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:
Oct. 31, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 16, 1999
Wayne L McCowan, Guntersville, AL (US);
Alfred M Wright, Toney, AL (US);
Cheryl S Garrison, Huntsville, AL (US);
Robert R Mitchell, Huntsville, AL (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
The scatterider guidance system is mounted on the flying object that is to e guided toward a more direct impact on the selected target. The system utilizes a designating beam of laser pulses that is emitted from the launch pad toward the target and atmospheric particles that scatter the laser pulses to calculate the guidance commands that lead the flying object to follow the laser beam closely. Upon detection by the scatterider sensors of the laser light that is scattered by the atmospheric particles, the perpendicular radial distance between the laser beam and the longitudinal axis of the object in flight is calculated by the onboard guidance electronics and subsequently used to generate the deflection commands. The deflection commands, in turn, are used to deflect aerodynamic control surfaces of the object such that the object approaches and stays close to the laser beam. This guidance system is activated as soon after launch as possible and continues until the object impacts on the target.