Abstract: A line of sight guidance system in which the radiated output of a pulsed laser is spatially modulated to produce a beam radiated from an optical projector along a first axis, including a missile or projectile carrying a beam receiver and signal decoder which receives and decodes information in the beam to enable the missile to seek beam center, is provided with apparatus for generating a lead angle axis reference for the missile. The basic technique comprises FM modulating the rotational rate of an orbitally driven projected beam chopping spoked reticle. The FM modulation amplitude is chosen to equal the magnitude of the desired angular change of the projected spatially coded axis, while the FM modulation phase is made to equal the direction in which the projected spatially coded axis is shifted.

Abstract: A weapon system using a line of sight guidance system is provided with a missile containing two symmetrically located optical receivers. Information contained in a beam into which a missile is launched is used by the two receivers and associated processor means to derive roll position for the missile. Because the roll signal is derived electronically, mechanical means for determining roll position of the missile in the form of a conventional roll gyro, for example, may be eliminated. Elimination of the mechanical roll gyro from the missile permits much higher launch accelerations than are realistically feasible with missile control systems employing mechanically derived roll data. A processor located in the missile receives its signals from the pair of optical receivers. The processor uses the data from the first receiver to derive the position error of the missile relative to beam center.

Abstract: A line of sight guidance system is provided in which the radiated output of a pulsed laser is spatially modulated to produce a beam radiated from an optical projector containing all informational requirements to enable a missile launched into the beam to determine its position with respect to beam center. The guidance system includes a single beam projector at a launch site, and a single beam receiver and signal decoder carried by the missile. The beam projector includes a laser diode source, laser pulse driver circuits, beam encoder, optic means for projecting the encoded beam, and electronic circuits for controlling the optic means operation. The beam encoder includes a reticle having a plurality of spokes formed in it, an opto-interrupter for sensing reticle center rotation rate, and drive motor control electronics. The reticle has a center mounted for rotation about the generated beam so that at least a portion of the reticle intersects the beam in all positions of the reticle.