BANG-BANG LASER SPOT TRACKER

Abstract

A "bang-bang", i.e. digital tracking system for a remote laser designated target having position, rate and acceleration errors. The system is responsive to the sign of the error signal (up/down, right/left) in relation to boresight as opposed to the amplitude of the received signal output from an optical quadrature detector to determine the occurrence of two consecutive zero crossings of boresight following a system gain change where there is a change in sign for consecutive signal detections and as a result thereof reduces the size or amplitude of the digital control step which is utilized to determine the limit cycle of the oscillation of the tracker's optics. Additionally, an estimate of the velocity error is determined from the number of signal detections between successive zero crossings, i.e. from up to down, or vice versa, and left to right, or vice versa and summed with the control step to provide a composite tracking error signal which is applied to a gimbal drive mechanism controlling the tracker optics.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Inventor

• 1DAVID W. COFFEY

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