JP2792529B2 - Guiding device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a guidance device for guiding a target such as a flying object to a tracking target, and more particularly to a guidance device for a flying object or the like having an image homing type light wave seeker.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of guidance device has a single seeker. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional guidance device, 9 is a seeker unit, 4 is a signal processing unit, and 5 is a guidance control unit. The seeker unit 9 detects a radiation wave (such as an infrared ray) or a reflected wave (such as a microwave) from the tracking target and outputs the detected wave to the signal processing unit 4. The signal processing unit 4 processes a signal obtained from the seeker unit to generate an angle error signal and the like, and outputs the result to the guidance control unit 5. The guidance control unit 5 outputs a guidance signal for causing the guidance target to approach the tracking target based on the input from the signal processing unit 4, generates a seeker control command for maintaining the locked state, and sends the guidance signal to the seeker unit 9. Output.

In such a guiding apparatus, since the distance to the tracking target cannot be directly measured by the lightwave seeker alone, it is necessary to rely on a separately provided radar device or the like, or in an image homing type lightwave seeker. Calculates the distance to the tracking target based on the size of the target image.

[0004] Also, a complex guidance device having two types of seekers is known, such as a complex guidance device having an optical wave seeker and a radio wave seeker that measures and guides a distance to a tracking target. In such a complex guidance apparatus, the output of one of the seekers is selected and selected in chronological order or according to a predetermined reference (for example, the distance between the tracking target and the guidance target, the presence or absence of interference). Guidance control is performed using only the output of the seeker. Such a complex guidance device is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-1-256799.

[0005]

However, in a conventional guiding device using a light wave seeker alone, particularly in a guiding device using a light wave seeker other than the image homing method, the distance to the tracking target is set by the guidance target itself such as a flying object. It is very difficult to measure.

As described above, since the tracking target cannot be measured by the derivative itself, the accuracy of the distance to the tracking target is reduced. Therefore, the guidance accuracy is low.

Also, in a guiding apparatus using a lightwave seeker of the image homing method, the distance between the tracking target and the guiding target is estimated from the size of the image of the tracking target.
The estimated distance depends on the dimensions of the pixels on the screen, and large measurement errors are likely to occur.

Also, in a complex guidance apparatus using two types of seekers, since only the output of one of the seekers is selected, the above-described drawbacks of the optical wave seeker and the angle detection error of the electromagnetic wave seeker occur. The disadvantage of being easy cannot be fundamentally eliminated. Moreover, it is difficult to reduce the size of the guidance device because two seekers must be installed in the guidance device.

Further, in any of the guiding devices, once an object other than a tracking target including a decoy is locked on, only an object which is not the tracking target can be tracked.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a guidance apparatus which solves the above-mentioned problems and the like and enables highly accurate tracking of a tracking target.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a guidance apparatus for detecting a tracking target and controlling a guidance target to approach the tracking target. Unit, an image generation unit that generates an image from information obtained from the imaging unit, a target image specification unit that specifies at least one or more target images from the generated image, and the target image and the imaging unit A distance measuring unit for measuring a relative distance; calculating a size of the target image from the relative distance and the size of the target image; comparing the calculated size with the size of the tracking target; And a determination unit for determining whether or not

The distance measuring unit is, for example, a laser distance measuring device provided on the same gimbal mechanism as the imaging unit and the image generating unit, and the determining unit is configured to track attribute information and tracking of the target image. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which it is determined whether or not the target image is a tracking target by comparing with the attribute information of the target. In this case, the shape or dynamic characteristic of the tracking target / target image is used as the attribute information.

[0013]

In the guidance apparatus according to the present invention, an image is generated from information obtained from the imaging unit, and at least one or more target images are designated. The relative distance between the target image and the imaging unit is measured by the distance measuring unit, and the size of the target image is calculated by the determination unit from the relative distance and the size. The determination unit also determines whether the target image is a tracking target by comparing the calculated size with the size of the tracking target.

In a configuration in which the distance measuring unit is provided as a laser distance measuring device on the same gimbal mechanism as the imaging unit and the image generating unit, the measured distance is the relative distance. Further, by comparing attribute information between the target image and the tracking target, for example, shapes or dynamic characteristics, it is possible to determine with high accuracy whether the target image is the tracking target.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, wherein 1 is an optical system (imaging section), 2 is an optical detector (image generating section), and 3 is a laser distance measuring apparatus (distance measuring section). 4, a signal processing unit (a target image designating unit and a determination unit), 5 a guidance control unit, 6
Indicates a gimbal mechanism.

In FIG. 1, in an image homing type light wave seeker, an image observed through an optical system 1 is input to an optical detector 2. This image includes the tracking target, but may also include an object other than the tracking target.

The optical detector 2 cannot distinguish between a tracking target and an object other than the tracking target. Accordingly, the optical detector 2 designates one or a plurality of objects in the image as a target image and inputs the target image to the signal output unit 4.

Next, the relative distance between each target image projected on the screen and the guidance target is calculated in real time by the laser distance measuring device 3 provided on the same gimbal mechanism 6 as the optical system 1 and the optical detector 2. Measure each. In this embodiment, the description will be made on the assumption that the guidance target is a flying object.

The signal processing section 4 calculates the size of each target image input from the optical detector 2. Further, for each target image, the actual size of the target image is calculated from the image size and the relative distance obtained from the laser distance measuring device 3.

Further, the size calculated for each target image is compared with the actual size of the target image to determine whether each target image is a tracking target or an object other than the tracking target (eg, a decoy). I do. When it is determined that the target is a tracking target, the tracking candidate is locked on, and when it is not determined that the target is a tracking target, the target is searched again.

After determining the tracking target as described above, the result is output to the guidance control unit 5. Guidance control unit 5
Receives a signal from the signal processing unit 4 and outputs a signal (guidance signal) for causing the guidance target to approach the determined tracking target. In addition, a seeker control command for maintaining the locked state by always supplementing the tracking target in the image is generated and output to the seeker unit 9.

As the control command, for example, a control signal of a directivity direction of the laser distance measuring device 3 or a seeker angle command for holding a tracking target in a visual field of an optical system (for example, a light wave seeker) is used.

The laser distance measuring device 3 is given a degree of freedom for scanning the screen projected on the optical detector 2 and, when a plurality of target images are projected on the screen,
The distance measurement is performed for all target images, and the target can be similarly determined.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a guiding device in which a database is connected to a signal processing section as a modification of the above embodiment.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 8 denotes a database (data storage unit), and the same or corresponding parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In such a configuration example, the optical system 1, the optical detector 2, and the laser distance measuring device 3 operate in the same manner as in the above embodiment. In the signal processing section, the same processing as in the above embodiment is performed on the inputs from the optical detector 2 and the laser distance measuring device 3, and the actual dimensions are calculated for each target image. Next, along with the determination of the size of the tracking target, the information stored in the database and the information of the tracking target obtained from the optical detector 2 are compared to determine whether or not the target is the tracking target.

By making such a determination, the accuracy of the guidance control can be increased. For example, in the above embodiment, when an object having the same size as the tracking target is observed in the optical system 1, there is a possibility that the object may be erroneously recognized as the tracking target even if the object is not the true tracking target. However, by comparing the information stored in the database with the tracking candidate as in this modified example, the above-described erroneous recognition can be avoided.

The contents of the database include a three-dimensional outline of a tracking target and a decoy. By comparing the outline of the target image obtained from the optical detector 2 with the outline of the tracking target stored in the database, the tracking target can be determined with high accuracy.

Further, by comparing the outline of the decoy with the outline of the target image, it is possible to quickly determine that the corresponding target image is a decoy. With this information, it is possible to more accurately identify what the target image is, and the possibility of mistaking a decoy or the like as a tracking target is reduced.

Further, the dynamic characteristics of the target image obtained from the optical detector 2 are compared with the dynamic characteristics of the tracking target and the decoy by storing the dynamic characteristics of the tracking target and the decoy. It is possible to do with.

The above-described embodiment and modifications are particularly effective for a guiding device using a lightwave seeker of an image homing system.

[0033]

As described above, in the present invention, the relative distance to the target is measured, the size of the target image is calculated from the size and the distance of the target image, and the size is compared with the size of the tracking target. Since it is determined whether or not the target image is a tracking target, highly accurate guidance control can be performed.

In particular, by storing the shape and dynamic characteristics of the tracking target in advance and comparing them with the measurement results of the shape and dynamic characteristics of the target image, the determination can be performed with higher accuracy.

Also, by using a laser distance measuring device as the distance measuring device and providing it on the same gimbal mechanism as the optical system and the optical detector, the tracking target can be measured with high accuracy by the derivative itself, and the guidance accuracy can be improved. Can be higher.

Further, since the guiding device can be constituted by a single seeker, the size of the device can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a guidance device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a guidance device according to a modification of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a guidance device according to a conventional example.

[Description of Signs] 1 Optical system 2 Optical detector 3 Laser distance measuring device 4 Signal processing unit 5 Guidance control unit 6 Gimbal mechanism 7 Light wave seeker unit

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A guidance control device for detecting a tracking target and controlling a guidance target to approach the tracking target,
The tracking target imaging unit, an image generation unit that generates an image from information obtained from the imaging unit, a target image specification unit that specifies at least one or more target images from the generated image, and the target image A distance measuring unit that measures a relative distance to the image capturing unit, a size of the captured target image, and a relative distance measured by the distance measuring unit, and an actual size of a target to be the target image. Calculating the calculated size, the size of the target tracking target, and a determination unit that determines whether the target image is an image of the tracking target, and the ranging unit includes And a laser distance measuring device. 2. The guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the laser distance measuring device is provided on the same gimbal mechanism as the imaging unit and the image generating unit. 3. The guidance device according to claim 1, further comprising a database storing attribute information including a schematic shape of the tracking target, wherein the determination unit stores the attribute information including a shape of the target image. A guidance apparatus, comprising: determining whether or not the target image is a tracking target by comparing the attribute information of the tracking target stored in the database.