Technique for calibrating dead reckoning positioning data

• US 9,273,966 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2010
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elektrobit Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Elektrobit Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Bartels, Florian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hutchinson, Alan D
• Application Number:
  US13/516,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20130297204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: 701/33.1, 701/445, 701469-481, 701/495, 701/498, 702/85, 702 92- 97, 702104-107, 702141-142, 702148-151, 702/158, 702/165
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/12 executed aboard the object being navigated; Dead reckoning
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/165 combined with non-inertial navigation instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/005 initial alignment, calibration or starting-up of inertial devices

Abstract

A technique for calibrating sensor data used for dead reckoning positioning comprises the steps of simultaneously recording sensor data of at least one dead reckoning positioning sensor and position data of a position sensor during travel, comparing a first travel path derived from the position data with a second travel path derived from the sensor data, and calibrating the sensor data based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating sensor data used for dead reckoning positioning systems, the method comprising the steps of:

simultaneously recording, by a storage unit, sensor data of at least one dead reckoning positioning sensor and position data of a position sensor during travel;

comparing, by a comparing unit, a shape of a first travel path derived from the position data with a shape of a second travel path derived from the sensor data, wherein the shape of the first travel path is defined by absolute position data recorded consecutively during travel, and wherein the shape of the second travel path depends on the recorded sensor data and on calibration parameters for calibrating the sensor data; and

calibrating, by a calibrating unit, the sensor data based on the shape comparison, wherein the calibrating step comprises iteratively refining the calibration parameters until the shape of the second travel path approximates the shape of the first travel path.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing step comprises comparing the shape of the first travel path with the shape of the second travel path and determining a deviation parameter indicative of a shape deviation between the first and second travel path.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the deviation parameter is indicative of at least one of a distance between corresponding positions of the first and second travel path that are recorded at the same time and a heading deviation between the first and second travel path at their corresponding positions.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the calibrating step comprises calculating the calibration by minimizing the determined deviation parameter.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the calibrating step comprises calculating the calibration using a sequential Monte Carlo calculation.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein for each path at least three corresponding positions are selected for the calibrating step.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprise at least one of odometer data and gyroscope data.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the odometer data is calibrated with a calibration value f, wherein the calibration value f is calculated from a ratio between a predetermined distance D and a number of pulses N_D output by a dead reckoning positioning sensor in the form of an odometer while travelling the predetermined distance D.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the odometer data are pre-calibrated during travel by determining the predetermined distance from two consecutive positions detected by the position sensor.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein the gyroscope data are calibrated with a scaling value and an offset value.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the offset value corresponds to a voltage signal output by a dead reckoning positioning sensor in the form of a gyroscope in the absence of a change of direction and is derived from a standing still event.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the scaling value is indicative of a ratio between an angular velocity and an output voltage corrected by the offset value, wherein for pre-calibration the scaling value is derived from a change of direction event.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein calibration parameters of a previous calibration are used for pre-calibrating the sensor data.

14. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a computer program product causing a computer device to execute the method according to any one of the preceding claims.

15. A device for calibrating sensor data used for dead reckoning positioning systems, comprising:

a storage unit adapted to record simultaneously sensor data of at least one dead reckoning positioning sensor and position data of a position sensor during travel;

a comparing unit adapted to compare a shape of a first travel path derived from the position data with a shape of a second travel path derived from the sensor data, wherein the shape of the first travel path is defined by absolute position data recorded consecutively during travel, and wherein the shape of the second travel path depends on the recorded sensor data and on calibration parameters for calibrating the sensor data; and

a calibration unit adapted to calibrate the sensor data on basis of the shape comparison by iteratively refining the calibration parameters until the shape of the second travel path approximates the shape of the first travel path.

16. The device according to claim 15, further comprising the at least one dead reckoning positioning sensor in the form of at least one of:

an odometer adapted to determine a covered distance d; and

a gyroscope adapted to determine a change of direction 4.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the odometer outputs signal pulses and wherein the covered distance is determined by multiplying the number of output pulses with a calibration value.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein for pre-calibration the calibration value is determined during travel by calculating a ratio between a predetermined distance D and the corresponding number of output pulses.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein for pre-calibration the calibration value is determined during travel from the number of output pulses per time unit and a current velocity determined by the position sensor.

20. The device according to claim 16, wherein the gyroscope outputs a voltage signal that is calibrated with a scaling value and an offset value.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein the calibrated voltage signal is multiplied with a predetermined time interval for determining the change of direction.

22. The device according to claim 20, wherein the scaling value is indicative of a ratio between an angular velocity of a change of direction and the output voltage corrected by the offset value and wherein for pre-calibration the scaling value is derived from a change of direction event.

23. The device according to claim 20, wherein the offset value corresponds to the voltage signal output by the gyroscope in the absence of a change of direction and it is derivable from a standing still event.

24. A navigation device, comprising the device of claim 15 and the position sensor.