US 2006/0232761 A1 · Laser designator for sensor-fuzed munition and method of operation thereof

Abstract

In a sensor-fused munition system and method, the munition is provided with an additional laser designator mode of operation. In the laser designator mode, the munition has the option of initiating a target strike additionally based on whether laser designator energy is detected as being present on the target. This additional mode of operation is preferably achieved using the existing laser receiver of the rangefinder hardware, with minimal additional hardware and software systems for detecting and processing the additional laser designator signal energy. In this manner, collateral damage and false-target firings are decreased to near-zero probability.

Claims26

Dependent claims

An autonomous munition comprising:

a rangefinder including:
a laser transmitter that transmits a first laser energy to a remote target;
a laser receiver that receives a reflected portion of the first laser energy as reflected by the remote target within a scanned field of view of the laser receiver and that receives a reflected portion of a second laser energy as reflected by the remote target within the scanned field of view of the laser receiver;
and
a range module that determines a range of the remote target from the reflected portion of the first laser energy;
and
an illumination module that determines whether the reflected portion of the second laser energy is present within the scanned field of view of the laser receiver.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Laser designator for sensor-fuzed munition and method of operation thereof

Life of this patent

Laser designator for sensor-fuzed munition and method of operation thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26