SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR TRACKING AN OBJECT
First Claim
1. A system to track a position of an object moving along and above a ground surface, the system comprising:
- the object, wherein the object comprises, affixed thereto or contained therein;
an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to provide a plurality of heading direction values for the object as the object moves along and above the ground surface;
a satellite-based location tracking apparatus to provide a first set of position coordinate pairs corresponding to respective positions of the object as the object moves along and above the ground surface, based on a plurality of satellites communicatively coupled to the satellite-based location tracking apparatus;
an optical flow-based image acquisition apparatus to acquire a plurality of images of the ground surface as the object moves along and above the ground surface, the optical flow-based image acquisition apparatus configured to provide a second set of position coordinate pairs corresponding to at least some of the respective positions of the object as the object moves along and above the ground surface, based on optical flow image processing of the plurality of images of the ground surface; and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the IMU, the satellite-based location tracking apparatus, and the optical flow-based image acquisition apparatus, to calculate a third set of position coordinate pairs corresponding to the respective positions of the object based at least in part on;
at least some of the first set of position coordinate pairs;
at least one first reliability factor relating to the first set of position coordinate pairs; and
at least one of;
at least some of the second set of position coordinate pairs;
at least one second reliability factor relating to the second set of position coordinate pairs, if used by the processor to calculate the third set of position coordinate pairs;
at least some of the plurality of heading direction values; and
at least one third reliability factor relating to the plurality of heading direction values, if used by the processor to calculate the third set of position coordinate pairs.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for tracking an object moving along and above a ground surface. The object may comprise, affixed thereto or contained therein, a satellite-based location tracking apparatus to provide a first set of position coordinate pairs for the object as well as an inertial measurement unit to provide a plurality of heading direction values for the object and/or a velocity/distance sensor to provide a second set of position coordinate pairs based on, for example, optical flow image processing of a plurality of images of the ground surface. At least one processor may calculate a third set of position coordinate pairs based on a combination of the first set of position coordinate pairs, accounting for first reliability factor(s), as well as the second set of position coordinate pairs, accounting for second reliability factor(s), and/or the plurality of heading direction values, accounting for third related reliability factor(s).
49 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A system to track a position of an object moving along and above a ground surface, the system comprising:
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the object, wherein the object comprises, affixed thereto or contained therein; an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to provide a plurality of heading direction values for the object as the object moves along and above the ground surface; a satellite-based location tracking apparatus to provide a first set of position coordinate pairs corresponding to respective positions of the object as the object moves along and above the ground surface, based on a plurality of satellites communicatively coupled to the satellite-based location tracking apparatus; an optical flow-based image acquisition apparatus to acquire a plurality of images of the ground surface as the object moves along and above the ground surface, the optical flow-based image acquisition apparatus configured to provide a second set of position coordinate pairs corresponding to at least some of the respective positions of the object as the object moves along and above the ground surface, based on optical flow image processing of the plurality of images of the ground surface; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the IMU, the satellite-based location tracking apparatus, and the optical flow-based image acquisition apparatus, to calculate a third set of position coordinate pairs corresponding to the respective positions of the object based at least in part on; at least some of the first set of position coordinate pairs; at least one first reliability factor relating to the first set of position coordinate pairs; and at least one of; at least some of the second set of position coordinate pairs; at least one second reliability factor relating to the second set of position coordinate pairs, if used by the processor to calculate the third set of position coordinate pairs; at least some of the plurality of heading direction values; and at least one third reliability factor relating to the plurality of heading direction values, if used by the processor to calculate the third set of position coordinate pairs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system to track a position of an object moving substantially in a two-dimensional plane substantially parallel to a ground surface, the system comprising:
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A) the object, wherein the object comprises, affixed thereto or contained therein; A1) a satellite-based location tracking apparatus to provide a first set of position coordinates pairs corresponding to respective positions of the object as the object moves substantially in the two-dimensional plane, based on a plurality of satellites communicatively coupled to the satellite-based location tracking apparatus, wherein; the plurality of satellites communicatively coupled to the satellite-based location tracking apparatus, during operation of the system, includes at least one GNSS satellite; and the satellite-based location tracking apparatus is configured to provide the first set of position coordinate pairs as a plurality of latitude/longitude coordinate pairs, wherein for each latitude/longitude coordinate pair of the plurality of latitude/longitude coordinate pairs, the satellite-based location tracking apparatus further is configured to provide; a total number of GNSS satellites communicatively coupled to the satellite-based location tracking apparatus and used to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair; and satellite-specific information for each satellite of the total number of GNSS satellites communicatively coupled to the satellite-based location tracking apparatus and used to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair, the satellite-specific information comprising for each satellite;
a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR);
at least one of a carrier phase value and a Doppler frequency value;
ephemeris information; and
a time stamp including coordinated universal time and date; andA2) at least one of; A2a) an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to provide a plurality of heading direction values for the object as the object moves substantially in the two-dimensional plane; and A2b) an optical flow-based image acquisition apparatus to acquire a plurality of images of the ground surface as the object moves substantially in the two-dimensional plane, the optical flow-based image acquisition apparatus configured to provide a second set of position coordinate pairs corresponding to at least some of the respective positions of the object as the object moves substantially in the two-dimensional plane, based on optical flow image processing of the plurality of images of the ground surface; and B) at least one processor communicatively coupled to the satellite-based location tracking apparatus, and the at least one of the IMU and the optical flow-based image acquisition apparatus, to calculate a third set of position coordinate pairs corresponding to the respective positions of the object as a function of time based at least in part on; B1) at least some latitude/longitude coordinate pairs of the plurality of latitude/longitude coordinate pairs provided by the satellite-based location tracking apparatus; B2) at least some of the satellite-specific information for each satellite used to calculate the at least some latitude/longitude coordinate pairs; and B3) at least one of; B3a) at least some of the plurality of heading direction values provided by the IMU; and B3b) at least some position coordinate pairs of the second set of position coordinate pairs provided by the optical flow-based image acquisition apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method for tracking respective positions of an object that is moved along a ground surface, the method comprising:
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A) electronically receiving; A1) a plurality of satellite information data sets from a satellite-based location tracking apparatus coupled to the object, the plurality of satellite information data sets representing the respective positions of the object, each satellite information data set comprising; a latitude/longitude coordinate pair corresponding to one position of the respective positions of the object; a total number of GNSS satellites used by the satellite-based location tracking system to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair; and satellite-specific information for each satellite of the total number of satellites used to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair; and A2) at least one of; A2a) heading direction values for the object, correlated in time with the plurality of satellite information data sets and corresponding to the respective positions of the object; and A2b) distance information, correlated in time with the plurality of satellite information data sets and representing respective relative positions of the object in a two-dimensional plane substantially parallel to the ground surface; and B) electronically calculating a third set of position coordinate pairs corresponding to the respective positions of the object as a function of time based at least in part on; B1) at least some latitude/longitude coordinate pairs of the plurality of latitude/longitude coordinate pairs provided by the satellite-based location tracking apparatus; B2) at least some of the satellite-specific information for each satellite used to calculate the at least some latitude/longitude coordinate pairs; and B3) at least one of; B3a) at least some of the heading direction values; and B3b) at least some of the distance information.
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23. An apparatus to provide position information regarding respective positions of an object that is moved along a ground surface, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one communication interface to receive; a plurality of satellite information data sets from a satellite-based location tracking apparatus coupled to the object, the plurality of satellite information data sets representing the respective positions of the object, each satellite information data set comprising; a latitude/longitude coordinate pair corresponding to one position of the respective positions of the object; a total number of GNSS satellites used by the satellite-based location tracking system to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair; and satellite-specific information for each satellite of the total number of satellites used to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair, the satellite-specific information comprising, for each satellite; a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); a carrier phase value; an elevation value; an azimuth value; and a time stamp including coordinated universal time and date; and distance information, correlated in time with the plurality of satellite information data sets, representing respective relative positions of the object in a two-dimensional plane substantially parallel to the ground surface; and at least one processor, communicatively coupled to the at least one communication interface, to provide the position information regarding the respective positions of the object as a set of resultant latitude/longitude coordinate pairs, wherein for each satellite information data set of the plurality of satellite information data sets, the at least one processor is configured to; A) analyze the total number of satellites used to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair of the satellite information data set, and the satellite-specific information for each satellite of the total number of satellites, to determine if the longitude/latitude coordinate pair of the satellite information data set is of sufficient reliability; B) if it is determined in A) that the latitude/longitude coordinate pair is of sufficient reliability, include the latitude/longitude coordinate pair in the set of resultant latitude/longitude coordinate pairs; C) if it is determined in A) that the latitude/longitude coordinate pair is not of sufficient reliability; C1) calculate an improved estimated latitude/longitude coordinate pair based at least in part on; a previous latitude/longitude coordinate pair of sufficient reliability as determined in B); the distance information representing the respective relative positions of the object in the two-dimensional plane substantially parallel to the ground surface; and the carrier phase value, the elevation value, and the azimuth value for at least one satellite of the total number of satellites used to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair; and C2) include the improved estimated latitude/longitude coordinate pair in the set of resultant latitude/longitude coordinate pairs. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An apparatus to provide position information regarding respective positions of an object that is moved along a ground surface, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one communication interface to receive; a plurality of satellite information data sets from a satellite-based location tracking apparatus coupled to the object, the plurality of satellite information data sets representing the respective positions of the object, each satellite information data set comprising; a latitude/longitude coordinate pair corresponding to one position of the respective positions of the object; a total number of GNSS satellites used by the satellite-based location tracking system to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair; and satellite-specific information for each satellite of the total number of satellites used to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair, the satellite-specific information comprising, for each satellite; a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); a carrier phase value; an elevation value; an azimuth value; and a time stamp including coordinated universal time and date; and heading information, correlated in time with the plurality of satellite information data sets, representing respective headings of the object at the respective positions along the ground surface; and at least one processor, communicatively coupled to the at least one communication interface, to provide the position information regarding the respective positions of the object as a set of resultant latitude/longitude coordinate pairs, wherein for each satellite information data set of the plurality of satellite information data sets, the at least one processor is configured to; A) analyze the total number of satellites used to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair of the satellite information data set, and the satellite-specific information for each satellite of the total number of satellites, to determine if the longitude/latitude coordinate pair of the satellite information data set is of sufficient reliability; B) if it is determined in A) that the latitude/longitude coordinate pair is of sufficient reliability, include the latitude/longitude coordinate pair in the set of resultant latitude/longitude coordinate pairs; and C) if it is determined in A) that the latitude/longitude coordinate pair is not of sufficient reliability; C1) calculate an improved estimated latitude/longitude coordinate pair based at least in part on; a previous latitude/longitude coordinate pair of sufficient reliability as determined in B); a heading direction θ
of the respective headings, correlated in time with the satellite information data set; andthe carrier phase value, the elevation value, and the azimuth value for at least one satellite of the total number of satellites used to calculate the latitude/longitude coordinate pair; and C2) include the improved estimated latitude/longitude coordinate pair in the set of resultant latitude/longitude coordinate pairs. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification