralized acquisition and discrimination pre-ejection. Pre-ejection each KV acquires and transmits IR imagery, and possibly visible imagery, via an internal communication bus to a central processor on the CV. The central processor spatially registers the IR images from the different KVs, either directly from the IR images themselves or using the visible imagery, and sums the IR (and visible) images to form a registered spatially averaged IR image. This image has the same resolution but higher SNR than any one of the KV IR images. The central processor uses this registered spatially averaged image during pre-ejection acquisition and discrimination modes. The key benefit is the elimination of independent CV 'sense capability', which is large, heavy and expensive, and was required by either the 'command guided' or 'sharing' concepts.

Multiple kill vehicle (MKV) interceptor with improved pre-ejection acquisition and discrimination

An adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system comprises a plurality of arrays, each comprising a plurality of radiating elements, each array configured for placement on a forward-facing surface of a different one of a plurality of aerodynamic control surfaces on an interceptor. A plurality of radio frequency (RF) transmissive radome elements, each having an aerodynamic shape complementary to the aerodynamic control surface, are placed over one of the arrays. Control circuitry configures the arrays, independently or in concert, for RF target engagement and communication. Additional arrays may be positioned on side or aft-facing surfaces of the aerodynamic control surfaces for RF communication. The AESA system may be paired with an IR system for dual-mode operation.

Adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system for interceptor RF target engagement and communications

Embodiments of an adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system suitable for use on a vehicle and method for communicating are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the AESA system includes a plurality of arrays of radiating elements and control circuitry to configure the arrays for multi-band and multi-aperture operations to maintain data links with communication stations.

Adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system for multi-band and multi-aperture operation and method for maintaining data links with one or more stations in different frequency bands

A method includes simulating operation of a fiber optic gyroscope during a digital simulation. The simulation includes performing an iterative loop that includes simulating an intensity of light from a fiber coil of the fiber optic gyroscope and simulating operation of one or more control loops within the fiber optic gyroscope using the simulated intensity of the light. The intensity of the light is simulated using a sine/cosine function based on at least one angular rate-related effect injected into the simulation as a Sagnac phase shift. The simulated operation of a first of the one or more control loops attempts to reduce or eliminate the Sagnac phase shift. The method also includes storing, outputting, and/or using results of the simulation. The at least one angular rate-related effect could include rotation of the fiber coil and/or mechanical vibration of the fiber coil.

Simulator for simulating the operation of a fiber optic gyroscope

The 6-axis position and attitude of an imaging vehicle's detector assembly is measured by mounting the detector assembly on a compliant isolator and separating the main 6-axis IMU on the vehicle from a secondary IMU comprising at least inertial rate sensors for pitch and yaw on the detector assembly. The compliant isolator couples low-frequency rigid body motion of the vehicle below a resonant frequency to the isolated detector assembly while isolating the detector assembly from high-frequency attitude noise above the resonant frequency. A computer processes measurements of the 6-axis rigid body motion and the angular rate of change in yaw and pitch of the isolated detector assembly to mitigate the drift and noise error effects of the secondary inertial rate sensors and estimate the 6-axis position and attitude of the detector assembly.

Mitigation of drift effects in secondary inertial measurements of an isolated detector assembly

Embodiments of a multiplatform system and method for ranging correction use spread-spectrum ranging waveforms over a netted data link. Each node may have a trajectory toward a target and may have a navigational error with respect to the trajectory. The nodes may transmit coded waveforms at one or more scheduled times for receipt by one or more of the other nodes during unused time slots on the netted data link. The nodes may correlate coded waveforms received from the other nodes to estimate a range to at least some of the other nodes. Each node may reset its navigational error and revise its trajectory based on the range estimates to the other nodes to avoid a possible collision with one or more of the other nodes.

Multiplatform system and method for ranging correction using spread spectrum ranging waveforms over a netted data link

A testbed is provided for testing broadband wireless test units. The testbed includes an enclosure and a plurality of I/O connectors accessible externally of the enclosure. Each of the I/O connectors is for being electrically coupled to a respective test unit. A series of connections within the enclosure serve to interconnect the plurality of I/O connectors as respective nodes in a bus-mesh network topology.

Broadband wireless ad-hoc modem and network testbed

A light source controller having a look-up table that indicates the amount of current to be provided to a light source to maintain wavelength and spectrum stability at various temperatures. Further, the light source may have a heater/cooler to maintain a constant temperature of the light source. The controller provides the appropriate current to the light source from the time of turn-on until it achieves thermal equilibrium, to provide an output having a relatively constant wavelength during the warm-up period and during changes of ambient temperature about the light source. The light source may have a heater and/or cooler to maintain a constant ambient temperature, so that the light source controller can provide a more refined control of the light source output wavelength and spectrum. The light source controller may be particularly used for a light source in a fiber optic gyroscope.

Light source control device

A signal processing circuit for a fiber optic gyroscope which prevents glitches from saturating the photodetector and gain stages of the detection electronics by inserting random noise in the detected signal is disclosed. This technique allows one to control the noise density function, the noise level and the noise spectrum of the detected signal.

Fiber optic gyro with noise dither circuit for enhancing A/D conversion

A light source with wavelength compensation for a fiber optic rotation sensor includes a light source to provide light for input to the fiber optic rotation sensor. A source control circuit generates a source control signal representative of the temperature of the light source. A driver generates a drive signal as a function of the source control signal to drive the light source. One of a plurality of scale factors for the fiber optic rotation sensor is generated also as a function of the source control signal over a predetermined temperature range. The source control circuit includes a temperature sensor which provides a current signal representative of the temperature of the light source and a buffer network for sinking the current signal and for generating a source control voltage as the source control signal. A method for wavelength compensation of a light source for a fiber optic rotation sensor includes sensing a temperature of the light source and generating a source control signal representative of the temperature. A drive signal is applied to the light source as a function of the source control signal and a scale factor for the fiber optic rotation sensor is generated as a function of the compensation signal.

Rapid turn-on source for fiber optic gyroscope

A digital synthetic serrodyne phase difference controller for a rotation sensor capable of sensing rotation about an axis of an optical fiber coil based on having a pair of electromagnetic waves propagating through the optical fiber in opposite directions to both impinge on a photodetector with a phase difference relationship therebetween, the digital synthetic serrodyne phase difference controller including a positive serrodyne generator and a negative serrodyne generator having outputs which input to a common adder. The bit output of the adder is converted to analog in a digital-to-analog converter and applied to operate a frequency translating device in the optical path with the coil.

Digital synthetic serrodyne for fiber optic gyroscope

A phase difference controller for a rotation sensor based on a coiled optical fiber operating a dual output generator and signal combiner to provide a composite signal to operate a frequency translating device in the optical path with the coil. The combined signal of appropriate frequency and polarity operates the translating device to provide a phase difference shift in the optical path.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Michael S Bielas