Automatic Creation, Maintenance and Monitoring of a Guideway Database

• US 20090187296A1
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: James, Demetri
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/14 automatically operated
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system for creating, maintain, and monitoring a guideway database is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for an operational guideway database, the method comprising:

generating a first estimate of vehicle position based on the operational guideway database, wherein the first estimate is generated on-board a vehicle that operates on a guideway;

generating a second estimate of vehicle position that is independent of the operational guideway database;

comparing a block occupancy corresponding to at least one of the first estimate of vehicle position or the second estimate of vehicle position with actual block authorization for the vehicle; and

updating the operational guideway database with the second estimate of vehicle position when the block occupancy and the block authorization match.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first estimate of vehicle position is based on operational track-map data and at least one of either:

GPS data, inertial sensor data, and wheel tachometer data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second estimate of vehicle position is based on at least one of either:

GPS data, inertial sensor data, and wheel tachometer data, but not operational track-map data.