Method of increasing location accuracy in an inertial navigational device

• US 6,615,136 B1
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Swope, Charles B., Tealdi, Daniel A., Koskan, Patrick Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/078,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20030158664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 701/214, 701/208, 701/200, 701/220, 701/210, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/214
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/165 combined with non-inertial navigation instruments

Abstract

A method of increasing location accuracy in an inertial navigational device (100) is described herein. The navigational device (100) generates real-time data to depict its location. The data comprises at least one of sensor data, motion data, and location data. The navigational device (100) transmits the real-time data to a second device (104) in a real-time fashion. The navigational device (100) receives an update message from the second device (104), based on a comparison of the real-time data generated by the navigational device (100) against a second set of data. The navigational device (100) adjusts its depicted location based on the update message in order to increase the location accuracy of the navigational, device (100). Alternatively, the navigational device (100), absent the second device (104), can compare the real-time data generated against the second set of data internally and adjust its depicted location accordingly.

Claims

1. A method of increasing location accuracy in an inertial navigational device comprising the steps of:

generating real-time data to depict a location of the inertial navigational device, wherein the data comprises at least one of sensor data, motion data, and location data;

transmitting the real-time data generated by the inertial navigational device in a real-time fashion to a second device;

receiving an update message at the inertial navigational device from the second device, wherein the update message is compiled at the second device based on a comparison of the real-time data generated by the inertial navigational device against a second set of data; and

adjusting the depicted location of the inertial navigational device based on the update message in order to increase the location accuracy of the inertial navigational device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second set of data is collected off-line.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second set of data is based on output from a positioning system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second set of data is a collection of gestures that was collected in a given sequence and stored in a database that reflects movements in a structure.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the given sequence of the collection of gestures is either simulated, emulated, or actual gesture sequences that reflect movement in the structure.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second set of data is a dimensional model of a given structure.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

displaying the dimensional model of the given structure on a graphical user interface associated with the inertial navigational device; and

displaying an indicator of the depicted location of the inertial navigational device in relation to the dimensional model.

8. A method of increasing location accuracy in an inertial navigational device comprising the steps of:

generating real-time data to depict a location of the inertial navigational device, wherein the real-time data comprises at least one of sensor data, motion data, and location data;

comparing the real-time data against a second set of data; and

in response to the step of comparing, adjusting the depicted location of the inertial navigational device in order to increase location accuracy of the inertial navigational device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second set of data is collected off-line.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of retrieving the second set of data from a database.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of receiving the second set of data from a positioning system in a real-time fashion.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of, after the step of adjusting, transmitting the depicted location of the inertial navigational device to a second device.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the second set of a data is a dimensional model of a structure where the inertial navigational device is located, and further comprising the step of displaying the dimensional model of the structure to a graphical user interface associated with the inertial navigational device.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the second set of data is a collection of gestures that was collected in a given sequence that reflects movements in a structure.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the location is depicted in three dimensions.

16. A device comprising a processor, which when in operation, causes the device to perform the following functions:

generate real-time data to depict a location of the inertial navigational device, wherein the real-time data comprises at least one of sensor data, motion data, and location data;

compare the real-time data against a second set of data; and

in response to the function of comparing, adjust the depicted location of the inertial navigational device in order to increase location accuracy of the inertial navigational device.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the location is depicted in three dimensions.

18. A device comprising at least a transmitter, a receiver and a processor, which when in operation, causes the device to perform the following functions:

generate real-time data to depict a location of the apparatus, wherein the data comprises at least one of sensor data, motion data, and location data;

transmit the real-time data generated by the apparatus in a real-time fashion to a second device;

receive an update message at the apparatus from the second device, wherein the update message is compiled at the second device based on a comparison of the real-time data generated by the apparatus against a second set of data; and

adjust the depicted location of the apparatus based on the update message in order to increase the location accuracy of the apparatus.

19. A method of increasing location accuracy in an inertial navigational device comprising the steps of:

generating real-time data to depict a location of the inertial navigational device, wherein the data comprises at least one of sensor data, motion data, and location data;

transmitting the real-time data generated by the inertial navigational device in a real-time fashion to a second device;

receiving an update message from the second device, wherein the update message is compiled based on a comparison of the real-time data generated by the inertial navigational device against a second set of data, wherein the second set of data is a collection of gestures that was collected in a given sequence and stored in a database that reflects movements in a structure; and

adjusting the depicted location of the inertial navigational device based on the update message in order to increase the location accuracy of the inertial navigational device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the given sequence of the collection of gestures is either simulated, emulated, or actual gesture sequences that reflect movement in the structure.

21. A method of increasing location accuracy in an inertial navigational device comprising the steps of:

generating real-time data to depict a location of the inertial navigational device, wherein the real-time data comprises at least one of sensor data, motion data, and location data;

comparing the real-time data against a second set of data, wherein the second set of data is a collection of gestures that was collected in a given sequence that reflects movements in a structure; and

in response to the step of comparing, adjusting the depicted location of the inertial navigational device in order to increase location accuracy of the inertial navigational device.