Optical tracking system for airborne objects

An airborne positioning system comprising:

• a radiation receiver positioning system, the radiation receiver positioning system including a radiation emitter, a radiation receiver, and a signal processor;
• wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to direct a beam of emitted radiation to an area away from the radiation emitter, the radiation including discernable properties that vary in a corresponding manner with varying orientation of the beam of radiation with respect to the radiation emitter;
• wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to receive at least a portion of the emitted radiation and output a signal to the signal processor indicative of one or more of the discernable properties of the received radiation;
• and
• wherein the processor is adapted to process the outputted signal and identify a first virtual orientation indicative of an orientation of the receiver relative to the radiation emitter when at least a portion of the radiation was received by the receiver.

A method of positioning a radiation receiver, comprising:

• positioning a radiation receiver proximate a refueling aircraft, the radiation receiver and the refueling aircraft being airborne;
• scanning a focused optical elongated beam from a radiation emitter onboard the refueling aircraft over a positioning area a defined distance from the radiation emitter;
• modulating a signal carried on the beam as the beam is scanned over the positioning area in a manner corresponding to positions of the beam within the positioning area;
• receiving the optical beam carrying the modulated signal with the radiation receiver;
• and
• analyzing the modulation of the signal carried on the received optical beam to determine a position within the positioning area of the radiation receiver at the time the radiation was received.

An aerial refueling system comprising:

• an aerial refueling device adapted to transfer fuel to a receiver aircraft extendable from a refueling aircraft;
• and
• an aerial refueling device positioning system, the aerial refueling device positioning system including a radiation emitter, a radiation receiver and a signal processor;
• wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to direct radiation to a positioning area a defined distance from the radiation emitter, the radiation carrying a modulated location signal containing information corresponding to positions within the positioning area;
• wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to receive at least a portion of the emitted radiation carrying the modulated signal and output a signal to the signal processor indicative of the modulation of the location signal of the received radiation;
• and
• wherein the signal processor is adapted to process the outputted signal and identify a position within the positioning area indicative of the location in the positioning area of the received radiation.

An aerial refueling system comprising:

• an aerial refueling device;
• and
• an aerial refueling device positioning system, the aerial refueling device positioning system including a radiation emitter, a radiation receiver, and a signal processor;
• wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to direct a beam of emitted radiation to an area away from the radiation emitter, the radiation including discernable properties that vary in a corresponding manner with varying orientation of the beam of radiation with respect to the radiation emitter;
• wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to receive at least a portion of the emitted radiation and output a signal to the signal processor indicative of one or more of the discernable properties of the received radiation;
• and
• wherein the processor is adapted to process the outputted signal and identify a first virtual orientation indicative of an orientation of the receiver relative to the radiation emitter when at least a portion of the radiation was received by the receiver.

A method of positioning an aerial refueling device, comprising:

• extending an aerial refueling device from a refueling aircraft;
• scanning a focused optical elongated beam from a radiation emitter onboard the refueling aircraft over a positioning area a defined distance from the radiation emitter;
• modulating a signal carried on the beam as the beam is scanned over the positioning area in a manner corresponding to positions of the beam within the positioning area;
• receiving the optical beam carrying the modulated signal with a receiver on aerial refueling device;
• and
• analyzing the modulation of the signal carried on the received optical beam to determine a position within the positioning area of the receiver at the time the radiation was received.