METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR UNDERWATER NAVIGATION
First Claim
1. A method for navigating underwater, the method comprising:
- projecting a first velocity measurement along one or more signal beams from a navigation system having a second velocity measurement, the second velocity measurement related to at least one of the one or more signal beams;
determining a position and location of an object associated with the navigation system based on a prediction of at least the second velocity measurement, the navigation system adjusted to perform within a prescribed measurement range based on a covariance of the first and second velocity measurements; and
wherein the performance adjustments made in determining the position and location of the object are operable independent of the navigation system maintaining each of the signal beams due to one or more external environmental conditions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for navigating underwater is disclosed. The method uses a navigation system to project a first velocity measurement along one or more signal beams having a second velocity measurement, where the second velocity measurement is related to at least one of the one or more signal beams. The method determines a position and location of an object associated with the navigation system based on a prediction of at least the second velocity measurement, and the navigation system is adjusted to perform within a prescribed measurement range based on a covariance of the first and second velocity measurements. The performance adjustments made in determining the position and location of the object are operable independent of the navigation system maintaining each of the signal beams due to one or more external environmental conditions.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for navigating underwater, the method comprising:
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projecting a first velocity measurement along one or more signal beams from a navigation system having a second velocity measurement, the second velocity measurement related to at least one of the one or more signal beams; determining a position and location of an object associated with the navigation system based on a prediction of at least the second velocity measurement, the navigation system adjusted to perform within a prescribed measurement range based on a covariance of the first and second velocity measurements; and wherein the performance adjustments made in determining the position and location of the object are operable independent of the navigation system maintaining each of the signal beams due to one or more external environmental conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of navigating underwater using signal beam velocity predictions, the method comprising:
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providing inertial navigation and Doppler sonar measurements as first and second velocity measurements of a navigation system, the first velocity measurement projected along at least one signal beam orientation of the second velocity measurement as a navigation velocity projection; comparing the navigation velocity projection with the orientation of the at least one signal beam to determine a velocity prediction of an object associated with the navigation system, wherein the velocity prediction is uninhibited by one or more external environmental conditions substantially surrounding the object; and determining an orientation and position of the object within a prescribed measurement range of the navigation system based in part on a measurement residual of the first and second velocity measurements. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A navigation system, comprising:
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a main sensor unit including; an inertial measurement unit configured to provide an inertial position and heading of an object associated with the navigation system; and a Doppler sonar operable to provide one or more sonar signal beams, the Doppler sonar configured to provide an orientation for the associated object based on a surface adjacent to the object; and a processing unit configured to predict the velocity of the associated object based on an inertial acceleration measured in the main sensor unit and at least one of the sonar signal beams of the Doppler sonar, the processing unit further configured to; determine the orientation of the at least one sonar signal beam within a prescribed range based on a measurement covariance of inertial and sonar signal beam velocities; and maintain the velocity prediction of the associated object exclusive of one or more external environmental conditions. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification