Abstract: An example pointing system includes a sensor that measures change in angular position, a first GNSS antenna, and a second GNSS antenna mounted to a rigid body that is removable from the pointing system after calibration of the sensor. The GNSS antennas have a fixed, known baseline. The pointing system includes at least one GNSS receiver with first and second RF inputs respectively coupled to the GNSS antennas. The at least one GNSS receiver includes respective paths to process GNSS signals received from the first and second RF inputs. The pointing system includes at least one processor, communicatively coupled to the sensor and receiver, configured to: determine initial attitude of the pointing system based on the processed GNSS signals; calibrate the sensor using the determined initial attitude; determine a pointing solution for the pointing system based on measurements from the calibrated sensor without GNSS signals from second GNSS antenna.

Abstract: An example pointing system includes a sensor that measures change in angular position, a first GNSS antenna, and a second GNSS antenna mounted to a rigid body that is removable from the pointing system after calibration of the sensor. The GNSS antennas have a fixed, known baseline. The pointing system includes at least one GNSS receiver with first and second RF inputs respectively coupled to the GNSS antennas. The at least one GNSS receiver includes respective paths to process GNSS signals received from the first and second RF inputs. The pointing system includes at least one processor, communicatively coupled to the sensor and receiver, configured to: determine initial attitude of the pointing system based on the processed GNSS signals; calibrate the sensor using the determined initial attitude; determine a pointing solution for the pointing system based on measurements from the calibrated sensor without GNSS signals from second GNSS antenna.

Abstract: A system and method for collaborative navigation is provided. The system comprises a first mobile unit, at least one inertial measurement unit on the first mobile unit, and at least one environment sensor on the first mobile unit. A navigator module in the first mobile unit is configured to receive inertial data from the inertial measurement unit. An object characterization module is configured to receive sensor data from the environment sensor and a navigation solution from the navigator module. A common object geo-locator module is configured to receive a first set of descriptors from the object characterization module and a second set of descriptors from another mobile unit. A data association module is configured to receive common descriptors from the common object geo-locator module. The first mobile unit is configured to operatively communicate with one or more additional mobile units that are configured for collaborative navigation with the first mobile unit.

Abstract: A navigation system includes host and remote units. Host unit includes positioning device to determine absolute position/orientation of host unit; first communication device to communicate signals; first processor; and first memory. Remote unit includes second communication device to receive signals from first communication device; second processor; and second memory. First or second processor compares first aspects of known pattern with second aspects of image of captured pattern positioned on surface at either host unit or remote unit. First or second processor determines relative position/orientation of remote unit relative to host unit based on comparison of first aspects and second aspects. First or second processor determines absolute position/orientation of remote unit based on relative position/orientation of remote unit relative to host unit and absolute position/orientation of host unit.

Abstract: A navigation system includes host and remote units. Host unit includes positioning device to determine absolute position/orientation of host unit; first communication device to communicate signals; first processor; and first memory. Remote unit includes second communication device to receive signals from first communication device; second processor; and second memory. First or second processor compares first aspects of known pattern with second aspects of image of captured pattern positioned on surface at either host unit or remote unit. First or second processor determines relative position/orientation of remote unit relative to host unit based on comparison of first aspects and second aspects. First or second processor determines absolute position/orientation of remote unit based on relative position/orientation of remote unit relative to host unit and absolute position/orientation of host unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for differential altitude estimation utilizing spatial interpolation of pressure sensor data are provided. In one embodiment, a method for mobile navigation comprises: measuring a horizontal location of a mobile navigation unit to generate two-dimensional horizontal coordinate data; measuring a barometric pressure at the mobile navigation unit with a sensor to obtain local pressure data; processing information representative of pressure data derived from a network of a plurality reference stations to obtain a correction factor; performing a calculation using the two-dimensional horizontal coordinate data, the local pressure data, and the correction factor to calculate an altitude coordinate; and determining an altitude of the mobile navigation unit from the altitude coordinate.

Abstract: Systems and methods for differential altitude estimation utilizing spatial interpolation of pressure sensor data are provided. In one embodiment, a method for mobile navigation comprises: measuring a horizontal location of a mobile navigation unit to generate two-dimensional horizontal coordinate data; measuring a barometric pressure at the mobile navigation unit with a sensor to obtain local pressure data; processing information representative of pressure data derived from a network of a plurality reference stations to obtain a correction factor; performing a calculation using the two-dimensional horizontal coordinate data, the local pressure data, and the correction factor to calculate an altitude coordinate; and determining an altitude of the mobile navigation unit from the altitude coordinate.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a target locator device are provided. In one embodiment, a target locator device comprises: a high performance gyroscope; an inertial measurement unit including an accelerometer triad and a gyroscope triad; a rangefinder; a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver; and a processor coupled to the high performance gyroscope, the inertial measurement unit, the rangefinder and the GNSS receiver. The processor derives an alignment heading from a heading measurement provided by the high performance gyroscope. The processor calculates a heading to a target based on a deviation from the alignment heading as measured from a heading and elevation measurement determined from the inertial measurement unit.

Abstract: At least one inertial sensor is configured to sense movement of a telephone (or other portable device such as a personal digital assistant, portable computer, portable game device, portable audio player, or portable video player). Information derived at least in part from data output by the inertial sensor is used as input to software executing on the telephone.

Abstract: A relative navigation system and method are disclosed. The relative navigation system includes a first sensor unit responsive to a motion of a first position, a second sensor unit responsive to a motion of a second position, and a first processing unit associated with at least one of the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit and communicatively coupled to the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit. The first processing unit is configured to generate relative navigation solution information associated with first sensor unit information and second sensor unit information.

Abstract: At least one inertial sensor is configured to sense movement of a mobile telephone. Information derived at least in part from data output by the inertial sensor related to the movement of the mobile telephone is used as an input to a user interface implemented by software executing on the mobile telephone.

Abstract: A relative navigation system including a first unit responsive to the motion of a first position, a second unit responsive to the motion of a second position and a processing unit that generates a relative navigation solution as a function of first unit information and second unit information. The generated relative navigation solution is indicative of at least one of: a relative position vector of the second position relative to the first position, a relative velocity of the second position relative to the first position, and a relative attitude of the first unit at the first position relative to the second unit at the second position.

Abstract: A system and method for collaborative navigation is provided. The system comprises a first mobile unit, at least one inertial measurement unit on the first mobile unit, and at least one environment sensor on the first mobile unit. A navigator module in the first mobile unit is configured to receive inertial data from the inertial measurement unit. An object characterization module is configured to receive sensor data from the environment sensor and a navigation solution from the navigator module. A common object geo-locator module is configured to receive a first set of descriptors from the object characterization module and a second set of descriptors from another mobile unit. A data association module is configured to receive common descriptors from the common object geo-locator module. The first mobile unit is configured to operatively communicate with one or more additional mobile units that are configured for collaborative navigation with the first mobile unit.

Abstract: At least one inertial sensor is configured to sense movement of a telephone (or other portable device such as a personal digital assistant, portable computer, portable game device, portable audio player, or portable video player). Information derived at least in part from data output by the inertial sensor is used as input to software executing on the telephone.

Abstract: A navigation system used by a user includes a navigation unit and a portable device. The navigation unit generates navigation-related output. The navigation unit transmits the navigation-related output to the portable device over a wireless communication link. The portable device receives the navigation-related output and uses at least a portion of the navigation-related output for processing performed thereby. In one embodiment, the portable device includes an input interface to receive user input from a user of the portable device. In such an embodiment, the portable device transmits the navigation-related input to the navigation unit over the wireless communication link, and the navigation unit uses at least a portion of the navigation-related input to generate the navigation-related output.

Abstract: An inertial navigation system includes a navigation component, such as an inertial measurement unit, a processor in communication with the navigation component, and a filter embedded in computer code implemented within the processor. The filter includes a model of the navigation component, and one or more parameters of the model are configured after startup of the inertial navigation system based upon performance characteristics of the individual navigation component included in the inertial navigation system.

Abstract: A personal navigation system including one or more sensors that sense motion of a human and output signals corresponding to the motion of the human and a human-motion-classification processing block that receives sensor data from the one or more sensors. The human-motion-classification processing block includes a Kalman filter processing block, an inertial navigation processing block, and a motion classification processing block. The Kalman filter processing block executes a Kalman filter that provides corrections to the motion classification processing block. The inertial navigation processing block receives input sensor data from the sensors and outputs a navigation solution. The motion classification processing block executes a motion classification algorithm that implements a step-time threshold between two types of motion, identifies a type of motion based on the received sensor data, and outputs a distance-traveled estimate to the Kalman filter processing block based on the identified type of motion.

Abstract: A relative navigation system and method are disclosed. The relative navigation system includes a first sensor unit responsive to a motion of a first position, a second sensor unit responsive to a motion of a second position, and a first processing unit associated with at least one of the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit and communicatively coupled to the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit. The first processing unit is configured to generate relative navigation solution information associated with first sensor unit information and second sensor unit information.

Abstract: A method and system for processing inertial navigation data are disclosed. The method comprises accumulating measurement data in a data buffer from a plurality of navigational sensors, and activating a processing unit periodically to read and process the accumulated measurement data in the data buffer. The processing unit is deactivated once the accumulated measurement data is processed, such that overall power consumption of the processing unit is reduced.

Abstract: A method for locating at least one object in a restricted environment is disclosed. The method involves determining a measuring position with a navigation package, measuring a range between the at least one object and the measuring position, and establishing a location of the at least one object based upon the measuring position and the measured range.