OPTICAL TRACKING SYSTEM FOR AIRBORNE OBJECTS

1 . An airborne object tracking system, comprising:

an airborne object positioning system, the airborne object positioning system including a radiation emitter, a radiation receiver and a signal processor, wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to be attached to a refueling aircraft, and wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to attach to the airborne object;

wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to direct radiation to a positioning area a defined distance from the radiation emitter, the radiation carrying a modulated location signal containing information corresponding to positions within the positioning area;

wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to receive at least a portion of the emitted radiation carrying the modulated signal and output a signal to the signal processor indicative of the modulation of the location signal of the received radiation; and

wherein the signal processor is adapted to process the outputted signal and identify a position within the positioning area indicative of the location in the positioning area of the received radiation.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to emit a focused optical beam and scan the focused optical beam over the positioning area.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the emitted radiation is a focused optical beam, wherein the modulated location signal includes a plurality of digital data blocks, the plurality of digital data blocks containing information respectively corresponding to a plurality of discrete positions within the positioning area that respectively correspond to a current location of the focused beam within the positioning area.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to emit a focused optical beam and scan the focused optical beam over the positioning area.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to emit a focused optical beam and scan the focused optical beam over the positioning area in an X-Y raster.

6 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to emit a focused optical elongated beam and scan the focused optical elongated beam over the positioning area in a dual-pass manner.

7 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to emit a focused optical beam and scan the focused optical beam over the positioning area in a spiral pattern, the spiral pattern having a focus at the approximate center of the positioning area.

8 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to receive at least a portion of the focused beam when at least that portion of the focused beam is directed at the radiation receiver, and wherein the signal outputted by the receiver is indicative of the information contained in at least one digital data block carried by the received radiation.

9 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to receive at least a portion of the focused beam when at least that portion of focused beam is directed at the radiation receiver and determine whether a full digital data block carried by the focused beam has been received, and only if a full digital data block has been received, output the signal to the signal processor, wherein the outputted signal is indicative of the information contained in the full digital data block received.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter is a focused beam and the radiation emitter is adapted to scan the focused beam over the positioning area;

wherein the airborne object positioning system is adapted to virtually divide at least a portion of the positioning area into a virtual grid, the virtual grid including a plurality of distributed distinct sectors, the distributed distinct sectors spatially corresponding to sub-areas within the positioning area, the sub-areas being disbursed within the positioning area in a geometrically defined manner;

wherein the airborne object positioning system is adapted to change the modulated location signal carried on the focused beam as the focused beam is scanned over the positioning area, wherein change in the modulated location signal corresponds in a defined manner to the sub-areas such that a modulated location signal indicative of a beam being directed at a first sub-area is distinct from a modulated location signal indicative of a beam being directed at a second sub-area; and

wherein the signal processor is adapted to analyze one or more outputted signals from the receiver indicative of the modulation of the location signal and identify a distinct sector corresponding to the received modulated location signal carried on the focused beam.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the signal processor identifies a sub-area at which the beam is directed based on the identification of the distinct sector corresponding to the received modulated location signal carried on the emitted radiation.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the signal processor is adapted to analyze a first outputted signal and a second outputted signal outputted after the first outputted signal to determine a location in the virtual grid at which the distinct sectors coincide; the first and second outputted signals being respectively indicative of the modulation of the location signal of the beam received by the receiver.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the signal processor identifies a sub-area at which the beam is directed based on the determination of the location in the virtual grid at which the distinct sectors coincide.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter is a focused optical elongated beam and the radiation emitter is adapted to scan the focused optical elongated beam over the positioning area in a dual-pass manner, wherein the first outputted signal is generated by the reception of at least a portion of the focused optical elongated beam in a first pass of the beam over the positioning area, and wherein the second outputted signal is generated by the reception of at least a portion of the focused optical elongated beam in a second pass of the beam over the positioning area.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the focused optical elongated beam of the first pass is normal to the focused optical elongated beam of the second pass.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the airborne object positioning system is adapted to identify the location of the receiver within the positioning area based on the coincidence of the first optical elongated beam and the second optical elongated beam.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is part of a system assembly that includes an aerial refueling system that includes an aerial refueling device that in turn includes an active control system adapted to regulate a position of the aerial refueling device with respect to a refueling aircraft when the aerial refueling device is extended from the refueling aircraft.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the radiation receiver is mounted on the airborne object, wherein the airborne object includes an active control system adapted to regulate the position of the radiation receiver within the positioning area when the airborne object is proximate a refueling aircraft on which the radiation emitter is mounted.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the active control system is adapted to regulate the vertical and horizontal position of the airborne object to maintain a substantially fixed orientation of the receiver within the positioning area.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the active control system is adapted to regulate a position of the radiation receiver so that the position of the radiation receiver is substantially constant within the positioning area.

21 . An airborne object tracking system, comprising:

an airborne object positioning system, the airborne object positioning system including a radiation emitter adapted to be attached to a refueling aircraft, and a radiation receiver adapted to be attached to the airborne object, and a signal processor;

wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to direct a beam of emitted radiation to an area away from the radiation emitter, the radiation including discernable properties that vary in a corresponding manner with varying orientation of the beam of radiation with respect to the radiation emitter;

wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to receive at least a portion of the emitted radiation and output a signal to the signal processor indicative of one or more of the discernable properties of the received radiation; and

wherein the processor is adapted to process the outputted signal and identify a first virtual orientation indicative of an orientation of the receiver relative to the radiation emitter when at least a portion of the radiation was received by the receiver.

22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to emit a focused optical beam modulated with digital data blocks, the modulated digital data blocks respectively indicative of discrete orientations respectively corresponding to orientations of the beam relative to the radiation emitter.

23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein at least some of the varied discernable properties are respectively indicative of discrete orientations respectively corresponding to orientations of the beam relative to the radiation emitter in a first reference frame, and wherein at least some of the varied discernable properties are respectively indicative of discrete orientations respectively corresponding to orientations of the beam relative to the radiation emitter in a second reference frame.

24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the signal processor is adapted to analyze a first outputted signal from the receiver, the first outputted signal being indicative of a first discernable property of the received radiation indicative of a first discrete orientation corresponding to a first orientation of the beam relative to the radiation emitter in the first reference frame at the time that the radiation was received, and wherein the signal processor is adapted to analyze a second outputted signal from the receiver, the second outputted signal being indicative of a second discernable property of the received radiation indicative of a second discrete orientation corresponding to a second orientation of the beam relative to the radiation emitter in the second reference frame at the time that the radiation was received; and

wherein the signal processor is adapted to identify a virtual location of the receiver relative to the radiation emitter based on the analysis of the first and second outputted signals.

25 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to receive the focused beam carrying the digital data blocks when the focused beam is directed at the radiation receiver and output the signal to the signal processor, wherein the outputted signal is indicative of the information contained in a digital data block carried on the received beam, and wherein the processor is adapted to analyze the outputted signal from the receiver indicative of the information contained in the received digital data block and identify the orientation of the beam relative to the radiation emitter based on the information contained in the received digital data block to identify the first virtual orientation.

26 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter is a focused beam and the radiation emitter is adapted to scan the focused beam over the area;

wherein the airborne object positioning system is adapted to virtually divide at least a portion of the various possible orientations of the beam relative to the radiation emitter into a beam zone, the beam zone including a plurality of distributed distinct vectors, the distributed vectors spatially corresponding to actual orientations of the beam with respect to the radiation emitter, the actual orientations being disbursed within the beam zone in a geometrically defined manner;

wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to change the modulated signal carried on the focused beam as the focused beam is scanned over the area to obtain different modulated signals, the different modulated signals corresponding in a defined manner to the actual orientations such that a modulated signal indicative of a beam being directed along a first orientation is distinct from a modulated signal indicative of a beam being directed along a second orientation; and

wherein the signal processor is adapted to analyze the outputted signal from the receiver indicative of the modulation of the signal and identify the distinct vector corresponding to the received modulated signal carried on the emitted radiation.

27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the signal processor is adapted to identify the orientation of the receiver relative to the radiation emitter based on the identified distinct vector.

28 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the signal processor determines at least one of (i) the distinct vector along which the beam is directed based on the identification of the distinct vector corresponding to the received modulated signal carried on the emitted radiation and (ii) the orientation along which the beam is directed based on the identification of the distinct vector corresponding to the received modulated signal carried on the emitted radiation.

29 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the airborne object includes an active control system adapted to regulate the position of the airborne object with respect to a refueling aircraft on which the radiation emitter is mounted when the airborne object is proximate the refueling aircraft.

30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the radiation receiver is mounted on the airborne object, wherein the aerial refueling system includes an active control system adapted to regulate the position of the radiation receiver when the airborne object is proximate a refueling aircraft on which the radiation emitter is mounted.

31 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the active control system is adapted to regulate the vertical and horizontal position of the airborne object to maintain a substantially fixed orientation of the receiver with respect to the radiation emitter.

32 . A method of determining a position of an airborne object, comprising:

positioning an airborne object proximate a refueling aircraft;

scanning a focused optical elongated beam from a radiation emitter onboard the refueling aircraft over a positioning area a defined distance from the radiation emitter;

modulating a signal carried on the beam as the beam is scanned over the positioning area in a manner corresponding to positions of the beam within the positioning area;

receiving the optical beam carrying the modulated signal with a receiver on the airborne object; and

analyzing the modulation of the signal carried on the received optical beam to determine a position within the positioning area of the receiver at the time the radiation was received.

33 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising scanning the focused optical elongated beam over the positioning area in a two-pass manner and receiving the focused elongated beam scanned in a two-pass manner.

34 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising receiving the optical beam scanned in a first pass of the two-pass scan and receiving the optical beam scanned in a second pass of the two-pass scan and comparing the beams received in the first pass and the second pass and determining the position of the receiver within the positioning area based on a correspondence of position of the beams within the positioning area of the beams.

35 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising receiving the optical beam scanned in a first pass of the two-pass scan and receiving the optical beam scanned in a second pass of the two-pass scan and comparing the beams received in the first pass and the second pass and determining the position of the receiver within the positioning area based on a correspondence of position of the received beams within the positioning area.

36 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising actively controlling the airborne object to maintain a substantially fixed position relative to the radiation emitter based on the determined position within the positioning area of the receiver.

37 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the radiation emitter includes:

a single line optical beam emitter;

a prism; and

a rotatable mirror assembly;

wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to rotate the rotatable mirror assembly so that a single line optical beam emitted by the single line optical beam emitter is deflected by the mirror to project the emitted single line optical beam in a first orientation; and wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to rotate the rotatable mirror assembly so that the single line optical beam emitted by the single line optical beam emitter passes through the prism to project the emitted single line optical beam in a second orientation different from the first orientation.

38 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is part of a system assembly that includes an aerial refueling device adapted to transfer fuel to a receiver aircraft extendable from a refueling aircraft.

39 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the aerial refueling device comprises a refueling drogue assembly including a refueling drogue and a refueling hose in captive relation with the refueling drogue, and wherein the radiation receiver is mounted on at least one of the refueling drogue and the refueling hose.

40 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the aerial refueling device comprises a refueling boom assembly, and wherein the radiation receiver is mounted on the refueling boom.

41 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is adapted to extract information from the radiation emitted from the radiation emitter which is received by the radiation receiver indicative of a straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver.

42 . The system of claim 41 , wherein the system is adapted to extract information from the radiation emitted from the radiation emitter which is received by the radiation receiver indicative of a straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver, the information being based on the amount of radiation received by the radiation receiver during a predetermined period of time, the system including an algorithm having the parameters such that the more radiation from the radiation emitter that is received by the radiation receiver during the predetermined period of time, the smaller the straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver.

43 . The system of claim 41 , wherein the radiation emitter modulates an intensity of the beam according to a periodic cycle, wherein the system is adapted to extract information from the radiation emitted from the radiation emitter which is received by the radiation receiver indicative of a straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver, the information being based on the number of modulations detected by the radiation receiver during a predetermined period of time, the system including an algorithm having the parameters such that the greater the collective intensity of radiation from the radiation emitter that is received by the radiation receiver during the predetermined period of time, the smaller the straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver.

44 . The system of claim 41 , wherein the radiation emitter cycles emission of the beam according to a periodic cycle to direct a plurality of lines towards the radiation receiver, wherein the system is adapted to extract information from the radiation emitted from the radiation emitter which is received by the radiation receiver indicative of a straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver, the information being based on the number of emission cycles detected by the radiation receiver during a predetermined period of time, the system including an algorithm having parameters such that the higher number of emission cycles from the radiation emitter that are received by the radiation receiver during the predetermined period of time, the smaller the straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver.

45 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is part of a system assembly that includes an aerial refueling device adapted to transfer fuel to a receiver aircraft extendable from a refueling aircraft.

46 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the aerial refueling device comprises a refueling drogue assembly including a refueling drogue and a refueling hose in captive relation with the refueling drogue, and wherein the radiation receiver is mounted on at least one of the refueling drogue and the refueling hose.

47 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the aerial refueling device comprises a refueling boom assembly, and wherein the radiation receiver is mounted on the refueling boom.

48 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is adapted to extract information from the radiation emitted from the radiation emitter which is received by the radiation receiver indicative of a straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver.

49 . The system of claim 48 , wherein the system is adapted to extract information from the radiation emitted from the radiation emitter which is received by the radiation receiver indicative of a straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver, the information being based on the amount of radiation from the radiation emitter received by the radiation receiver during a predetermined period of time, the system including an algorithm having the parameters such that the more radiation from the radiation emitter that is received by the radiation receiver during the predetermined period of time, the smaller the straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver.

50 . The system of claim 48 , wherein the radiation emitter modulates an intensity of the beam according to a periodic cycle, wherein the system is adapted to extract information from the radiation emitted from the radiation emitter which is received by the radiation receiver indicative of a straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver, the information being based on the number of modulations of the radiation from the radiation emitter detected by the radiation receiver during a predetermined period of time, the system including an algorithm having the parameters such at least one of:

the greater the collective intensity of radiation from the radiation emitter that is received by the radiation receiver during the predetermined period of time, the smaller the straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver;

the greater the number of modulations of the radiation from the radiation emitter that is received by the radiation receiver during the predetermined period of time, the smaller the straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver.

51 . The system of claim 48 , wherein the radiation emitter cycles emission of the beam according to a periodic cycle to direct a plurality of lines towards the radiation receiver, wherein the system is adapted to extract information from the radiation emitted from the radiation emitter which is received by the radiation receiver indicative of a straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver, the information being based on the number of emission cycles detected by the radiation receiver during a predetermined period of time, the system including an algorithm having parameters such that the higher number of emission cycles of the radiation from the radiation emitter that are received by the radiation receiver during the predetermined period of time, the smaller the straight-line distance between the radiation emitter and the radiation receiver.

52 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the airborne object is a receiver aircraft.

53 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising:

positioning a second airborne object proximate the refueling aircraft;

receiving the optical beam carrying the modulated signal with a second receiver on the second airborne object; and

analyzing the modulation of the signal carried on the received optical beam to determine a position within the positioning area of the second receiver at the time the radiation was received.

54 . The method of claim 53 , wherein the actions are performed within five seconds of one another.

55 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising:

positioning a second airborne object proximate the refueling aircraft;

scanning a second focused optical elongated beam from a second radiation emitter onboard the refueling aircraft over a second positioning area a respective defined distance from the radiation emitter;

modulating a signal carried on the second beam as the second beam is scanned over the second positioning area in a manner corresponding to positions of the second beam within the second positioning area;

receiving the second optical beam carrying the second modulated signal with a second receiver on the second airborne object; and

analyzing the modulation of the second signal carried on the received second optical beam to determine a position within the second positioning area of the second receiver at the time the second radiation was received.

56 . The method of claim 55 , wherein the actions are performed within 5 seconds of one another.

57 . The method of claim 55 , wherein at least a portion of the second positioning area overlaps at least a portion of the first positioning area.

58 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising:

scanning a second focused optical elongated beam from a second radiation emitter onboard the refueling aircraft over a second positioning area a defined distance from the radiation emitter;

modulating a signal carried on the second beam as the second beam is scanned over the second positioning area in a manner corresponding to positions of the second beam within the second positioning area;

receiving the second optical beam carrying the second modulated signal with the receiver on the airborne object; and

analyzing the modulation of the second signal carried on the received second optical beam to determine a position within the second positioning area of the second receiver at the time the second radiation was received.

59 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the first and second positioning areas at least one of partially overlap and fully overlap, the method further comprising comparing the determined position within the first positioning area to the determined position within the second positioning area to evaluate accuracy.

60 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the actions are performed within 5 seconds of one another.

61 . A method of positioning an airborne object relative to a refueling aircraft, comprising:

executing the actions of claim 32; and

varying the position of at least one of the airborne object an at least a component of the refueling aircraft adapted to mate with the airborne object based on the determined position of the receiver within the positioning system to decrease a range between the airborne object and the component of the refueling aircraft adapted to mate with the airborne object until the airborne object and the component of the refueling aircraft adapted to mate with the airborne object mate with one another.

62 . A method of positioning an airborne object relative to a refueling aircraft, comprising:

executing the actions of claim 32; and

automatically varying the position of at least one of the airborne object an at least a component of the refueling aircraft adapted to mate with the airborne object based on the determined position of the receiver within the positioning system to automatically decrease a range between the airborne object and the component of the refueling aircraft adapted to mate with the airborne object until the airborne object and the component of the refueling aircraft adapted to mate with the airborne object mate with one another.

63 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the airborne object is an autonomous drone.