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:
Aug. 04, 1998
Filed:
Sep. 22, 1995
Robert J Buchler, Calabasas Park, CA (US);
Litton Systems, Inc., Woodland Hills, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention is a method and apparatus for detecting torpedo guidance system failures which are likely to cause the torpedo to make a circular run. The method consists of measuring the yaw-axis angular velocity of the torpedo and comparing this measurement with a computed estimate of the yaw-axis angular velocity based on measurements of torpedo dynamics other than the yaw-axis angular velocity. If the difference between the measured and computed values exceeds a threshold value, the presumption is that the torpedo is in a circular run and should be destroyed. The invention envisions various levels of precision in computing the estimate of the yaw-axis angular velocity. The various levels of precision involve the measurement of one or more of the group of dynamics parameters consisting of the three components of acceleration and the two components of angular velocity along the pitch and roll axes. Measured values of these dynamics parameters in various combinations together with other data such as gravity, earth angular velocity, torpedo elevator and rudder angles, propeller angular velocity, and the coefficients in the equations that define the dynamics of a torpedo permit the computation of the torpedo yaw-axis angular-velocity with various levels of precision.