Vehicular navigation based on site specific sensor quality data

• US 20060189329A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Anderson, Noel Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 7,313,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.600
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/485 whereby the further system is an optical system or imaging system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard

Abstract

A method and system for determining a location of a vehicle, the method comprises determining reception location data within a first cell of a work area for a vehicle. A reception quality estimator estimates reception quality data for the corresponding reception location data for the first cell. Optical location data is determined within a first cell of a work area for a vehicle. An optical quality estimator estimates optical quality data for the corresponding optical location data for the first cell. A data processor selects at least one of the reception location data and the optical location data as refined location data associated with the first cell based on the estimated reception quality data and estimated optical quality data.

Claims

1. A method for determining a location of a vehicle, the method comprising:

establishing an estimate of reception quality data versus cellular locations for work area and an estimate of optical quality data versus cellular location data;

determining reception location data and optical location data within a first cell of the cellular locations of a work area for a vehicle;

referencing the established estimate to retrieve relevant reception quality data and relevant optical quality data associated with the first cell; and

selecting at least one of the reception location data and the optical location data as refined location data associated with the first cell based on the relevant reception quality data and relevant optical quality data.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the selecting comprises establishing relative weights for application of the reception location data and the optical location data based on the relevant reception quality data and relevant optical quality data.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the establishing comprises expressing the estimate as at least one of a map, a contour map, a two-dimensional matrix, and a multidimensional matrix, a look-up table, a chart, and a database.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the establishing comprises expressing the estimate as a contour map having contours indicative of a dilution of precision value associated with at least one of the reception location data and the optical location data.

5. A method for determining a location of a vehicle, the method comprising:

establishing an estimate of reception quality data versus cellular locations for work area, an estimate of optical quality data versus cellular locations for the work area, and an estimate of dead-reckoning quality data versus cellular locations for the work area;

determining reception location data, optical location data, and dead-reckoning location data within a first cell of the cellular locations of a work area for a vehicle;

referencing the established estimate to retrieve relevant reception quality data, relevant optical quality data, and relevant dead-reckoning quality data associated with the first cell;

selecting at least one of the reception location data, the optical location data, and dead-reckoning quality data as refined location data associated with the first cell based on the relevant reception quality data, relevant optical quality data, and the relevant dead-reckoning quality data.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the establishing comprises expressing the estimate as at least one of a map, a contour map, a two-dimensional matrix, and a multidimensional matrix, a look-up table, a chart, and a database.

7. The method according to claim 5 wherein the establishing comprises expressing the estimate as a contour map having contours indicative of a dilution of precision value associated with at least one of the reception location data, the optical location data, and the dead-reckoning location data.

8. The method according to claim 5 wherein the selecting comprises establishing relative weights for application of the reception location data, the optical location data, and the dead-reckoning location data based on the relevant reception quality data, relevant optical quality data, and relevant dead-reckoning quality data.

9. A system for determining a location of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a quality estimation module establishing an estimate of reception quality data versus cellular locations for work area and an estimate of optical quality data versus cellular location data;

a location-determining receiver for determining reception location data within a first cell of the cellular locations of a work area for a vehicle;

an optical location-determining receiver for determining optical location data within the first cell of the cellular locations of a work area for the vehicle;

a data processor for referencing the established estimate to retrieve relevant reception quality data and relevant optical quality data associated with the first cell;

the data processor selecting at least one of the reception location data and the optical location data as refined location data associated with the first cell based on the relevant reception quality data and relevant optical quality data.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the data processor selects relative weights for application of the reception location data and the optical location data based on the relevant reception quality data and relevant optical quality data.

11. The system according to claim 9 wherein the established estimate comprises at least one of a map, a contour map, a two-dimensional matrix, and a multidimensional matrix, a look-up table, a chart, and a database.

12. The system according to claim 9 wherein the established estimate comprises a contour map having contours indicative of a dilution of precision value associated with at least one of the reception location data and the optical location data.