Self-surveying relative GPS (global positioning system) weapon guidance system

Patent 5554994 Issued on September 10, 1996. Estimated Expiration Date:

June 5, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Autonomous precision weapon delivery using synthetic array radar
Patent #: 5260709
Issued on: 11/09/1993
Inventor: Nowakowski

Relative guidance using the global positioning system
Patent #: 5344105
Issued on: 09/06/1994
Inventor: Youhanaie

Differential GPS landing assistance system
Patent #: 5361212
Issued on: 11/01/1994
Inventor: Class, et al.

Network for carrier phase differential GPS corrections Patent #: 5477458
Issued on: 12/19/1995
Inventor: Loomis

Inventor

Schneider, Arthur J.

Assignee

Hughes Missile Systems Company

Application

No. 461080 filed on 06/05/1995

US Classes:

342/357.06, Using Global Positioning Satellite (GPS or Glonass)244/3.19, Radio wave342/357.03Using differential correction

Examiners

Primary: Blum, Theodore M.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Brown; Charles D., Denson-Low; Wanda K.

International Classes

H04B 007/185
G01S 005/02

Abstract

Disclosed is a self-surveying relative GPS (Global Positioning System) weapon guidance system (10). This guidance system (10) includes multiple GPS satellites (12-18) which transmit GPS data to a ground sensor (20). The ground sensor (20) includes a GPS receiver (24), a self-surveying computer (28), a data formatter (30) and a transmitter (32). The GPS receiver (24) receives the GPS data and determines a second location of the ground sensor (20) based on the GPS data. The self-surveying computer (28) determines a first location of the ground sensor (20) based on the GPS data gathered over time, which is more accurate than the second location. The data formatter (30) determines a GPS error between the first and second locations which is transmitted by the transmitter (32). The GPS error is used by guided weapons in the vicinity of the ground sensor (20) to substantially increase the delivery accuracy of the guided weapons (40).