Method for locating a target by means of a detector having a plurality of quadrants

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for locating a target by means of a detecting device comprising a photodetector comprising N×M quadrants positioned with respect to a sighting axis of the detecting device, the photodetector being configured to detect optical signals from the target to be detected, said method being implemented in a processing unit of said device and comprising the following steps, the target scattering an optical signal: —acquiring the signals detected by each quadrant, which correspond to the signals scattered by the target toward the quadrants; —processing the acquired signals to determine an elevation angle error and an azimuth angle error of the direction of the target with respect to the sighting axis of the device; —processing the acquired signals with a view to deducing therefrom indicators of the distribution of the signals detected by the quadrants; —processing the determined elevation angle error and azimuth angle error with a view to deducing therefrom indicators of the theoretical distribution of the signals in the quadrants for these angle errors; —verifying the coherence of the theoretical distribution indicators with the distribution indicators obtained using the acquired signals so as to determine whether the measured angle error is valid.