Patent ID: 8569669

Claim:
A navigation method for a missile that includes an infrared seeker head, an inertial navigation system and a device that performs comparative evaluation of images just recorded with stored reference images, wherein the comparative evaluation includes initially producing a multiplicity of three-dimensional lines for a three-dimensional reconstruction of a detected scene from the just recorded images, comparing the multiplicity of three-dimensional lines taking into consideration a perspective of the stored reference images, and determining a current location and position of the missile using the comparison of the multiplicity of three-dimensional lines, wherein synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images are used as the stored reference images, the SAR images originating from a SAR reconnaissance system, which at an earlier time and with known detected trajectory saves data of overflown terrain, and virtual reference edge images composed of three-dimensional line segments are generated from the SAR images, wherein the virtual reference edges images and associated trajectory data are provided as a reference for the navigation method of the missile, wherein homogeneous areas bounded by the three-dimensional lines and spatial position are obtained from the just recorded images of the infrared seeker head, and a corresponding azimuth position and range position are calculated for each detected three-dimensional object taking into consideration a three-dimensional structure of the overflown terrain for each detected three-dimensional object, wherein layover effects of the SAR images are modeled and SAR shadow edges are generated in the virtual reference edge image using masking analysis of three-dimensional areas, wherein virtual SAR images originating from the just recorded images of the infrared seeker head and generated from the calculations are compared to the virtual reference edge images and the trajectory data using a comparative evaluation, and continuously updated position data and location data of the missile are calculated therefrom.