Low cost inertial navigator
First Claim
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1. A navigation system, comprising:
- (a) a GPS receiver adapted to receive electromagnetic signals from a plurality of satellites, said GPS having a first output for providing a signal indicative of the position of said GPS receiver;
(b) a magnetometer positionable for measuring one or more components of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said magnetometer having a second output for providing a signal indicative thereof;
(c) an accelerometer for measuring one or more axes of acceleration, said accelerometer having a third output for providing a signal indicative thereof;
a (d) a 3-axes rate gyroscopes for measuring the rate of rotation of the navigational system, said rate gyroscope having a fourth output for providing a signal indicative thereof; and
(e) a computing device having;
(i) a plurality of inputs, at least one input of said plurality of inputs in communication with each of said first, second, third, and fourth outputs; and
(ii) a database of the magnetic fields of the earth.
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Abstract
A low-cost, portable, strap-down, navigation system including: an Inertial Navigation System (INS); a GPS receiver; and a 3-Axis Magnetometer (MAG). A microprocessor controls and filters the data from the INS, GPS and MAG. In a preferred embodiment the system provides an indication of: True Heading; 3-D Position; 3-D Velocity; 3-D Acceleration; 3-D Attitude; and 3-D Angular Rate. A filter weighs the trustworthiness of each sensor, favoring the GPS and MAG sensors for relatively low rate movements and steady state conditions and the INS sensors for transient movements.
250 Citations
59 Claims
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1. A navigation system, comprising:
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(a) a GPS receiver adapted to receive electromagnetic signals from a plurality of satellites, said GPS having a first output for providing a signal indicative of the position of said GPS receiver;
(b) a magnetometer positionable for measuring one or more components of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said magnetometer having a second output for providing a signal indicative thereof;
(c) an accelerometer for measuring one or more axes of acceleration, said accelerometer having a third output for providing a signal indicative thereof;
a(d) a 3-axes rate gyroscopes for measuring the rate of rotation of the navigational system, said rate gyroscope having a fourth output for providing a signal indicative thereof; and
(e) a computing device having;
(i) a plurality of inputs, at least one input of said plurality of inputs in communication with each of said first, second, third, and fourth outputs; and
(ii) a database of the magnetic fields of the earth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A navigation system, comprising:
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a Global Positioning Sensor receiver adapted to receive electromagnetic signals from a plurality of satellites to determine a position, said Global Positioning Sensor receiver having a first output for providing a signal indicative said position;
an accelerometer for measuring one or more independent components of acceleration, said accelerometer having a second output for providing a signal indicative of said one or more independent components of acceleration;
a rate gyroscope for measuring three independent components of rate of rotation, said rate gyroscope having a third output for providing a signal indicative of said three independent components of rate of rotation;
a computing device having a plurality of inputs for in communication with said first, second, and third outputs; and
a housing wherein is housed said Global Positioning Sensor receiver, said accelerometer, and said rate gyroscope, wherein said housing is configured such that the navigation system is portable. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A ground collision avoidance system for use at an airport to prevent incursions between aircraft, vehicles, people, and objects comprising:
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a navigation system including a MEMS based inertial measurement unit, said navigation system portable and used to provide a position of an aircraft, a vehicle, a person, or in immediate proximity of an object;
a transmitter for transmitting said position of said aircraft, said vehicle, said person, or said object;
a receiver for receiving a position of other nearby ground collision avoidance systems; and
a display for displaying said position of nearby aircraft relative to the position of said aircraft, said vehicle, said person, or said object. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An air traffic control system comprising:
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an aircraft in the vicinity of the air traffic control system;
a navigation system on board said aircraft for providing a position of said aircraft, said navigation system including a MEMS based inertial measurement unit;
a transmitter on board said aircraft configured to transmit said position;
an air traffic control facility configured to receive and display said position of said aircraft to an air traffic controller.
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48. An integrated flight data recorder and navigation system comprising:
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a navigation system for providing aircraft navigational parameters;
a nonvolatile memory device for recording and archiving said navigational parameters, wherein said navigation system and said nonvolatile memory are integrated into a single housing. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A ground incursion system, comprising:
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a plurality of craft, each of said craft equipped with;
a navigation system which provides a position of said craft; and
a transmitter for configured to transmit said position; and
an accelerometer in at least one of the craft for sensing movement of said craft, said accelerometer having an output providing a signal indicative of movement of said craft and including said signal in said transmission; and
a central station comprising;
a receiver for receiving said position and said movement from said craft; and
a processor for evaluating the movements of each craft of said plurality of craft and predicting collisions between two or more craft of said plurality of craft.
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55. A low-cost navigation system comprising:
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a magnetometer for measuring one or more independent components of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said magnetometer having an output providing a signal indicative of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field; and
a means for inputting a position on the earth'"'"'s surface; and
a computing device comprising;
an input for receiving said output; and
a database of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, wherein the attitude of navigation system may be determined by comparing said position, and the direction of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, with information contained in said database. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. A method for determining the attitude of a craft comprising:
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(a) affixing a magnetometer to the craft such that the direction of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field may be measured relative to an axis of said craft;
(b) providing a database of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field relative to positions on the earth'"'"'s surface;
(c) providing a positioning system for indicating the position of the craft;
(d) obtaining a position of the craft from said positioning system;
(e) obtaining the direction of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field relative to the craft from said magnetometer;
(f) finding the direction of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field from said database at said position obtained in step (d); and
(g) finding the difference between said direction of earth'"'"'s magnetic field relative to the craft obtained in step (e) and the direction of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field found in said database in step (f).
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58. A method for managing the electrical power of a navigation system when the navigation system is in a power-conserving mode including the steps of:
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(a) providing a positioning system for indicating the position of said system;
(b) providing a motion sensor system for indicating movement;
(c) applying power to said motion sensor;
(b) reading the movement of the system from said motion sensor;
(c) determining if said system is in motion;
(d) if the system is in motion, (i) terminating the power conserving mode; and
(i)(i) applying power to the remaining circuitry of the navigation system; and
(e) if the system is not in motion, (i) removing power from said motion sensor;
(ii) delaying a period of time; and
(iii) repeating steps (a)-(e).
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59. An air traffic warning system comprising:
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an aircraft in the vicinity of an air traffic control system;
a receiver on board said aircraft configured for the wireless reception of digital information;
a transmitter linked to an air traffic control facility configured for the wireless transmission of digital information. wherein a predetermined message is provided on said aircraft upon receipt of a particular code sent from said air traffic control facility via wireless transmission means.
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Specification