Control and digital telemetry arrangement for an aerial missile

Abstract

A control and digital telemetry arrangement for an aerial missile includes digital telemetry system, a firing circuit, a battery and a latching relay. The digital telemetry system receives an analog input telemetry signal and produces and transmits to a ground station a digital output telemetry signal representing the current status of missile functions. The firing circuit is connected to the telemetry system to indicate that a firing command signal for firing the missile rocket motor has been received. The battery is capable of being switched back and forth between non-conducting and conducting states. The latching relay is connected between the telemetry system and battery and the system and external ground power and capable of switching the battery from its non-conductive to conductive state for latching power from the battery to said telemetry system. The digital telemetry system, firing circuit, battery and latching relay are packaged in a cannister housing which, in turn, is mountable in the missile.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. A control and telemetry arrangement for an aerial missile having a rocket motor, the combination comprising: (a) a digital telemetry system for receiving an analog input telemetry signal and producing and transmitting a digital output telemetry signal representing the current status of missile functions;   (b) a battery capable of being switched from a non-conducting state; and   (c) a latching relay connected between said digital telemetry system and said battery and capable of being switched from a first state to a second state to switch said battery from its non-conductive to conductive state for connecting power from said battery to said state for connecting power from said second state to said first state to switch said battery back to said non-conductive state for disconnecting power from said battery to said telemetry system and reconnecting ground power.   
     
     
       2. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising: power supply converter connected to said latching relay and being operable when said relay is switched to said second state for receiving power from said battery and converting the power to levels required for operation of said telemetry system.   
     
     
       3. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising: a tri-axis accelerometer connected to said telemetry system and being operable to continuously provide data concerning the orientation of the aerial missile to said telemetry system.   
     
     
       4. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said telemetry system includes a signal conditioner for receiving the analog input telemetry signal representing the current status of missile functions and producing a conditioned analog output telemetry signal. 
     
     
       5. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein said telemetry system also includes a pulse code modulation (PCM) encoder connected to said signal conditioner for receiving the conditioned analog output telemetry signal therefrom and producing a digital output telemetry signal. 
     
     
       6. The arrangement of claim 5 wherein said telemetry system also includes a pre-modulation filter connected to said PCM encoder for receiving the digital output telemetry signal therefrom and producing an alternating digital output signal. 
     
     
       7. The arrangement of claim 6 wherein said telemetry system also includes a phase modulation (PM) transmitter connected to said pre-modulation filter for receiving said alternating digital output signal therefrom and producing a modulated output signal. 
     
     
       8. The arrangement of claim 7 wherein said telemetry system also includes an antenna connected to said PM transmitter for receiving said modulated output signal therefrom and radiating said modulated output signal from the missile to a ground receiving station. 
     
     
       9. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising: a cannister containing said digital telemetry system and said firing circuit, battery and latching relay and being mountable in the aerial missile.   
     
     
       10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said cannister includes: an outer cylindrical housing; and   a packaging assembly for packing said telemetry system, firing circuit, battery and latching relay within said housing.   
     
     
       11. The arrangement of claim 10 wherein said packaging assembly includes: a pair of opposite end bulkheads having circular configurations and outside diameter sizes adapting them to snugly fit within the inside diameter of opposite ends of said cylindrical housing; and   a pair of opposing side support plates extending between and attached to said bulkheads.   
     
     
       12. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein said side support plates have a plurality of longitudinal slots formed therein and extending between said bulkheads for mounting some of the components of said telemetry system. 
     
     
       13. A digital telemetry system for an aerial missile, comprising: (a) a signal conditioner for receiving an analog input telemetry signal representing the current status of missile functions and producing a conditioned analog output telemetry signal;   (b) a pulse code modulation (PCM ) encoder connected to said signal conditioner for receiving the conditioned analog output telemetry signal therefrom and producing a digital output telemetry signal;   (c) a pre-modulation filter connected to said PCM encoder for receiving the digital output telemetry signal therefrom and producing an alternating digital output signal;   (d) a phase modulation (PM) transmitter connected to said pre-modulation filter for receiving said alternating digital output signal therefrom and producing a modulated output signal; and   (e) an antenna connected to said PM transmitter for receiving said modulated output signal therefrom and radiating said modulated output signal from the missile to a ground receiving station.   
     
     
       14. The system of claim 13 wherein said signal conditioner includes a signal scaler for receiving the analog input signal which varies within a first range of positive and negative voltage levels and proportionally scaling down the analog input signal to a second range of positive and negative voltage levels which is narrower than the first range thereof. 
     
     
       15. The system of claim 14 wherein said signal conditioner further includes a signal offset for receiving the scaled down voltage within the second range from the signal scaler and shifting it such that all voltage levels in the second range are now positive to produce a scaled down and positive offset voltage representing said conditioned analog output telemetry signal. 
     
     
       16. The system of claim 15 wherein said PCM encoder is connected to said signal offset of said signal conditioner for receiving, multiplexing and encoding said scaled down and positive offset voltage and producing a positive digital output signal. 
     
     
       17. The system of claim 16 wherein said premodulation filter is connected to said PCM encoder for receiving said positive digital output signal and offseting it to a third range of positive and negative voltage levels being narrower than the voltage levels of said second range to produce an alternating digital output signal. 
     
     
       18. The system of claim 17 wherein said antenna is a wrap-around type antenna. 
     
     
       19. A method of transmitting a telemetry signal from a small diameter aerial missile to a ground station, said method comprising the steps of: (a) converting on a small diameter aerial missile an analog input telemetry signal representing the current status of missile functions to a modulated alternating digital output telemetry signal;   (b) transmitting the modulated alternating digital output telemetry signal from the aerial missile to a ground station: and   (c) reconverting at the ground station the modulated alternating digital output telemetry signal back to the analog input telemetry signal.   
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19 wherein said step of converting includes receiving the analog input telemetry signal and producing a conditioned analog output telemetry signal therefrom. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of producing the conditioned signal includes receiving the analog input telemetry signal which varies within a first range of positive and negative voltage levels and proportionally scaling down the analog input signal to a second range of positive and negative voltage levels which is narrower than the first range thereof to produce a scaled down voltage within the second range. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of producing the conditioned signal includes receiving the scaled down voltage within the second range and shifting it such that all voltage levels in the second range are now positive to produce a scaled down and positive offset voltage representing the conditioned analog output telemetry signal. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of converting further includes receiving the conditioned analog output telemetry signal and producing a positive digital output telemetry signal therefrom. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of producing the positive digital output telemetry signal includes receiving, multiplexing and encoding the conditioned analog output telemetry signal and producing the positive digital output signal. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of converting further includes receiving the positive digital output telemetry signal and producing an alternating digital output signal therefrom. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of producing the alternating digital output signal includes receiving the positive digital output signal and offseting it to a range of positive and negative voltage levels to produce the alternating digital output signal. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of converting further includes receiving the alternating digital output signal and producing the modulated alternating digital output signal therefrom. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 27 wherein said step of transmitting includes receiving and radiating the modulated alternating digital output signal from the missile to a ground receiving station.