Autonomous weapon system for guidance and combat assessment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11499807-B2
Application number	US-201816769827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2018
Priority date	Dec 28, 2017
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

An autonomous weapon system for improved guidance of a projectile for homing a target includes a guided projectile including at least one sensor and a carrier projectile and at least one guidance and reconnaissance unit including a transmitter for communication via light. The system uses emitted light for both positioning and communication of target coordinates which provides an accurate and cost effective system for combatting point and surface targets by indirect fire.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A carrier projectile comprising a guidance and reconnaissance unit, the carrier projectile being launchable from a cannon, gun or mortar towards a predetermined area of interest in combination with a guided projectile comprising a payload, the guided projectile being launchable from a cannon, gun or mortar towards an area and/or target,
the guidance and reconnaissance unit comprising
a computer,
a programmable digital reference library containing target and/or terrain models for detecting and identifying the area and/or target, and
a transmitter for communication with the guided projectile via light

wherein the guidance and reconnaissance unit is separable from the carrier projectile in the predetermined area of interest by inducing a separation charge such that the guidance and reconnaissance unit is released, is activated, and loiters down over the predetermined area of interest and is adapted to detect and identify a pre-programmed area and/or target from the reference library, the guidance and reconnaissance unit including a control system configured to control loitering and or falling velocity of the guidance and reconnaissance unit:
the computer being configured to
calculate vectors to a target of the area and/or target,
transform the vectors to one or more target position coordinates, and
encrypt and package the target position coordinates to produce an encrypted data package;

the transmitter being configured to communicate the encrypted data package in one or several given angular regions to the at least one guided projectile;
the guided projectile being configured to
detect a signal from the guidance and reconnaissance unit,
receive the encrypted data package, and
correct a ballistic path of the guided projectile toward the target in response to the signal from the guidance and reconnaissance unit and the detected encrypted data package.

2. The carrier projectile and guided projectile combination according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter for communication communicates via visible light.

3. The carrier projectile and guided projectile combination according to claim 1 , comprising a parachute.

4. The carrier projectile and guided projectile combination according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is an imaging and/or visual and/or thermal wavelength wave sensor.

5. The carrier projectile and guided projectile combination according to claim 1 , wherein the second sensor is an angle sensor, and/or altimeter and/or a distance gauge.

6. The carrier projectile and guided projectile combination according to claim 1 , wherein the guidance and reconnaissance unit is operative to provide combat assessment.

7. A process for guiding a projectile for homing a target by using a guidance and reconnaissance unit, comprising:
identifying an area and/or a target of interest;
launching a pre-programmed carrier projectile comprising at least one guidance and reconnaissance unit, from a cannon, gun or mortar towards a predetermined area of interest;
launching at least one pre-programmed projectile comprising a payload from a cannon, gun or mortar towards the area and/or target;
separating the at least one guidance and reconnaissance unit from the carrier projectile in the predetermined area of interest by inducing a separation charge, whereby the guidance and reconnaissance unit is released, is activated, and loiters down over the predetermined area of interest for detecting and identifying a pre-programmed target from a reference library;
calculating vectors to a target of the area and/or target;
transforming the vectors to one or more target position coordinates;
encrypting and packaging the target position coordinates to produce an encrypted data package;
communicating the encrypted data package via a transmitter in one or several given angular regions to the at least one guided projectile;
detecting, with the at least one guided projectile, a signal from the guidance and reconnaissance unit;
receiving, with the at least one guided projectile, the encrypted data package; and
correcting a ballistic path of the at least one guided projectile toward the target in response to the signal from the guidance and reconnaissance unit and the detected encrypted data package.

Assignees

• Bae Systems Bofors Ab
• Christensen Jan

Inventors

• Christensen Jan

Classifications

• F42B10/56 Primary

  of parachute {or paraglider} type · CPC title

• F41G7/308

  for guiding a plurality of missiles · CPC title

• F42B12/58

  Cluster or cargo ammunition, i.e. projectiles containing one or more submissiles (F42B12/32 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F42B12/365

  Projectiles transmitting information to a remote location using optical or electronic means (F42B12/385 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F41G7/303

  Sighting or tracking devices especially provided for simultaneous observation of the target and of the missile · CPC title