Establishing a time zero for time delay detonation
AssigneeBAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Choiniere, Bruce Winker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The system and method for accurately determining range-to-go for a time-delayed command detonation of a projectile. Using dual laser and/or radio frequency detectors on the tail and on the nose of a spinning projectile to determine the range-to-go, time-to-go, and/or lateral offset from the projectile to the target. A time to detonation clock is used to determine when a projectile transitions from an exterior to an interior of a structure such that the projectile can more accurately detonate within a fixed structure.
Claims15
A method for controlling detonation, comprising:
- providing a projectile comprising a tail portion and a front portion;
- detecting a first signal via a tail detector mounted proximate the tail portion of the projectile;
- determining a first time at which the first signal is detected via the tail detector mounted on the tail portion of the projectile;
- detecting a second signal via a front detector mounted on the front portion of the projectile, the second signal being the first signal that has reflected off a fixed target;
- determining a second time at which the second signal is detected via the front detector mounted on the front portion of the projectile;
- comparing the first time to the second time to determine a time delay;
- determining a lateral offset between the projectile and the fixed target;
- determining when an angle, theta, is approaching perpendicular to the direction of travel of the projectile at a start time (Tstart), wherein the angle represents the detection of a signal by the front detector that has reflected off the fixed target;
- and
- providing a time-to-detonate (Tdet) thereby accurately controlling detonation for the projectile to occur at some point after the projectile enters an interior of the fixed target.
A guided munition, comprising;
- a tail detector located on a tail portion of the guided munition for detecting a laser pulse and/or RF pulse signal;
- a front detector mounted on the front portion of the guided munition and detecting a reflected signal from a target;
- a computer readable storage device having instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute:
- determining a first time at which the laser pulse and/or RF pulse signal is detected via the tail detector;
- determining a second time at which the reflected signal is detected via the front detector mounted on the front portion of the guided munition;
- comparing the first time to the second time to determine a time delay;
- determining a lateral offset between the guided munition and the target using the time delay;
- determining a detonation start time when the guided munition is approximately perpendicular to the target;
- and
- providing a time-to-detonate to occur which is after the detonation start time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.