System and method for predictive compensation of uplink laser beam atmospheric jitter for high energy laser weapon systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11513191-B2
Application number	US-201916596595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2019
Priority date	Oct 8, 2019
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A system includes a target illumination laser (TIL) configured to illuminate an airborne target with a TIL beam. The system also includes a beacon illuminator (BIL) configured to transmit a spot of illumination to an expected location on the target, wherein the spot of illumination is more focused than the TIL beam. The system also includes a camera configured to receive an image of the spot reflected off the target. The system also includes a controller configured to determine an actual location of the spot on the target based on the received image. The controller is also configured to estimate a spot motion by correlating the actual location of the spot on the target with the expected location on the target. The controller is also configured to predict uplink jitter of a high energy laser (HEL) beam generated by a HEL based on the BIL spot motion, the uplink jitter caused by atmospheric optical turbulence.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a target illumination laser (TIL) configured to illuminate an airborne target with a TIL beam;
a beacon illuminator (BIL) configured to transmit a spot of illumination to an expected location on the target, wherein the spot of illumination is more focused than the TIL beam;
a high energy laser (HEL) configured to transmit a HEL beam directed toward the target;
a camera configured to receive an image of the spot reflected off the target; and
a controller configured to:
determine an actual location of the spot on the target based on the received image;
estimate a spot motion by correlating the actual location of the spot on the target with the expected location on the target; and
predict uplink jitter of the HEL beam based on a combination of (i) the spot motion, (ii) a round trip speed-of-light delay of the spot, and (iii) an operational delay of a fast steering mirror (FSM) servo associated with at least one FSM, the uplink jitter caused by atmospheric optical turbulence;

wherein the TIL, the BIL, and the HEL comprise different light sources.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control movement of the at least one FSM to substantially cancel the predicted uplink jitter of the HEL beam.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to predict the uplink jitter using an autoregressive input-output model.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the camera is a high-speed short wave infrared (SWIR) camera co-boresighted with the HEL.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the TIL beam and the spot of illumination are at different wavelengths; and
the camera is configured to receive both the image of the spot and an image of the target illuminated by the TIL beam.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to estimate the spot motion relative to one or more identified features on the target.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more identified features on the target comprise a feature on a nose of the target.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to estimate the spot motion using an image processing algorithm.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the TIL beam illuminates the target in a short wave infrared (SWIR) band.

10. A method comprising:
illuminating an airborne target with a target illumination laser (TIL) beam using a TIL;
transmitting a spot of illumination to an expected location on the target using a beacon illuminator (BIL), wherein the spot of illumination is more focused than the TIL beam;
transmitting a high energy laser (HEL) beam directed toward the target using a HEL;
receiving, at a camera, an image of the spot reflected off the target;
determining an actual location of the spot on the target based on the received image;
estimating a spot motion by correlating the actual location of the spot on the target with the expected location on the target; and
predicting uplink jitter of the HEL beam based on a combination of (i) the spot motion, cii) a round trip speed-of-light delay of the spot, and (iii) an operational delay of a fast steering mirror (FSM) servo associated with at least one FSM, the uplink jitter caused by atmospheric optical turbulence;
wherein the TIL, the BIL, and the HEL comprise different light sources.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
controlling movement of the at least one FSM to substantially cancel the predicted uplink jitter of the HEL beam.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the uplink jitter is predicted using an autoregressive input-output model.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the camera is a high-speed short wave infrared (SWIR) camera co-boresighted with the HEL.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the TIL beam and the spot of illumination are at different wavelengths; and
the camera receives both the image of the spot and an image of the target illuminated by the TIL beam.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the spot motion is estimated relative to one or more identified features on the target.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more identified features on the target comprise a feature on a nose of the target.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the spot motion is estimated using an image processing algorithm.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the TIL beam illuminates the target in a short wave infrared (SWIR) band.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to predict the uplink jitter using a machine learning prediction model.

20. The method of claim 10 , wherein the uplink jitter is predicted using a machine learning prediction model.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Braunreiter Dennis
• Young Daniel

Classifications

• F42B15/01

  Arrangements thereon for guidance or control ({steering arrangements F42B10/60}; aircraft flight control B64C; guidance systems other than those installed aboard F41G7/00, F41G9/00; locating by use of radio or other waves G01S; flight control in general G05D1/00; computer aspects G06]) · CPC title

• G01S7/497

  Means for monitoring or calibrating · CPC title

• G01S17/66

  Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves · CPC title

• F41H13/0062

  causing structural damage to the target · CPC title

• F41G3/145 Primary

  using a target illuminator · CPC title