Guided missile with distributed guidance mechanism

Abstract

A weapons system including a guided missile and a guidance mechanism, separate from the guided missile. The guided missile includes a seeker for producing signals indicative of a position of a target, and a steering mechanism for steering the guided missile. The guidance mechanism controls the steering mechanism, based on the signals, so as to steer the guided missile towards the target.

1 . A weapons system comprising: 
 (a) a guided missile including: 
 (i) a seeker for producing signals indicative of a position of a target, and  
 (ii) a steering mechanism for steering said guided missile; and  
   (b) a guidance mechanism, separate from said guided missile, for controlling said steering mechanism, based on said signals, so as to steer said guided missile towards said target.    
   
   
       2 . The weapons system of  claim 1 , wherein said guided missile is a rocket-propelled grenade.  
   
   
       3 . The weapons system of  claim 1 , wherein said guided missile is a rifle grenade.  
   
   
       4 . The weapons system of  claim 1 , wherein said guided missile is a mortar shell.  
   
   
       5 . The weapons system of  claim 1 , wherein said signals are digital signals.  
   
   
       6 . The weapons system of  claim 1 , wherein said signals are analog signals.  
   
   
       7 . The weapons system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 (c) a communication mechanism for sending said signals from said guided missile to said guidance mechanism and for sending control commands from said guidance mechanism to said guided missile.    
   
   
       8 . The weapons system of  claim 7 , wherein said communication mechanism is wireless.  
   
   
       9 . The weapons system of  claim 7 , wherein said communication mechanism includes a transmission medium for conveying said signal from said guided missile to said guidance mechanism and for conveying said control commands from said guidance mechanism to said guided missile.  
   
   
       10 . The weapons system of  claim 9 , wherein said transmission medium includes an optical fiber.  
   
   
       11 . The weapons system of  claim 9 , wherein said transmission medium includes an electrically conductive wire.  
   
   
       12 . The weapons system of  claim 1 , wherein said guidance mechanism includes an authentication mechanism for restricting use of said guidance mechanism to authorized users.  
   
   
       13 . The weapons system of  claim 12 , wherein said authentication mechanism includes a biosensing mechanism.  
   
   
       14 . The weapons system of  claim 1 , wherein said guidance mechanism is operative to provide battle damage assessment.  
   
   
       15 . The weapons system of  claim 1 , wherein said guidance mechanism is operative to process said signals, said controlling of said steering mechanism being based on results of said processing.  
   
   
       16 . The weapons system of  claim 15 , wherein said processing includes image processing.  
   
   
       17 . The weapons system of  claim 15 , wherein said processing includes signal processing.  
   
   
       18 . The weapons system of  claim 1 , wherein said guidance mechanism includes an input mechanism wherewith an operator of said guidance mechanism controls said steering mechanism.  
   
   
       19 . The weapons system of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said guided missiles.  
   
   
       20 . The weapons system of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 (c) a communication mechanism for sending said signals from each of said guided missiles to said guidance mechanism and for sending said control commands from said guidance mechanism to said each guided missile.    
   
   
       21 . The weapons system of  claim 20 , wherein said communication mechanism is wireless.  
   
   
       22 . The weapons system of  claim 20 , wherein said communication mechanism includes, for each said guided missile, a respective transceiver in said each guided missile for sending said signals of said each guided missile from said each guided missile to said guidance mechanism and for receiving said control commands for said each guided missile from said guidance mechanism.  
   
   
       23 . The weapons system of  claim 22 , wherein said communication mechanism includes a single transceiver, operationally connected to said guidance mechanism, for receiving said signals from said guided missiles and for sending said control commands to said guided missiles.  
   
   
       24 . The weapons system of  claim 22 , wherein said communication mechanism includes, for each said guided missile, a respective transceiver, operationally connected to said guidance mechanism, for receiving said signals of said each guided missile from said each guided missile and for sending said control commands for said each guided missile to said each guided missile.