The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 26, 1994
Filed:
Mar. 18, 1992
John T Branigan, Claremont, CA (US);
Henry T Killackey, Covina, CA (US);
Richard M Pietrasz, Rancho Cucamonga, CA (US);
Hughes Missile Systems Company, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
A multi-spectral seeker system for detecting radiation in the infrared (IR) band and a plurality of radio frequency (RF) bands suitable for use in a guided missile is disclosed. The IR and RF seekers are coaxially integrated on a single gimbaled platform and share a common aperture without significant performance degradation. In the preferred embodiment, the IR seeker uses a Cassegrainian reflector assembly with surfaces reflective to IR but transparent to RF signals. The first RF seeker uses a resonant dichroic reflector antenna which is transparent to RF signals at frequencies no closer than 0.5 octaves from the dichroic reflector system operating frequency. The second RF seeker may use any suitable RF antenna system although a planar-array of multi-mode spiral antennas or a standard flat plate slotted array are preferred. The second RF seeker may operate in an active, semi-active, or passive mode. The IR seeker means and both RF seeker means together provide coaxial seeking in a single aperture covering three frequency bands without significant loss of performance in the RF antenna and IR sensor. The material on which the parabolic reflector is formed is tapered in thickness as a function of radius to eliminate phase delays introduced by the curvature as seen by the second RF seeker.