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US 8,941,069 B2Granted
Semi-active laser (SAL) beacon
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorJorge L. Gutierrez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A SAL beacon emulates the signature (e.g. spectral band, size and shape, power level and designation code) of a SAL designator beam reflected off a target. The SAL beacon is field-portable, capable of extended continuous operation and eye-safe. The SAL beacon enables “captive” flight tests of munitions and SAL receivers without the logistical complications of using an operational SAL designator.
Claims20
A semi-active laser (SAL) beacon for flight testing a missile having a SAL receiver with a field-of-view (FOV), said SAL beacon comprising:
- a laser assembly including a laser that emits a coherent beam in the infrared (IR) spectrum and a modulator that modulates the coherent beam to produce a pulsed coherent beam;
- a diffuser that scatters the pulsed coherent beam to produce a pulsed non-coherent beam;
- an optical assembly comprising a primary Fresnel lens and a secondary Fresnel lens at first and second distances from the diffuser that collect and shape the pulsed non-coherent beam to form and project a spot into the receiver FOV that emulates the signature of a SAL designator beam reflected off a target;
- and
- an environmental assembly comprising a heat sink on which the laser assembly is mounted, an insulated enclosure around the laser assembly and heat sink, and a cooling unit that removes heat from inside the enclosure.
2 more elements
A system for captive testing of a SAL receiver, comprising:
- a missile outfitted with the SAL receiver, said SAL receiver having a FOV for detecting an IR signature reflected off a target, said IR signature modulated with a SAL designation code;
- an air vehicle on which the missile is mounted to fly the captive missile in a simulated mission to test the SAL receiver;
- and
- a semi-active laser (SAL) beacon that projects an IR spot that emulates the IR signature reflected off a target, said IR spot modulated with the SAL designation code, said SAL beacon comprising,
- a laser assembly including a laser that emits a coherent beam in the infrared (IR) spectrum and a modulator that modulates the coherent beam to produce a pulsed coherent beam encoded with the SAL designation code;
- a diffuser that scatters the pulsed coherent beam to produce a pulsed non-coherent beam;
- an optical assembly comprising a primary Fresnel lens and a secondary Fresnel lens at first and second distances from the diffuser that collect and shape the pulsed non-coherent beam to form the IR spot in the FOV of the SAL receiver;
- and
- an environmental assembly comprising a heat sink on which the laser assembly is mounted, an insulated enclosure around the laser assembly and said heat sink, and a cooling unit that removes heat from inside the enclosure to maintain a stable temperature of the laser.
6 more elements
A method for captive testing of a SAL receiver, said method comprising:
- outfitting a missile with the SAL receiver, said SAL receiver having a FOV for detecting an IR signature reflected off a target, said IR signature modulated with a SAL designation code;
- mounting the missile on an air vehicle and flying the air vehicle and captive missile in a simulated mission to test the SAL receiver;
- projecting from a semi-active laser (SAL) beacon an IR spot that emulates the IR signature reflected off a target, said IR spot modulated with the SAL designation code, said SAL beacon emitting a pulsed coherent beam in the infrared (IR) spectrum encoded with the SAL designation code, scattering the beam to produce a pulsed non-coherent beam, and collecting and shaping the pulsed non-coherent beam with a primary Fresnel lens and a secondary Fresnel lens to form the IR spot in the FOV of the SAL receiver;
- and
- enclosing the laser and a heat sink on which the laser is mounted within an insulated enclosure and removing heat from inside the enclosure to maintain a stable temperature of the laser.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.