Patent ID: 7575190
Filing Date: 2009-08-18
Classification: F41G,G01S

Abstract:
1. An improved method for guiding a vehicle toward a target, including steps of receiving incoming laser radiation from the target at collection lenses on the vehicle and passing the electrical signals to a computer on board the vehicle that determines the direction of the incoming laser radiation by comparing the electrical signals, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of: providing a vehicle having a fiber collection ferrule arranged behind each collection lens, each ferrule holding in place a plurality of optical fibers; projecting the incoming laser radiation onto at least two optical fibers, each optical fiber having a different pointing angle relative to an image plane of a collection lens; and passing the incoming laser radiation through the optical fibers to at least two optical detectors, one for each pointing angle, each detector generating an electrical signal having an amplitude proportional to the amplitude of the incoming laser radiation.