Orientation transfer device and method

• US 20040257278A1
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bye, Charles T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,626,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/1654 with electromagnetic compass
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude

Abstract

A self-contained device and method provides that a first body or unit is held in, mounted on or otherwise place in a predetermined position relative to an orientation transfer device that determines its orientation and/or position. The orientation transfer device is mounted to, held in or by or otherwise placed in a predetermined position relative to a second body or unit and the second unit is moved to a position and/or orientation that is the same as that of the first body, or difference in position and/or orientation of the second body relative to the first body is determined, thereby establishing the orientation of the second body.

Claims

1. An apparatus for orientation and/or positioning of a body, comprising:

a mounting portion constructed for positioning in a predetermined orientation and position relative to a first body, said mounting portion being positionable in a predetermined orientation and position relative to a second body;

a self-contained orientation portion having at least one of an orientation sensor and a location sensor and a movement sensor, said self-contained orientation portion being operable to determine a difference in at least one of orientation and distance between said first and second bodies after being positioned in the predetermined positions relative to said first and second bodies; and

a power supply integral to said self-contained orientation portion, said power supply including a battery.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting portion includes first and second portions that are selectively connectable to one another, said first portion being provided on said orientation portion and said second portion being provided on said first body and on said second body.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting portion includes alignment pins.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting portion includes an extended portion that extends into an opening in said first body, said extended portion being selectively removable from said first body and positionable into an opening in said second body.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said self-contained orientation portion includes a position sensor and inertial sensors.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said self-contained orientation portion includes inertial gyroscopes and accelerometers.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said self-contained orientation portion includes a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) sensor as the position sensor.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said self-contained orientation portion includes a Galileo sensor as the position sensor.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said self-contained orientation portion includes a GLONASS sensor as the position sensor.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said self-contained orientation portion includes a Time Of Arrival/Time Difference of Arrival (TOA/TDOA) sensor as the position sensor.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said self-contained orientation portion includes a magnetometer.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said self-contained orientation portion includes a barometric altimeter.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a display in communication with said self-contained orientation portion and operable to display at least one of position and velocity and orientation information.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said display is in wireless communication with said orientation portion, said wireless communication being one of radio frequency communication and optical communication.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said display is in wired communication with said self-contained orientation portion and is formed integrally with said orientation portion.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a control portion in communication with said self-contained orientation portion.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said control portion is in wireless communication with said self-contained orientation portion.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said control portion is in wired communication with said self-contained orientation portion and integrally formed with said self-contained orientation portion.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said battery supplies power to said self-contained orientation portion during operation of said self-contained orientation portion.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said battery power supply is a sole source of power for said self-contained orientation portion.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said orientation portion includes an inertial navigation system which is initialized by said difference in at least one of orientation and distance between said first and second bodies.

22. An apparatus for initializing an inertial navigation system, comprising:

a mounting portion constructed for positioning in a predetermined orientation and position relative to a first body, said mounting portion being positionable in a predetermined orientation and position relative to a second body; and

a self-contained orientation portion having inertial sensors and at least one of global positioning satellite sensors and magnetometer sensors, said self-contained orientation portion being operable to determine a difference in at least one of orientation and distance between said first and second bodies after being positioned in the predetermined positions relative to said first and second bodies, said difference being used to initialize the inertial navigation system.

23. An orientation transfer apparatus, comprising:

a mounting portion constructed for positioning in a predetermined orientation and position relative to a first body having a known position and orientation, said mounting portion being positionable in a predetermined orientation and position relative to a second body; and

a self-contained orientation portion having inertial gyro sensors and accelerometers and global positioning satellite sensors, said self-contained orientation portion being operable to determine a difference in orientation and distance between said first and second bodies after being positioned in the predetermined positions relative to said first and second bodies, said difference in orientation and distance providing initialization information for guided inertial navigation of said second body.

24. A method for orientation and/or positioning of a body, comprising the steps of:

providing a first body at a position and orientation;

mounting a self-contained sensing device at a predetermined position relative to said first body;

determining at least one of an orientation and a position of the first body using said self-contained sensing device while said self-contained sensing device is mounted relative to said first body;

removing said self-contained sensing device from said first body;

mounting said self-contained sensing device at a predetermined position relative to a second body; and

sensing a difference in at least one of orientation and position of said second body relative to said first body using said self-contained sensing device

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said step of providing said first body at a position and orientation provides said first body at a known position and orientation.

26. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said step of determining includes autonomously determining at least one of a position and velocity and an orientation of the first body.

27. A method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising:

repeating the steps claimed in claim 24 without re-initializing the self-contained sensing device.

28. A method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising the step of:

using said difference to initialize an inertial navigation system for said second body.

29. A method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising the step of:

communicating wirelessly with said self-contained sensing device at least during said determining step.

30. A method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising the step of:

communicating wirelessly with said self-contained sensing device at least during said sensing step.

31. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said sensing step includes sensing a global positioning satellite.

32. A method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising the step of:

powering said sensing device from a battery power supply.