Body fixed terminal guidance system for a missile

A guidance system for a missile having a velocity vector comprising:

• a sensor mounted on the missile and having a fixed line-of-sight relative to the missile, said sensor providing a first signal comprising first and second frames of image data;
• first means connected to said sensor for identifying a target in said frames of image data and providing a second signal representative of the location of the centroid of an image of said target, said first means including:
• means for providing a difference between said first and second frames of image data and
• means responsive to said difference between said first and second frames of image data for ascertaining an image growth center of said target;
• second means for tracking said target and providing a third signal representative of an aim point of said missile;
• third means for controlling the velocity vector of said missile in response to said second and third signals, said third means including means for comparing the image growth center to the aim point and providing an error signal in response to said comparison and
• fourth means responsive to said difference between said first and second frames of image data for providing an estimate of time to target.

A guidance system for a missile having a velocity vector comprising:

• a sensor mounted on the missile and having a fixed line-of-sight relative to the missile, said sensor providing a first signal representative of first and second frames of image data;
• first means connected to said sensor for identifying a target in said frames of image data and providing a second signal representative of the location of the centroid of an image of said target, said first means including means for providing a difference between said first and second frames of image data and means responsive to said difference for ascertaining an image growth center of said target;
• second means connected to said sensor for tracking said target and providing a third signal representative of an aim point of said missile;
• third means for controlling the velocity vector of said missile in response to said second and third signals, said third means including:
• means for comparing the image growth center to the aim point and providing an error signal in response to said comparison and
• means including means for controlling the velocity vector of said missile to maintain said error signal within a predetermined value;
• fourth means for providing an estimate of missile travel time to said target;
• fifth means for providing a terminal guidance signal when said time to target estimate reaches a predetermined threshold;
• and
• sixth means for providing terminal guidance for said missile on receipt of said terminal guidance signal.

A method for guiding a missile having a sensor mounted thereon, said sensor having a fixed line-of-sight relative to said missile, said sensor providing a first signal comprising frames of image data and said method including the steps of:

• identifying a target in said frames of image data and providing a second signal representative of the location of the centroid of an image of said target, further including the steps of providing a difference between said first and second frames of image data and ascertaining an image growth center of said target in response to said difference between said first and second frames of image data;
• tracking said target and providing a third signal representative of an aim point of said missile;
• and
• controlling the velocity vector of said missile in response to said second and third signals, including the steps of:
• comparing the image growth center to the aim point and providing an error signal in response to said comparison and
• controlling the velocity vector of said missile to maintain said error signal within a predetermined value.