METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED NAVIGATION OF A MOVING PLATFORM

• US 20120221244A1
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trusted Positioning Inc. (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Trusted Positioning Inc. (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Noureldin, Aboelmagd, Georgy, Jacques
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/472
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/10 by using measurements of speed or acceleration G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/165 combined with non-inertial navigation instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/47 the supplementary measurement being an inertial measurement, e.g. tightly coupled inertial
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled

Abstract

A navigation module and method for providing an INS/GNSS navigation solution for a moving platform is provided, comprising a receiver for receiving absolute navigational information from an external source (e.g., such as a satellite), means for obtaining speed or velocity information and an assembly of self-contained sensors capable of obtaining readings (e.g., such as relative or non-reference based navigational information) about the moving platform, and further comprising at least one processor, coupled to receive the output information from the receiver, sensor assembly and means for obtaining speed or velocity information, and operative to integrate the output information to produce a navigation solution. The at least one processor may operate to provide a navigation solution by using the speed or velocity information to decouple the actual motion of the platform from the readings of the sensor assembly.

Claims

1. A navigation module, for use with a moving platform, the module comprising:

a receiver for receiving absolute navigational information from an external source, and producing an output of navigational information indicative thereof,

an assembly of self-contained sensors capable of obtaining readings relating to navigational information and producing an output indicative thereof,

means for obtaining speed information and producing an output indicative thereof,

at least one processor, coupled to receive the signal information from the receiver, sensor assembly and means for generating speed information, and operative to integrate the information to produce a navigation solution,

wherein the navigation solution uses the speed information to decouple the motion of the platform from the sensor assembly output.

2. The navigation module in claim 1, wherein the means of obtaining speed information is substantially uninterrupted.

3. The navigation module in claim 2, wherein the absolute receiver for receiving absolute navigational information is a GNSS receiver.

4. The navigation module in claim 3, wherein the GNSS receiver is a Global Positioning System receiver.

5. The navigation module in claim 2, wherein the sensor assembly comprises at least two accelerometers and one pyroscope.

6. The navigation module in claim 2, wherein the means for obtaining speed is an odometer.

7. The navigation module in claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to use a state estimation technique.

8. The navigation module in claim 7, wherein the state estimation technique uses a system and measurement model.

9. The navigation module in claim 7, wherein the state estimation technique is non-linear.

10. The navigation module in claim 9, wherein the state estimation technique is Particle Filter.

11. The navigation module in claim 10, wherein the state estimation technique is a Mixture Particle Filter.

12. The navigation module in claim 11, wherein the Mixture Particle Filter uses a system and measurement model.

13. The navigation module in claim 2, wherein the means for obtaining speed information has a wired connection to the module.

14. The navigation module in claim 2, wherein the means for obtaining speed information is wirelessly connected to the module.

15. The navigation module in claim 2, wherein the navigation solution is determined via an algorithm selected from a loosely coupled or a tightly coupled integration scheme.

16. The navigation module in claim 3, wherein the GNSS information is degraded.

17. The navigation module in claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to use an algorithm capable of modeling advanced models of stochastic errors in the sensor assembly.

18. The navigation module in claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed such that the advanced models of stochastic errors in the sensor assembly are non-linear or linear models with increased memory length.

19. The navigation module in claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to provide additional measurement updates for the stochastic errors in the sensor assembly.

20. The navigation module in claim 15 or 19, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to automatically assess the GNSS information and detect degraded performance.

21. The navigation module in claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to automatically switch between a loosely coupled integration scheme and a tightly coupled integration scheme.

22. The navigation module in anyone of claims 15 or 19, wherein the at least one processor, in the tightly coupled integration scheme, is further operative to automatically assess the measurements from each GNSS satellite visible to the receiver and detect degraded measurements.

23. The navigation module in anyone of claims 15 or 19, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to calculate misalignment between the sensor assembly and the platform.

24. The navigation module in claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to calculate misalignment between the sensor assembly and the platform.

25. The navigation module in claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to calculate misalignment between the sensor assembly and the platform.

26. The navigation module in anyone of claims 15 or 19, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

27. The navigation module in claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

28. The navigation module in claim 22 wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

29. The navigation module in claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

33. The navigation module in claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

34. The navigation module in claim 25, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

35. The navigation module of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor, in the tightly coupled integration scheme, is further operative to automatically assess the measurements from each GNSS satellite visible to the receiver and detect degraded measurements.

36. The navigation module in claim 35, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to calculate misalignment between the sensor assembly and the platform.

37. The navigation module of claim 36, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

38. The navigation module of claim 35, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

39. The use of the module in claim 2, wherein the moving platform is a vehicle.

40. The use of the module in claim 39 wherein the vehicle is a land-based vehicle.

41. The use of the module in claim 40 wherein the vehicle is wheel-based or track-based.

30. A method of producing an integrated navigation solution relating to a moving platform, the method comprising:

receiving absolute navigational information at the module from an external source and producing output readings indicative thereof;

obtaining navigational information using self-contained sensors in the module and producing output readings indicative thereof;

obtaining speed information at the module and producing output readings indicative thereof;

providing at least one processor for processing and filtering the absolute and self-contained navigational and speed information to produce the navigation solution,

wherein the at least one processor utilizes the speed readings to decouple the motion of the moving platform from the information from the sensors.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of obtaining speed information is substantially uninterrupted.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of obtaining speed information can be interrupted.

42. A navigation module, for use with a moving platform, the module comprising:

a receiver for receiving absolute navigational information from an external source, and producing an output of navigational information indicative thereof,

an assembly of self-contained sensors capable of obtaining readings relating to navigational information and producing an output indicative thereof,

means for obtaining speed information and producing an output indicative thereof,

at least one processor, coupled to receive the signal information from the receiver, sensor assembly and means for generating speed information, and operative to integrate the information to produce a navigation solution,

wherein the navigation solution uses the speed information to decouple the motion of the platform from the sensor assembly output.

43. The navigation module in claim 42, wherein the means of obtaining speed information can be interrupted.

44. The navigation module in claim 43, wherein the absolute receiver for receiving absolute navigational information is a GNSS receiver.

45. The navigation module in claim 44, wherein the GNSS receiver is a Global Positioning System receiver.

46. The navigation module in claim 44, wherein the GNSS information is degraded.

47. The navigation module in claim 43, wherein the sensor assembly comprises three accelerometers and three gyroscopes.

48. The navigation module in claim 43, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to use a state estimation technique.

49. The navigation module in claim 48, wherein the state estimation technique uses a system and measurement model.

50. The navigation module in claim 48, wherein the state estimation technique is non-linear.

51. The navigation module in claim 50, wherein the state estimation technique is a Particle Filter.

52. The navigation module in claim 51, wherein the state estimation technique is a Mixture Particle Filter.

53. The navigation module in claim 52, wherein the Mixture Particle Filter uses a system and measurement model.

54. The navigation module in claim 43, wherein the means for obtaining speed information has a wired connection to the module.

55. The navigation module in claim 43, wherein the means for obtaining speed information is wirelessly connected to the module.

56. The navigation module in claim 43, wherein the navigation solution is determined via an algorithm selected from a loosely coupled or a tightly coupled integration scheme.

57. The navigation module in claim 56, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to use an algorithm capable of modeling advanced models of stochastic errors in the sensor assembly.

58. The navigation module in claim 57, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed such that the advanced models of stochastic errors in the sensor assembly are non-linear or linear models with increased memory length.

59. The navigation module in claim 58, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to provide additional measurement updates for the stochastic errors in the sensor assembly.

60. The navigation module in claim 56 or 59, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to automatically assess the GNSS information and detect degraded performance.

61. The navigation module in claim 60, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed by a routine to automatically switch between a loosely coupled integration scheme and a tightly coupled integration scheme.

62. The navigation module in claim 60, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to calculate misalignment between the sensor assembly and the platform.

63. The navigation module in claim 62, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

64. The navigation module in claim 60, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

65. The navigation module in anyone of claim 56 or 59, wherein the at least one processor, in the tightly coupled integration scheme, is further operative to automatically assess the measurements from each GNSS satellite visible to the receiver and detect degraded measurements.

66. The navigation module in claim 65, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to calculate misalignment between the sensor assembly and the platform.

67. The navigation module in claim 66, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

68. The navigation module in claim 65, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

69. The navigation module in anyone of claim 56 or 59, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to calculate misalignment between the sensor assembly and the platform.

70. The navigation module in claim 69, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

71. The navigation module in anyone of claim 56 or 59, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

72. The navigation module of claim 61, wherein at least one processor, in the tightly coupled scheme, is further operative to automatically assess the measurements from each GNSS satellite visible to the receiver and detect degraded measurements.

73. The navigation module of claim 72, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to calculate misalignment between the sensor assembly and the platform.

74. The navigation module of claim 73, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

75. The navigation module of claim 72, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform a backward smoothed solution subsequent to the navigation solution and blend the two solutions to provide an enhanced solution.

76. The use of the module in claim 43, wherein the moving platform is a vehicle.

77. The use of the module in claim 76, wherein the vehicle is a land-based vehicle.

78. The use of the module in claim 76, wherein the vehicle is wheel-based or track-based.