Systems and methods for fault detection and exclusion in navigational systems

• US 6,856,905 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2003
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin AT, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin AT, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Rose, Robert C., Pasturel, Patrice Knut
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/426,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20040220733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/214, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/358
• US Class Current: 701/214
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/15 Aircraft landing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/20 Integrity monitoring, fault detection or fault isolation of space segment

Abstract

The Fault Detection and Exclusion (FDE) system for use in navigational systems that rely upon multiple ranging signals, such as GPS satellites, uses an FDE algorithm to detect, as soon as possible, whether a fault exists in a signal associated with one or more of the GPS satellites. The system makes this determination by comparing a computed residual error with a first fault detection threshold. After determining that the computed residual error has exceeded the first, relatively low, fault detection threshold, the system transmits a signal to one or more external systems indicating that one or more signals associated with the various GPS satellites may be faulty. The system then monitors horizontal estimated position error (HUL) until this value has met or exceeded a relatively high fault isolation threshold value. The system then attempts to isolate and exclude the faulty satellite from the current navigational solution.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a navigation system to determine when to initiate a process to isolate one or more faulty ranging signals from a navigation calculation, comprising at least one processing element, wherein said processing element:

receives a test value and estimated position error associated with at least two ranging signals from a measurement device;

compares the test value to a first threshold value and initiates a signal if the test value is at least as great as the first threshold value;

compares the estimated position error to a second threshold value based upon the initiated signal; and

initiates a procedure to eliminate one or more faulty ranging signals from use in the navigation calculation if the estimated position error is at least as great as the second threshold value.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ranging signals are GPS signals.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the test value received by said at least one processing element is the root sum square of the residuals from the ranging signals and the estimated position error value received by said at least one processing element is an estimate of horizontal estimated position error.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second threshold used by said processing element is a percentage of a selected horizontal alarm limit of the navigation system.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system records a plurality of conditions, and wherein said processing element uses said first threshold value that is independent of the conditions recorded by the navigation system and said second threshold value that varies based upon at least one condition recorded by the navigation system.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator capable of indicating when the test value measured by said measurement device is at least as great as the first threshold value.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator capable of indicating a lack of accuracy for the position data when the estimated position error value measured by said measurement device is at least as great as the second threshold value.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one processing element continually compares the estimated position error value to the second threshold value and if the estimated position error value is at least equal to the second threshold value for more than a selected time period, said at least one processing element generates an alarm.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing element compares the estimated position error value to a horizontal alarm limit (HAL) and generates an alarm, if said estimated position error value is at least as great as said horizontal alarm limit.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said at least one processing element continually compares the estimated position error value to the horizontal alarm limit (HAL), and if the estimated position error value is at least equal to the horizontal alarm limit for more than a selected time period, said at least one processing element generates said alarm.

11. A method for use in a navigation system to determine when to initiate a process to isolate one or more faulty ranging signals from a navigation calculation, comprising:

determining a test value associated with at least two of the ranging signals and an estimated position error value;

comparing the test value to a first threshold value and indicating if the test value is at least as great as the first threshold value thereby representing a potential faulty ranging signal;

comparing the estimated position error value to the second threshold value if the test value is at least as great as the first threshold value; and

if the estimated position error value is at least as great as the second threshold value initiating a fault detection and isolation procedure to eliminate the one or more faulty ranging signals from use in the navigation calculation.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the ranging signals are GPS signals.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the test value is the root sum square of the residuals from the ranging signals and the estimated position error value is an estimate of horizontal estimated position error.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the second threshold value is a percentage of a horizontal alarm limit of the navigation system.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the navigation system records a plurality of conditions, and wherein said first threshold value is independent of the conditions recorded by the navigation system and said second threshold value that varies based upon at least one condition recorded by the navigation system.

16. A method according to claim 11, further comprising indicating when the test value is at least as great as the first threshold value.

17. A method according to claim 11, further comprising indicating a lack of accuracy for the position data when the estimated position error value is at least as great as the second threshold value.

18. A method according to claim 11, further comprising comparing the estimated position error value to a horizontal alarm limit (HAL) and generating an alarm, if said estimated position error value is at least as great as said horizontal alarm limit.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising continually comparing the estimated position error value to the horizontal alarm limit (HAL), and if the estimated position error value is at least equal to the horizontal alarm limit for more than a selected time period, generating said alarm.

20. A method for initiating a process of excluding at least one faulty ranging signal from a navigation calculation used in a navigation system that relies on more than one ranging signal, comprising:

selecting a first threshold and a second threshold;

monitoring a test value associated with at least two ranging signals;

monitoring a estimated position error value; and

initiating the process of detecting and isolating at least one faulty ranging signal, if the test value is at least as great as the first threshold and the estimated position error is at least as great as the second threshold.

21. A method according to claim 20, further comprising indicating existence of said at least one potentially faulty ranging signal, if the test value is at least as great as the first threshold.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein said monitoring a test value comprises monitoring a residual error associated with said at least two ranging signals.

23. A method according to claim 20, wherein said monitoring a estimated position error step comprises monitoring a horizontal estimated position error.

24. An apparatus for detecting and excluding a faulty ranging signal in a navigation system that relies upon more than one ranging signal, comprising at least one processing element that:

receives a residual error and a horizontal estimated position error associated with at least two ranging signals;

determines whether the residual error is at least as great as a fault detection threshold, whereby a residual error that is at least as great as the fault detection threshold indicates that at least one ranging signal is potentially faulty;

determines whether the horizontal estimated position error is at least as great as a fault isolation threshold, wherein the horizontal estimated position error that is at least as great as the fault isolation threshold indicates that isolation and exclusion of at least one ranging signal from a navigation solution can be attempted with a sufficient degree of confidence of successfully identifying the faulty ranging signal or signals; and

initiates a detection and isolation procedure to detect and isolate the at least one faulty ranging signal when the horizontal estimated position error is at least as great as the fault isolation threshold.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising an indicator for indicating to at least one system external to the navigation system that there is at least one potentially faulty satellite when the residual error is at least as great as the fault detection threshold.

26. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the fault isolation threshold used by said at least one processing element is a percentage of a horizontal alarm limit of the navigation system.

27. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said ranging signals are GPS signals.

28. A method for detecting and excluding a faulty ranging signal in a navigation system that relies upon more than one ranging signal, comprising:

receiving a residual error and a horizontal estimated position error associated with at least two ranging signals;

determining whether the residual error is at least as great as a fault detection threshold, whereby a residual error that is at least as great as the fault detection threshold indicates that at least one ranging signal is potentially faulty;

determines whether the horizontal estimated position error is at least as great as a fault isolation threshold, wherein the horizontal estimated position error that is at least as great as the fault isolation threshold indicates that at least one ranging signal from which the signal is transmitted is faulty; and

initiating a detection and isolation procedure to detect and isolate the at least one faulty ranging signal when the horizontal estimated position error is at least as great as the fault isolation threshold.

29. A method according to claim 28, further comprising indicating to at least one system external to the navigation system that there is at least one potentially faulty satellite when the residual error is at least as great as the fault detection threshold.

30. A method according to claim 28, wherein the fault isolation threshold used is a percentage of a horizontal alarm limit of the navigation system.

31. A method according to claim 28, wherein said ranging signals are GPS signals.