APPARATUS FOR DIRECTING A MOBILE CRAFT TO A RENDEVOUS WITH ANOTHER MOBILE CRAFT

Abstract

Tracking means for establishing a line-of-sight between a control point to which the second craft is being guided and tracking the line-of-sight to follow the second craft and deriving a signal a representing the rate of rotation of the line-of-sight about the control point; monitoring means for deriving a signal representing the displacement e of the first craft from the line-of-sight, a signal representing the range Rm between the first craft and the control point, and a signal representing the rate of change Rm of the range Rm, presetting means for providing a signal representing a positive quantity k; and a computer for deriving signals representing c, c, and k to satisfy the equation ##EQU1## and minimize the difference -a, k being initially set equal to k1 ; control means for deriving from the representations provided by the computer a signal representing f(e)+Rm c +2Rm c wherein f(e) is a function of e; and guidance means for causing the first craft to develop an acceleration transverse to the said line-of-sight, of a magnitude determined by the control signal.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Inventor

• 1ERIC HEAP