Navigation system with rapid GNSS and inertial initialization
First Claim
1. An inertial/global navigation satellite system (GNSS) navigation system comprising:
- on a first moving vehiclea constellation of target points proximate to a rendezvous site;
one or more transmitters that transmit target position information corresponding to the respective target points;
on a second moving vehiclea detector system;
a receiver that receives the transmitted target position information; and
a navigation unit includinga detector subprocessor that determines calculated relative positions and orientations of the target points based on distance information indicating a distance between the detection system and each respective target point determined utilizing one or more beams emitted by the detector system,a GNSS subsystem including a GNSS receiver,an inertial navigation (INS) subsystem including an inertial measurement unit, andone or more processors configured to calculate an absolute position and orientation corresponding to the second vehicle based on the calculated relative position of the rendezvous site and the received target position information, the one or more processors providing the calculated absolute position and orientation corresponding to the second vehicle to at least the INS subsystem;
the INS subsystem determining a local position and orientation for use in an initialization process based on the calculated absolute position and orientation corresponding to the second vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation system for use with moving vehicles includes target points proximate to a rendezvous site located on a first moving vehicle. One or more transmitters broadcast target point positioning information. A navigation unit on a second moving vehicle utilizes a camera to capture images that include the target points or a detector system that emits one or more beams to the target points. The navigation unit determines the relative position and orientation of the rendezvous site at the second vehicle. The navigation unit utilizes the relative position and orientation and an absolute position and orientation of the rendezvous site calculated from the target position information and calculates an absolute position and orientation corresponding to the second vehicle. The navigation unit then initializes its component inertial subsystem using a local position and orientation that are based on the calculated absolute position and orientation of the second vehicle.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An inertial/global navigation satellite system (GNSS) navigation system comprising:
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on a first moving vehicle a constellation of target points proximate to a rendezvous site; one or more transmitters that transmit target position information corresponding to the respective target points; on a second moving vehicle a detector system; a receiver that receives the transmitted target position information; and a navigation unit including a detector subprocessor that determines calculated relative positions and orientations of the target points based on distance information indicating a distance between the detection system and each respective target point determined utilizing one or more beams emitted by the detector system, a GNSS subsystem including a GNSS receiver, an inertial navigation (INS) subsystem including an inertial measurement unit, and one or more processors configured to calculate an absolute position and orientation corresponding to the second vehicle based on the calculated relative position of the rendezvous site and the received target position information, the one or more processors providing the calculated absolute position and orientation corresponding to the second vehicle to at least the INS subsystem; the INS subsystem determining a local position and orientation for use in an initialization process based on the calculated absolute position and orientation corresponding to the second vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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transmitting, by one or more transmitters on a first vehicle, target position information corresponding to each respective target point of a constellation of target points proximate to a rendezvous site on a first moving vehicle; receiving, by a receiver on a second vehicle, the transmitted target information; determining, by a detector system on the second vehicle, calculated relative positions and orientations of the target points based on distance information indicating a distance between the detection system and each respective target point determined utilizing one or more beams emitted by the detector system; calculating, by one or more processors on the second vehicle, an absolute position and orientation corresponding to the second vehicle based on the calculated relative position of the rendezvous site and the received target position information; and providing, by the one or more processors, the calculated absolute position and orientation corresponding to the second vehicle to at least an inertial navigation (INS) subsystem on the second vehicle, where the INS subsystem utilizes the calculated absolute position and orientation corresponding to the second vehicle to determine a local position and orientation for use in an initialization process. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification