Patent ID: 6491253
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: F41G

Abstract:
A method of acquiring and attacking a target comprising: acquiring a target desired to be destroyed on a video camera of a reconnaissance vehicle and imaging the target in the field of view of the video camera on a display screen, transmitting reference video image signal data of the imaged target by a radio frequency link between a reconnaissance vehicle and a launching vehicle, transmitting the heading of the reconnaissance vehicle and video camera relative to the target through the radio frequency link to said launching vehicle, storing the reference video image signal data in an automatic target handoff correlator, and storing the heading information from the reconnaissance vehicle in a fire control computer, providing map coordinate information of the relative position of the launching vehicle and the reconnaissance vehicle to said fire control computer, utilizing the map coordinate information and the heading information in said fire control computer and computing the direction of the selected target from the launching vehicle to produce computed direction information, sending said computed direction information to said launching vehicle and directing a missile that has a video seeker therein to a line of sight of said selected target, obtaining seeker â€œliveâ€  video image information of said selected target and transmitting the â€œliveâ€  video image seeker information to said automatic target handoff correlator, comparing in said automatic target handoff correlator the â€œliveâ€  video image seeker information with said reference video image signal data and producing error signals, utilizing the error signals to adjust the video seeker and place the selected target in the center of the field of view of the video seeker, utilizing said automatic target handoff correlator to verify that the target is in the center of the field of view of the video seeker, utilizing said automatic target handoff correlator to then command a missile autotracker to lock on said target and guide said missile through the utilization of video signals from said video seeker to impact with said selected target.