Optical Sensor with Mirrors for GPS-Free Munition Guidance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional guided projectiles rely on GPS or high-performance inertial sensors, which can be vulnerable to jamming and are often too large for certain applications, failing to provide accurate positioning and imaging in mission-critical environments.
Innovation Solution
A system incorporating a lens, optical sensor, and mirrors that provide inertial information to determine direction, pitch, roll, and yaw, allowing for control of flight paths without GPS, using a single optical sensor with separate pixel areas for tracking and inertial data, and a mask to prevent image bleed, enabling accurate navigation and guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS is used for positioning and navigation, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to jamming and spoofing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optical sensor system with mirrors as an intermediary positioning method that does not rely on GPS signals. The optical sensor captures images of the environment, and mirrors redirect light paths to provide inertial information about platform motion, enabling positioning through visual feature tracking rather than satellite signals, thus avoiding GPS vulnerability to jamming and spoofing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electronic GPS-based positioning system with an optical-mechanical system using an optical sensor and mirrors. This substitution uses optical principles (light reflection and image capture) instead of radio signal reception, providing a fundamentally different positioning approach that is not susceptible to electromagnetic jamming
2Reliability
If high-performance inertial sensors are used to achieve desired accuracy without GPS, then positioning reliability is improved, but the device size becomes too large for certain guided projectiles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the imaging function and inertial sensing function into a single optical sensor system. The optical sensor serves dual purposes: capturing images for target tracking and providing inertial information through mirror-reflected light paths. This merging eliminates the need for separate, bulky inertial sensors while maintaining positioning reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The optical sensor system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both an imaging sensor for target acquisition and an inertial sensor for motion detection. The same hardware component provides both navigation imagery and inertial measurement data, reducing overall system size and weight while maintaining reliability
3Device complexity
If a single optical sensor is used for both tracking and inertial information, then device complexity is reduced, but image quality and tracking precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensor is divided into distinct functional regions: a first pixel area dedicated to seeker pixels for target tracking and a second pixel area with inertial pixels for inertial measurements. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function, maintaining high tracking precision while enabling inertial sensing capabilities within the same sensor device
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses mirrors to redirect light paths into the optical sensor, adding a spatial dimension to the imaging process. The mirrors create additional optical paths that project inertial information onto specific pixel areas without interfering with the primary target tracking path, enabling dual functionality through spatial separation of optical paths
4Measurement precision
If mirrors are added to provide inertial information, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mirrors are integrated into the existing optical sensor assembly, merging the inertial sensing function with the imaging function. The mirrors are positioned within the optical path of the sensor, creating a compact configuration where inertial information is obtained through the same optical channel used for imaging, rather than requiring separate sensing hardware
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate navigation and guidance of guided munitions in GPS-degraded environments, reducing the need for large inertial sensors and enhancing flight path adjustments, while preventing jamming and maintaining image linearity.
Implementation Method 1
One or more reflective surfaces can be optically connected to an outer perimeter of the lens oriented orthogonal to the primary optical axis. The one or more reflective surfaces can be configured to project optical rotation information to an optical sensor
Implementation Method 2
A lens, an optical sensor configured to receive image data through the lens
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a lens is provided. The lens can be used in an imaging platform of a moving platform (e.g., a projectile or guided munition), for example, in a seeker arrangement. The lens can be configured to optical rotation information of the moving platform to an optical sensor as the moving platform moves in space, for example, following a mission profile.