John A Sage

US Patent:

56728409, Sep 30, 1997

Filed:

Dec 21, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/362085

Inventors:

John Sage - Huntington Beach CA
Jack Ailes - Garden Grove CA
Mike Gonzalez - Temecula CA
Henry Liverpool - Rancho PV CA
Neil Siegel - Rancho Palos Verdes CA
Pirom Supapkooha - Carson CA

Assignee:

TRW Inc. - Redondo Beach CA

International Classification:

F41G 300
G06F10106

US Classification:

89 4101

Abstract:

An automatically oriented computer display for a targeting computer used in connection with a shoulder-fired missile launcher. A computer operator member of an air defense team will read a computer display from a handheld targeting computer so as to give directional and distance information of approaching aircraft. An electronic compass rigidly secured to the handheld computer continually updates the directional orientation of the computer display as the computer operator moves. Therefore, the computer operator is able to accurately give directional information to a gunner operating a shoulder-fired missile launcher such that the gunner is ready to assess the hostility of the approaching aircraft as they become visible. An embedded computer is provided to decipher the compass signals so they are readable by the handheld computer. Additionally, a global positioning system receiver is provided to give positional information of the gunner and the computer operator.