Thomas N Harkins

US Patent:

6349652, Feb 26, 2002

Filed:

Jan 29, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/770780

Inventors:

David J. Hepner - Elkton MD
Michael S. L. Hollis - Abingdon MD
Peter C. Muller - Abingdon MD
Thomas E. Harkins - Joppa MD
Gary Borgen - Camarillo CA
William P. DAmico - Havre de Grace MD
Bradford S. Davis - Jarrettsville MD
Lawrence W. Burke - Pylesville MD

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Washington DC

International Classification:

F42B 1000

US Classification:

102519, 244 32, 244 323, 898 6, 898 65

Abstract:

A system which is packaged within a projectile fuze body and obtains data relative to the projectile during a launch. Sensors are provided which obtain in-bore data as well as in-flight data. The in-bore data is recorded at a fast rate during in-bore travel of the projectile and is read out, continuously, at a slower rate during in-flight travel. Both in-bore data and in-flight data are encoded and transmitted to a ground station for analysis.

US Patent:

6398155, Jun 4, 2002

Filed:

Jan 2, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/751924

Inventors:

David J. Hepner - Elkton MD
Thomas E. Harkins - Joppa MD

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Washington DC

International Classification:

F41G 700

US Classification:

244 315, 244 316, 244 317, 244 319, 244 321, 342 63

Abstract:

A method to determine the direction in which a spinning projectile is traveling. A solar sensor array on the projectile is used to calculate the orientation of the axis of rotation of the projectile with respect to a known solar field and a magnetometer sensor array is used to calculate the orientation of the axis of rotation of the projectile with respect to a known magnetic field, both fields being represented by respective vectors having magnitude and direction. With the known and calculated orientations, the pointing direction may be obtained by vector combination.