Homing and Navigational Courses of

Automatic Target-Seeking Devices

Cite as: Journal of Applied Physics 19, 1122 (1948); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1715028
Submitted: 16 April 1948 . Published Online: 28 April 2004

Luke Chia-Liu Yuan

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Journal of Applied Physics 19, 1122 (1948); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1715028 19, 1122

© 1948 American Institute of Physics.

 Homing and Navigational Courses of Automatic Target-Seeking Devices*
LUKE CHIA-Lru YUAN
Physics Department, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
(Received April 16, 1948)

A graphical and mathematical analysis of homing and navigational courses of automatic

target-seeking devices is presented.
Homing courses for a seeker-to-target speed ratio of over two are likely to be impractical
for target interception.
A method for obtaining a constant bearing course (navigational course) is developed. Some
special cases of navigational courses have been studied graphically. It is shown that an opti-
mum navigational ratio exists between that which leads to too slow an approach to the desired
course and that which leads to instability.
Graphical analysis of navigational courses for straight as well as circular target motion is
also given.

INTRODUCTION such factors as the distance between searcher

ECAUSE of the growing interest and im-
B portance in the problem of automatic target
seeking, it is deemed necessary to investigate
the characteristic properties of the various pos-
sible courses traversed by a target seeker when
approaching a target. The object of the present
paper is to present a graphical as well as a
mathematical analysis of some aspects of the
problem in order that an optimum seeker course
can be realized under certain conditions for
achieving a satisfactory target interception in
the least possible time.
We shall first consider homing courses for
various target motions and attempt to analyze
them by means of the correlation between the
radius of curvature of the various courses and
FIG. 1.
* This paper is based on work done for the Bureau of
Ships, Navy Department, under NXsa-25337, while at
the RCA Laboratories Division, Radio Corporation of
America, Princeton, New Jersey.
and target, their relative speed ratio, the angle
of approach, etc. We shall then give a brief
account of the simple theory of navigational
courses and a graphical analysis of them under
various conditions assuming an aircraft-to-
surface-vessel type of seeking.
I. HOMING COURSES
A. Generalities
When a moving object directs its velocity at
all times toward another object, moving or
stationary, the former is said to be "homing" on
the latter. This former object is called a "target
seeker" or simply "seeker" while the latter is
called a "target." The course thus traversed by
the "seeker" is generally known as a "homing
course."
'When a seeker homes on a moving target
whose motion is restricted within a plane, the
course of the seeker is a curved path whose
radius of curvature varies at various points of
the path depending on the distance between and
the relative speed of the two objects in question.
Furthermore, the radius of the curvature also
depends upon the angle between the velocity of
the seeker and that of the target at the instant
of consideration.
Consider as shown in Fig. 1 the elements of
two paths traversed by a seeker and a target
respectively between time t and t+dt. Suppose
the seeker homes with a velocity Vs on the target
moving at a velocity VT. Let Rand r be the

1122 JOURNAL OF ApPLmD PHYSICS

radii of curvature of the two paths respectively
at time t and let D t be the distance between the
two objects at the same instant.
Assuming that for each infinitesimal displace-
ment on the target path in the time interval dt
there is a corresponding displacement on the
seeker path and that the seeker homes at all
times on the target, we have
R = (VS/VT) (rd8/dr/». (1)
But
D t dr/>=rd8 sin,y, (2)
where ,y is the angle between the two velocities
Vs and VT. Substituting (2) into (1) we get the FIG. 2.
radius of curvature of a homing course:
R = (VS/VT) (Dt/sin,y). (3) Hence (4) becomes

We see that for a constant speed ratio VS/VT' R=Kxs[l+(dYs/dxsF], (6)

R is directly proportional to D t , the distance but the radius of curvature of any path element
between the two objects, and is inversely pro- is given by
portional to the sine of the angle between the [1 + (dy S/dXS)2Jt
two velocities. R= . (7)
In order to analyze the homing courses more d 2Ys/d x s
clearly, we shall first consider a few special cases
Equating (6) and (7) we obtain the differential
of target motion and then generalize them for
equation of the homing course
any arbitrary motion.
2
dys- - 1+ (d- )2)!.
_ 1 ( YS
B. Target Moving on a Straight Course with - (8)
Constant Velocity** dxi Kxs dxs
The simplest case of target motion would be Integrating (8) and assuming that the initial
one in which a target moves on a straight course conditions are Xs=Xo and Vs is at right angles
along the y-axis with a constant velocity VT. to VT for t=O, and combining with (6), we have
Assume that the velocity Vs of the seeker is
constant. We have from Eq. (3) and Fig. 2, KXS[(XS)lIK (XS)-IIK]2
where T is the target described by XT, YT, at
R=- - + - . (9)
4 Xo Xo
time t, and S is the seeker described by x sand
y s at the same instant: As the seeker approaches the target and x s tends
to zero, (9) becomes
R = (VS/VT) (De/sin,y)
= (VS/VT) (Dl/xs) R:::::'(Kxo/4)2IKxsH2IKl.
= KXs[1 + (YT-YS/XS)2], (4)
So that, depending on the value of K:
where K is the speed ratio VS/VT. Again from
Fig. 2, it is seen that R-')o(XO/2) if K = 2} (lOA)
R-')ooo if K <2 as xs---+o. (lOB)
YT-YS dys {
---= -----r-, (5) R-')oO if K> 2 (lOC)
Xs dXs
Thus from (lOe) we see that if the speed ratio
** The fact that a homing course in which the seeker
speed is greater than twice the target speed leads to an VS/VT is greater than two, i.e., the speed of the
infinitely small radius of curvature was first pointed out seeker is more than twice as great as that of the
to the author by Dr. Jan A. Rajchman of RCA Labora-
tories. target, the radius of curvature of the homing

VOLUME 19, DECEMBER, 1948 1123

 HOMING COOBS£

SPEED .~TIO: ~.4

SENSlTIVITY OF COM£CTION: r

Os _ SEARCHER (SPEED Vsl 2

FIG. 3.

course decreases and approaches zero as the C. Target Moving on a Plane Curved Course
seeker approaches the target.
For a seeker homing on, a target which moves
Since the force which must be exerted on an
along a plane curved course with a speed VT, it
object moving on a curved path varies inversely
can be easily shown that' the radius of curvature
as the radius of curvature, there is always a
of the seeker course can be either greater or
practical limit to the sharpness of a turn. Thus
smaller, depending on the relative motions of the
even for a target of a finite size, the seeker may
target and the seeker, than that of a corre-
not be able to make a sharp enough turn to
sponding seeker course homing on a target which
follow the theoretical homing course if the speed
moves along a straight line with the same speed
ratio VS/VT is greater than two.
VT.
The path of a homing course can be easily
obtained from (8) by integration and it is given D. Conclusions about Homing Courses
by
From the above analysis we may conclude that
XS[
1 (X )lfK by assuming a point target, a seeker equipped
YS=2 l+(l/K) Xo with a homing device is of little practical value
if its speed is more than twice as great as that of
-
1 (X- )-I/K] + ,(11K)
Xo (11) the target. However, this is not necessarily
l-(l/K) Xo 1-(1/K2) true if the target is of finite size. Even if the
seeker spe(;!d could be regulated so that it would
A graphical representation of such a homing
decrease as the radius of curvature of the course
course for a seeker-to-target speed ratio of four
to prevent course from .impractical curvature,
to one is given in Fig. 3.
still another practical drawback would remain.
The target moves along the y axis on the
right-hand side as indicated. The sensitivity of
correction of the seeker is assumed to be 10 ,
i.e., the seeker makes a correction on its course
only after the target is off the former's course by
at least one degree. The numbers marked on the H

homing course indicate the positions where cor-

rections of the course are made while the numbers '
on the target course show the corresponding
positions of the target. The larger arrows show
the directions of motion of the seeker at succes-
sive time intervals whereas the smaller arrows
indicate the directions of a sighting device T'----------..:;.z.~----"
5
mounted on the seeker. FIG. 4.

1124 JOURNAL OF ApPLIED PHYSICS

 y time. This is illustrated in Fig. 4 where the
target T moves along the y axis with a constant
velocity VT, and the seeker moves with a constant
velocity Vs. If the seeker S starts out at an
angle if; with respect to the x axis, such that the
projected value of its velocity Vs on the direction
of the target velocity is equal to the target
velocity itself, it is evident that collision must
result. Hence, H is the point of interception
and the course (SH> is called a collision or true
navigational course.
Consider further that a sighting device is
provided on the seeker so that it can be rotated

'----------------x FIG. 5.
The direction of motion of the seeker is always
parallel to that of the target at the point of
interception so that only a comparatively small
tail section is exposed to the seeker.
n. NAVIGATIONAL COURSES
A. True Navigational or Collision Courses
As we have seen from the analysis in Section I,
a homing course for target interception at high
seeker-to-target speed ratio
vs/vT>2
is rather impractical. We shall now endeavor to
analyze a more satisfactory type of seeking
course which we shall call navigational course.
Suppose a target T is moving in a fixed
direction with a known constant velocity VT. It
is possible to set up a straight course for the
seeker to intercept the target in the least possible
about an axis, normal to the xy plane, with
respect to the direction of the seeker velocity.
When the sighting device is kept pointing at all
times toward the target, then the angle if; be-
tween it and Vs will remain constant throughout
a true navigational course.
In order to set on a true navigational course
for target interception, the seeker must possess
the information on the target speed and its
direction of motion. In the case of pursuing an
arbitrarily moving target, for instance, it is
impossible to obtain such information, and
besides, the target would generally not follow a
definite course. Hence, a more practical way for
approximating such a course without having to
know the target speed and its direction of
motion will be described.
B. A Method of Approximating True
Navigational Courses
N ow let us consider the case where the target
speed VT is unknown. Suppose at time t, the
sighting device on the seeker S1 is directed to

NAYJG.4.TIONAL COURSE
SPEED RATI(): ~ ...
....VIGATIONAL COM£CTION:!
stNSITMTY OF CORRECTION: f·

L t:f!!"1I'.--..-- ----
~~~~-

-- ------
_----'" 4 ______ --~

-
I ---
-- __ - - - - - -

___

SEAR<;HER (SPEED V.l

_____ --PZ'

-.-::::::::-...;r------.- J.lILES

FIG. 6.

VOLUME 19, DECEMBER, 1948 1125

the target T 1 which makes an angle 'Y ="" - 0
with respect to the direction of the seeker
velocity Vs where"" is the angle of Vs with respect
to the x axis, and 0, that of the sighting device
referred to the same axis (see Fig. 5).
Suppose also that at an instant At later, a
discrepancy AO between the direction of the
sighting device and that of the new position of
the target T 2 is observed. If the seeker is kept
on the same course in the direction of SlS2,
obviously it will not be able to intercept the
target. However, if the seeker and the sighting
device are both turned clockwise simultaneously,
but through different angles, say
(1/ ex)A8 and
respectively, where ex is a constant factor which
is smaller than one, then the sighting device
would again be aimed at the target T2 and the
seeker would travel in the new direction S2Sa.
By successive repetition of this process for every
discrepancy AO the seeker course will gradually
approach a true navigational course where the
angle 0 will remain unchanged. At this position
the component of Vs in the direction of VT is
equal to the latter. Hence if VT remains constant,
the seeker will intercept the target on a straight
course. The proportionality constant ex is called
the navigational correction, and the course
traversed by the seeker employing such a navi-
ga:tional correction is called a practical naviga-
tional course, or simply a "navigational course."
Referring to Fig. 5 again, we see that the
radius of curvature of the navigational course is
given by:
R=exvs/dO/dt,
where dO / dt is the time rate of discrepancy
AO
occurrence, and is equivalent to the time rate of
corrections made at each point of the course.
Hence if no discrepancy is observed throughout
the course, i.e.,
dO/dt=O, then R= co,
and the navigational course becomes a true
navigational course.

5
9 ___ - l!!~
. NAVtGATIONAL couBst:
SPEED RATtO: -t. oS • -..--..:::::.. • ii~
....VlGATIONAl, COfV\£CTION:
SENSITIVITY OF CORAO:TION:
i
r 7 ~~
7§ ~~
i ~~
I- ~i~:>
"""
,ttt Il I-
Z

_
~
0, --~I~~~==~~~~~~--------------~------~~--------~----------------~'~
_ SEARCHER (SPEED 'Is) MILES 3

FIG. 7.

NA\/IGAT!Ot!A!. CO!J!!S§

SPEEO AAT1(): ~.4

NAVIGATIONAl, CoRRECTION: i
SENSITIVITY or ~ION r

- SENItHER (SPEED 'Is)

FIG. 8.

1126 JOURNAL OF ApPLIED PHYSICS

 ~
,--------------------~--------------------~------------------~~________________ O,
NAVIGATIONAL COURSE
SPEED RATIO: t 4
NAVIGATIONAL CORRECTION:!
SENSITMTY OF CORRECTION: ,-
RADIUS OF CURVATURE OF TAAGET COURSE: ~""L£ 9 10
RANGE: 3 MILES

3
I -----... ;t'
-SEARCHER (SPEED v,)

FIG. 9.

MILES
----------,---------:r---------.--~~=---._--------._--------_.----------r_------OT
NAVIGATIONAL COURS[

51'(£0 RATIO:~' 4
NAVIGATIONAL tORRECTlON: '*
SENSITIVITy OF CORRECTION: ,-
RADIUS OF CURVATURE OF TARGET COURSE: ~ ""I.E
RAt«;[: 7 MILES

4
, .
2
--- -,r---
- SEARCHER SPEED (V,)

FIG. 10.

A method of achieving this in an automatic Figure 6 shows a navigational course of a

target seeking device is by coupling mechanically
a sighting device (or a directional antenna system
if a radar system is used) to the turning control
mechanism of the seeker. It is coupled in such
a way that when the sighting device is turned
through the angle q" the seeker is turned auto-
matically through an angle (1/ a)q, in the same
direction. This is most readily accomplished by
reference of both directions to a gyro held fixed
in direction.
c. Graphical Analysis of Navigational Courses
for Straight and Circular Target Motions
For purposes of illustration, navigational
courses with various navigational corrections
ranging from a =! to a = i have been plotted for
various cases of straight as well as circular
target courses. It is assumed in all the plots
that the automatic seeker has a sensitivity of
correction of one degree.
seeker of speed Vs intercepting a target travelling
on a straight course along the y axis with a
velocity VT. The seeker-to-target speed ratio,
VS!VT
is assumed to be four, and the navigational
correction is a = i. The solid line represents the
navigational course with the big arrows indi-
cating the direction of the course at successive
intervals. The dotted lines with small arrows
indicate the directions of the sighting device at
corresponding intervals of the course while the
broken line represents the true navigational
course. The numbers on the course denote the
positions at which corrections of the course are
made, while the numbers on the y axis mark the
corresponding positions of the the target. H
enclosed in a circle indicates the position at which
the interception is made.
Similar navigational courses with different

VOLUME 19, DECEMBER, 1948 1127

values of a, the navigational correction, are
shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Typical cases where the
target moves on a circular course are shown in
Figs. 9 and 10. Satisfactory interception has also
been obtained in cases where there is a short
time lag in correction, and where the target is
heading 20° off target at the start of the course.
III. CONCLUSION
We may conclude that for automatic target
seeking, a navigational course with an appro-
priate navigational correction has theoretical
advantages over a homing course.
From the results shown, it is seen that a
navigational correction of a =! for a seeker-to-
target speed ratio of four gives a close approxi-
mation to a true navigational course without
"hunting." However, the value of a within the
range of i to t does not seem to be critical.
The author wishes to acknowledge his in-
debtedness to Dr. Jan A. Rajchman and to
Mr. R. C. Sanders, Jr. for many valuable
discussions and suggestions. He also wishes to
express his thanks to Dr. Irving Wolff without
whose encouragement this work would not have
been possible.

Use of an Electron Diffraction Camera as an Ultraoscilloscope,

and Suggested Application to Contact Erosion
J. J. LANDER
Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc., Murray Hill, New Jersey
(Received July 8, 1948)

A high speed oscilloscope, obtained by adaptation of an electron diffraction camera, is

described and a preliminary account is given of the use of this oscilloscope in a study of the
"short arc" which occurs on opening mechanical contacts under certain conditions.

A N oscilloscope with time resolution of 0.001

and voltage sensitivity of ten-trace
f.lsec.
widths per volt has been obtained by superficial
adaptation of the electron diffraction camera
built by Dr. L. H. Germer of these Laboratories.
Previous oscilloscopic work in which a high
voltage beam is photographed in vacuum has
been described by Rogowski and coworkers, 1
von Ardenne,2 Hollman,3 and Lee. 4
12
volts
~2 XI0- 7 sec.~
FIG. 1. Response of the oscilloscope to a unit step
pulse of twelve volts. Magnification 6X.
----
1 W. Rogowski, E. Flegler, and K. Buss, Arch. f. Elekt.
24, 563, 1930.
2 M. von Ardenne, Hoch: tech. u. Elek: akus. 54, 181,
1939.
3 H. Hollmann, Proc. I.R.E. 28, 213, 1940.
4 G. Lee, Proc. I.R.E. 34, 121, 1946.
The voltage sensitivity of abQut ten-trace
widths per volt was obtained with deflecting
plates 3 em long, a deflecting plate to photo-
graphic plate distance of 80 cm, a trace diameter
of about 0.001 cm, and an electron source at
50,000 volts negative to ground. Inductance and
capacity measured at the terminals of the de-
flecting plates were 0.03 f.lH and 4 f.lf.lF re-
spectively. Since the rise time of an applied step
pulse is approximately twice the square root of
the product of inductance and capacity if the
circuit is nearly critically damped, the calculated
time resolution is about 0.0006 f.lsec. Figure 1
shows the response of the instrument to a step
pulse of twelve volts.
The present work was undertaken in order
to study transients occurring in mechanical
contacts. These transients occur randomly on
such a time scale. They can be observed either
by tripping the sweep with the transient, mean-
while delaying the transient, or by extending the
time scale beyond the period over which the
occurrence of the transient is random. The sec-

1128 JOURNAL OF ApPLmD PHYSICS