A laser based tracking unit communicates with a target to obtain position information about the target. Specifically, the target is placed at the point to be measured. The pitch, yaw and roll of the target, and the spherical coordinates of the target relative to the tracking unit are then obtained. The target can be, for example, an active device incorporated into a moveable device such a remote controlled robot.

Six dimensional laser tracking system and method

The invention relates to a system for determining the angular spin position of an object (1) spinning about an axis. The system thereto comprises means (7) for transmitting at least two superimposed phase-locked and polarized carrier waves to obtain the angular spin position. The system further comprises at least two loop antennas (10), connected to the object (1), and receiving means (13) for processing in combination the antennas-received signals.

System for determining the angular spin position of an object spinning about an axis

This optical device comprises, at the rear of the projectile (3), a catadioptric system (15) equipped with a polariser (16) and, at the firing station of the projectile (3), a light source (5) whose beam illuminates the rear of the projectile (3) and a light-flux analyzer (6) calculating from the polarization direction of the light flux reflected by the projectile (3) the roll angle of the latter. It is noteworthy in that it comprises, in order to remove the ambiguity of π from the measurement of the roll angle, a reflector dihedron (20) which is positioned along the side of the projectile and which reflects the light beam from the source (5) back to the light-flux analyzer (6) once per turn of the roll of the projectile (3) when the light source (5) is not blocked from it by the body of the projectile (3).

Optical device to measure the roll-angle of a projectile

The present invention relates to a system for determining the roll angle (φ), as well as the position with respect to an axis (OX), of a moving body (2), said system (1) having an optical detector (3). According to the invention, said system (1) includes: three optical elements (8, 9, 10) mounted on said moving body (2) and capable of generating light flashes (7), two of said elements (8, 9) being mounted so as to be diametrically opposed and the third element (10) being arranged so as to be perpendicular to these two elements; and a computer (4) determining the position and roll angle of the moving body (2) from the position of said optical elements in a picture.

System for determining the position and roll angle of a moving body

In an optical beam riding guidance for missiles according to the beam rider method, a definite recognition of the roll attitude and the location assignment is carried out in dependence on the expiring time in a simple manner and without previous synchronization with the launching installation.

Optical guide beam steering for projectiles

Control information for guiding of vehicles such as a missile, projectile or manned vehicle, is carried on an optical beam directed at such vehicle from a ground station. Information for roll stabilization of such vehicle is carried in such beam in the form of a polarized light wave. A polarizing beam splitter which is aligned with the vertical axis of the vehicle and carried thereon receives the beam and provides light outputs from one face thereof which is in accordance with the cosine squared of the angle between the vertical axis of the vehicle (or any other predetermined reference angle thereof) and the polarization angle of the light beam, and from an orthogonal face thereof which is in accordance with the sine squared of this same angle. The light emitted from each of the beam splitter surfaces is transduced to electrical form by means of light detectors and these electrical signals appropriately amplified for use in controlling a roll stabilization system.

David P. Wahl

Papers

Roll reference system for vehicles utilizing optical beam control

Drehsteuerungssystem fuer fahrzeuge

Dispositif de reference de roulis pour vehicules commandes par faisceau optique