Personal navigation using terrain-correlation and/or signal-of-opportunity information
First Claim
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1. A navigation system comprising:
- a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor outputs sensor information, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an altitude sensor, wherein the sensor information output by the altitude sensor comprises altitude information;
an inertial navigation unit communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of sensors to generate a navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
a motion classifier communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of sensors, wherein the motion classifier generates position information based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
a terrain correlator communicatively coupled to the altitude sensor, wherein the terrain correlator generates terrain-correlation information based on the altitude information; and
a Kalman filter communicatively coupled to the inertial navigation unit and the motion classifier, wherein the Kalman filter generates corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information and the position information;
wherein the corrective feedback is used by the inertial navigation unit to generate the navigation solution.
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Abstract
A navigation system includes an inertial navigation unit. The navigation system also includes a Kalman filter that generates corrective feedback for use by the inertial navigation unit. The Kalman filter generates the corrective feedback as a function of at least one of GPS/DGPS information, sensor information, user input, terrain correlation information, signal-of-opportunity information, and/or position information output by a motion classifier.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A navigation system comprising:
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a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor outputs sensor information, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an altitude sensor, wherein the sensor information output by the altitude sensor comprises altitude information;
an inertial navigation unit communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of sensors to generate a navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
a motion classifier communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of sensors, wherein the motion classifier generates position information based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
a terrain correlator communicatively coupled to the altitude sensor, wherein the terrain correlator generates terrain-correlation information based on the altitude information; and
a Kalman filter communicatively coupled to the inertial navigation unit and the motion classifier, wherein the Kalman filter generates corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information and the position information;
wherein the corrective feedback is used by the inertial navigation unit to generate the navigation solution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
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receiving sensor information about a plurality of physical attributes associated with a navigation system, wherein the sensor information comprises altitude information about an altitude attribute associated with the navigation system;
generating an inertial navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
classifying a motion based on at least a portion of the sensor information in order to generate position information;
correlating the altitude information with reference terrain information in order to generate terrain-correlation information;
using a Kalman filter to generate corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information and the position information; and
using the corrective feedback to generate the navigation solution.
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14. Software embodied on a storage medium comprising a plurality of program instructions operable to cause a processor to:
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receive sensor information output by a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an altitude sensor, wherein the sensor information output by the altitude sensor comprises altitude information;
generate an inertial navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
classify a motion based on at least a portion of the sensor information in order to generate position information;
correlate the altitude information with reference terrain information in order to generate terrain-correlation information;
use a Kalman filter to generate corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information and the position information; and
use the corrective feedback to generate the navigation solution.
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving sensor information about a plurality of physical attributes associated with a navigation system, wherein the sensor information comprises altitude information about an altitude attribute associated with the navigation system;
means for generating an inertial navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
means for classifying a motion based on at least a portion of the sensor information in order to generate position information;
means for correlating the altitude information with reference terrain information in order to generate terrain-correlation information;
means for using a Kalman filter to generate corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information and the position information; and
means for using the corrective feedback to generate the navigation solution.
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16. A navigation system comprising:
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a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor outputs sensor information, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an altitude sensor, wherein the sensor information output by the altitude sensor comprises altitude information;
an inertial navigation unit communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of sensors to generate a navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
a motion classifier communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of sensors, wherein the motion classifier generates position information based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
a terrain correlator communicatively coupled to the altitude sensor, wherein the terrain correlator generates terrain-correlation information based on the altitude information; and
a Kalman filter communicatively coupled to the inertial navigation unit, the motion classifier, and the terrain correlator, wherein the Kalman filter generates corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information, the position information, and the terrain-correlation information;
wherein the corrective feedback is used by the inertial navigation unit to generate the navigation solution. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method comprising:
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receiving sensor information about a plurality of physical attributes associated with a navigation system, wherein the sensor information comprises altitude information about an altitude attribute associated with the navigation system;
generating an inertial navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
classifying a motion based on at least a portion of the sensor information in order to generate position information;
correlating the altitude information with reference terrain information in order to generate terrain-correlation information;
using a Kalman filter to generate corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information, the position information, and the terrain-correlation information; and
using the corrective feedback to generate the navigation solution.
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22. Software embodied on a storage medium comprising a plurality of program instructions operable to cause a processor to:
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receive sensor information output by a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an altitude sensor, wherein the sensor information output by the altitude sensor comprises altitude information;
receiving sensor information about a plurality of physical attributes associated with a navigation system, wherein the sensor information comprises altitude information about an altitude attribute associated with the navigation system;
generate an inertial navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
classify a motion based on at least a portion of the sensor information in order to generate position information;
correlate the altitude information with reference terrain information in order to generate terrain-correlation information;
use a Kalman filter to generate corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information, the position information, and the terrain-correlation information; and
use the corrective feedback to generate the navigation solution.
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23. An apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving sensor information about a plurality of physical attributes associated with a navigation system, wherein the sensor information comprises altitude information about an altitude attribute associated with the navigation system;
means for generating an inertial navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
means for classifying a motion based on at least a portion of the sensor information in order to generate position information;
means for correlating the altitude information with reference terrain information in order to generate terrain-correlation information;
means for using a Kalman filter to generate corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information, the position information, and the terrain-correlation information; and
means for using the corrective feedback to generate the navigation solution.
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24. A navigation system comprising:
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a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor outputs sensor information, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an altitude sensor, wherein the sensor information output by the altitude sensor comprises altitude information;
an inertial navigation unit communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of sensors to generate a navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
a motion classifier communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of sensors, wherein the motion classifier generates position information based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
a signal-of-opportunity interface to receive at least one signal of opportunity and to generate signal-of-opportunity information based on the signal of opportunity;
a Kalman filter communicatively coupled to the inertial navigation unit, the motion classifier, and the signal-of-opportunity interface, wherein the Kalman filter generates corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information, the position information output, and the signal-of-opportunity information;
wherein the corrective feedback is used by the inertial navigation unit to generate the navigation solution. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method comprising:
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receiving sensor information about a plurality of physical attributes associated with a navigation system, wherein the sensor information comprises altitude information about an altitude attribute associated with the navigation system;
generating an inertial navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
classifying a motion based on at least a portion of the sensor information in order to generate position information;
receiving at least one signal of opportunity and generating signal-of-opportunity information based on the signal of opportunity;
using a Kalman filter to generate corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information, the position information, and the signal-of-opportunity information;
using the corrective feedback to generate the navigation solution.
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31. Apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving sensor information about a plurality of physical attributes associated with a navigation system, wherein the sensor information comprises altitude information about an altitude attribute associated with the navigation system;
means for generating an inertial navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
means for classifying a motion based on at least a portion of the sensor information in order to generate position information;
means for receiving at least one signal of opportunity and generating signal-of-opportunity information based on the signal of opportunity;
means for using a Kalman filter to generate corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information, the position information, and the signal-of-opportunity information;
means for using the corrective feedback to generate the navigation solution.
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32. Software embodied on a storage medium comprising a plurality of program instructions operable to cause a processor to:
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receive sensor information output by a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an altitude sensor, wherein the sensor information output by the altitude sensor comprises altitude information;
generate an inertial navigation solution based on at least a portion of the sensor information;
classify a motion based on at least a portion of the sensor information in order to generate position information;
receive signal-of-opportunity information from a signal-of-opportunity information that receives a signal of opportunity;
use a Kalman filter to generate corrective feedback as a function of the navigation solution and, when available, at least one of the following;
at least a portion of the sensor information, the position information, and the signal-of-opportunity information;
use the corrective feedback to generate the navigation solution.
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Specification