Navigation apparatus using a global positioning system

• US 5,349,531 A
• Filed: 03/09/1992
• Issued: 09/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokimec Inc (Tokyo Keiki Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Tokimec Inc (Tokyo Keiki Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kawakami, Atsushi, Morohoshi, Mikio, Yamamoto, Kanshi, Sato, Kazuteru, Akaba, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US07/848,388
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 364/449, 364/443, 364/459, 364/457, 340/989, 340/990, 340/988, 342/46, 342/74, 342/99, 342/350, 342/357, 342/359
• US Class Current: 701/215
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/54 using carrier phase measurements; using long or short baseline interferometry

Abstract

A navigation apparatus utilizing a global positioning system having at least first and second satellite reception antennas installed on a navigation vehicle with a predetermined distance therebetween, a first azimuth computing unit for computing a first azimuth angle of the navigation vehicle from satellite radio waves received at the first and second antennas and a phase difference therebetween, a second azimuth computing unit for computing a second azimuth angle from a time change of antenna positions calculated from the satellite radio wave received at the first or second reception antenna, first and second multiplying units for multiplying outputs of the first and second azimuth computing units with predetermined coefficients respectively, an adding unit for adding outputs of the first and second multiplying units to produce a third azimuth angle, and a coefficient control unit for varying coefficient values of the first and second multiplying units in accordance with either the satellite arrangement or turning frequency of the navigation vehicle.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus utilizing satellite radio waves of a global positioning system comprising:

(a) at least first and second satellite reception antennas installed on a navigation vehicle at a predetermined distance from each other;

(b) a first azimuth computing unit for computing a first azimuth angle of said navigation vehicle from the satellite radio waves received at said first and second antennas and the phase difference therebetween;

(c) a second azimuth computing unit for computing a second azimuth angle from the time change of antenna positions calculated from the satellite radio wave received at said first and second reception antenna;

(d) first and second multiplying units for multiplying the outputs of said first and second azimuth computing units with predetermined coefficients, respectively;

(e) an adding unit for adding the outputs of said first and second multiplying units to produce a third azimuth angle, indicative of the motion direction of the navigation vehicle; and

(f) a coefficient control unit for varying coefficient values of said first and second multiplying units in accordance with either the input from the first and second satellite receptors or the turning frequency of said navigation vehicle.

2. A navigation apparatus utilizing a global positioning system according to claim 1, further comprising an integrator for integrating the third azimuth angle of said adding unit to thereby calculate an output azimuth angle.

3. A navigation apparatus utilizing a global positioning system according to claim 2, further comprising adders respectively coupled to output sides of said first and second azimuth computing units and an output of said integrator is negatively fed back to said adders.

4. A navigator apparatus utilizing a global positioning system according to claim 1, wherein said second azimuth computing unit calculates the second azimuth angle from a velocity vector of said navigation vehicle.

5. A gyro apparatus comprising:

a plurality of satellite reception antennas for installation on a navigation vehicle spaced at predetermined distances therebetween;

computing means for computing an azimuth angle of said navigation vehicle using satellite radio waves received at said antennas and the phase difference therebetween;

an angular velocity sensor secured to said navigation vehicle such that a yaw axis of said navigation vehicle is employed as an input axis of said angular velocity sensor;

an adder supplied with an output of said angular velocity sensor;

integrating means for integrating an output of said adder;

comparing means for comparing the output of said integrating means and the azimuth angle computed by said computing means;

compensating means for scaling the difference detected by said comparing means; and

means for feeding an output of said compensating means to a negative input terminal of said adder.

6. The gyro apparatus as claimed in claim 5, comprising three satellite reception antennas and wherein said computing means also computes a roll angle, a pitch angle and a position of said navigation vehicle using satellite radio waves received at said antennas and the phase difference therebetween.

7. The gyro apparatus as claimed in claim 6, comprising a navigation vehicle inclination correcting means inserted between an output of said angular velocity sensor and said adder for employing computer roll angle and pitch angle outputs to correct the angular velocity.

8. The gyro apparatus as claimed in claim 5, comprising control means provided between said comparing means and said compensating means, said control means being supplied at one input terminal thereof with a constant reference value and at another input terminal thereof with an output of said comparing means so that when the output of said comparing means is larger than said constant reference value, said control means does not produce an output for input to said compensating means.