Integrated positioning apparatus and implementation method thereof

• US 20090076727A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: TI, LIEN TE
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/216
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/16 by integrating acceleration or speed, i.e. inertial navigation

Abstract

An integrated positioning apparatus includes a processing module, a satellite positioning module, an inertial positioning module, a transmission interface and a switching module. The processing module is utilized for executing a navigation program. The satellite positioning module functions to provide satellite positioning information. The inertial positioning module is used for generating inertial positioning information. The switching module is connected between the processing module and the transmission interface for receiving a control signal furnished by the processing module and is selectively switched to a first status or a second status based on the control signal. While in the first status, the switching module drives the transmission interface to connect to the satellite positioning module so as to transmit the satellite positioning information to the processing module for navigating. While in the second status, the switching module drives the transmission interface to connect to the inertial positioning module so as to transmit the inertial positioning information to the processing module for navigating.

Claims

1. An integrated positioning apparatus for use in a carrier, comprising:

a processing module, for executing a navigation program;

a satellite positioning module, for providing satellite positioning information;

an inertial positioning module, including an inertial detection module for detecting a position vector and a rotation angle, and a magnetic detection apparatus for providing direction information, wherein the inertial positioning module generates inertial positioning information based on the position vector, the rotation angle, and the direction information;

a transmission interface, connected to the processing module; and

a switching module, connected to the transmission interface, wherein the switching module is selectively switched to a first status or a second status based on a control signal received from the processing module, and the transmission interface is connected to the satellite positioning module for transmitting the satellite positioning information to the processing module for using by the navigation program while the switching module is in the first status, and the transmission interface is connected to the inertial positioning module for transmitting the inertial positioning information to the processing module for using by the navigation program while the switching module is in the second status.

2. The integrated positioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inertial detection module comprises an accelerometer and a gyroscope, and the accelerometer is utilized to measure the position vector of the carrier, and gyroscope is utilized to detect the rotation angle of the carrier.

3. The integrated positioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnetic detection apparatus is an electronic compass.

4. The integrated positioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission interface is a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART).

5. The integrated positioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control signal is generated from a general-purpose I/O (GPIO) port of the processing module.

6. An integrated positioning apparatus for use in a carrier, comprising:

a satellite positioning module, for providing satellite positioning information;

an inertial positioning module, including an inertial detection module for detecting a position vector and a rotation angle, and a magnetic detection apparatus for providing direction information, wherein the inertial positioning module generates inertial positioning information based on the position vector, the rotation angle, and the direction information;

a switching module, for receiving a control signal furnished by the processing module and being selectively switched to a first status or a second status, wherein the switching module is connected to the satellite positioning module for transmitting the satellite positioning information while the switching module is in the first status, and the switching module is connected to the inertial positioning module for transmitting the inertial positioning information while the switching module is in the second status; and

a processing module for executing a navigation program and generating the control signal which is used to control status switching of the switching module for transmitting the satellite positioning information or the inertial positioning information to the processing module for using by the navigation program;

wherein if a preset condition is fitted, the processing module drives the switching module to switch from the first status to the second status.

7. The integrated positioning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the preset condition means that the intensity of the satellite signal received by the satellite positioning module is lower than a preset value.

8. The integrated positioning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the preset condition means that the satellite signal received by the satellite positioning module is interrupted.

9. The integrated positioning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the preset condition means that the velocity of the carrier is lower than a preset value.

10. The integrated positioning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the preset condition means that the carrier is at a halt.

11. The integrated positioning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the preset condition means that the resolution of the navigation map used by the navigation program is enhanced to over a preset value.

12. The integrated positioning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control signal is generated from a general-purpose I/O port (GPIO) of the processing module.

13. A method of executing operations of an integrated positioning apparatus for use in a carrier, and the integrated positioning apparatus comprising a processing module, a satellite positioning module, an inertial positioning module, a transmission interface and a switching module, and the method including the steps of:

activating a navigation program by the processing module;

enabling the transmission interface;

initializing the satellite positioning module;

driving a switching module to switch to a first status based on a control signal generated by the processing module for connecting the transmission interface to the satellite positioning module, and transmitting satellite positioning information to the processing module for using by the navigation program; and

driving the switching module to switch to a second status for connecting the transmission interface to the inertial positioning module for transmitting inertial positioning information to the processing module for navigating based on the navigation program when a preset condition is fitted.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the preset condition means that the intensity of the satellite signal received by the satellite positioning module is lower than a preset value.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the preset condition means that the satellite signal received by the satellite positioning module is interrupted.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the preset condition means that the velocity of the carrier is lower than a preset value.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the preset condition means that the carrier is at a halt.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the preset condition means that the resolution of the navigation map used by the navigation program is enhanced to over a preset value.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the transmission interface is a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART).

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the control signal is generated from a general-purpose I/O port (GPIO) of the processing module.