System on a chip inertial navigation system

• US 9,014,975 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VectorNav Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: VectorNav Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Brashear, John, Cheek, Jeff, Davis, Jeremy, Doebbler, James, Maeland, Lasse
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRUSHABER, FREDERICK M
• Application Number:
  US13/901,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20130317741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 701/472, 701/500
• US Class Current: 701/472
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/1652 with ranging devices, e.g. LIDAR or RADAR
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/1654 with electromagnetic compass
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/1656 with passive imaging devices, e.g. cameras

Abstract

A system on a chip and a method for inertial navigation. The system includes a printed circuit board (PCB) on a single plane. The PCB includes a number of sensors configured to measure position, acceleration, angular rate, magnetic fields, pressure, and temperature measurements. The PCB also includes one or more processors in communications with the number of sensors configured to process the measurements to output a position, velocity, attitude, and acceleration.

Claims

1. A system on a chip for inertial navigation, the system comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the PCB is on a single plane, and wherein the PCB comprises;

a plurality of sensors configured to measure position, acceleration, angular rate, magnetic fields, pressure, and temperature as measurements; and

one or more processors in communication with the plurality of sensors configured to process the measurements to determine and output a position, velocity, attitude, and acceleration, wherein the PCB, the plurality of sensors, and the one or more processors are all integrated on a single chip.

2. The system on a chip of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one or more gyroscopes, one or more accelerometers, one or more magnetometers, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver, one or more pressure sensors, and one or more temperature sensors.

3. The system on a chip of claim 1, wherein the PCB, plurality of sensors, and one or more processors are substantially within a single plane.

4. The system on a chip of claim 1, wherein the system on a chip is integrated with another device.

5. The system on a chip of claim 1, wherein the PCB further comprises:

one or more antenna connectors for connecting a GNSS antenna to one or more of the plurality of sensors.

6. The system on a chip of claim 1, wherein the one or more processor perform sensor calibration for the plurality of sensors utilizing at least temperature of the system on a chip.

7. The system on a chip of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors perform dynamic filtering of the measurements.

8. The system on a chip of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors perform adaptive tuning of the measurements utilizing magnetic and acceleration measurements, wherein adaptive tuning dynamically changes a tuning amount to compensate the measurements utilizing the magnetic and acceleration measurements.

9. The system on a chip of claim 1, wherein the system on a chip is approximately the same size as a quarter.

10. The system on a chip of claim 1, wherein the output further includes gravity and linear acceleration.

11. A navigation system on a chip comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to process sensor measurements including at least one or more gyroscopes, one or more accelerometers, one or more magnetometers, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver;

one or more pressure sensors, and one or more temperature sensors;

one or more microprocessors configured to process the sensors measurements by performing compensation for the plurality of sensors utilizing one or more conditions of the navigation system, dynamic filtering of the measurements, and tuning of the measurements, wherein the one or more microprocessors output a position, velocity, attitude, and acceleration, wherein all components of the navigation system are integrated on a single chip.

12. The navigation system on a chip according to claim 11, further comprising:

one or more GNSS antenna connectors for connecting to a GNSS antenna.

13. The navigation system on a chip according to claim 11, further comprising:

a PCB, wherein the one or more microprocessors and the plurality of sensors operate in a single plane.

14. The navigation system on a chip according to claim 11, wherein the dynamic filtering includes linear quadratic estimation to estimate desired unknown quantities.

15. The navigation system on a chip according to claim 11, wherein the one or more processors perform sensor calibration for the plurality of sensors utilizing at least temperature of the navigation system.

16. The navigation system on a chip according to claim 11, wherein the output further includes gravity and linear acceleration.

17. The navigation system on a chip according to claim 11, wherein the one or more microprocessors perform sensor calibration for the plurality of sensors utilizing at least temperature of the navigation system on a chip, and wherein the one or more microprocessors perform dynamic filtering of the sensor measurements.

18. A method for providing navigation information utilizing a navigation system on a chip, the method comprising:

receiving, at the navigation system on the chip, measurements from a plurality of sensors including at least one or more gyroscopes, one or more accelerometers, one or more magnetometers, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), one or more pressure sensors, and one or more temperature sensors;

performing, at the navigation system on the chip, delay compensation of the measurements;

performing, at the navigation system on the chip, tuning of the measurements; and

filtering, at the navigation system on the chip, the measurements to output an attitude, position, and velocity.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the measurements are sampled at a predefined rate, and wherein the measurements are compensated for temperature.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the navigation system on a chip operates on a single plane.