Abstract: Systems and methods for integrity monitoring of odometry measurements within a navigation system are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a system includes imaging sensors that generate image frames from optical inputs. The system also includes a GNSS receiver that provides pseudorange measurements; and computational devices that receive the image frames and the pseudorange measurements. Further, the computational devices compute odometry information from image frames acquired at different times; and calculate a full solution for the system based on the pseudorange measurements and the odometry information. Additionally, the computational devices calculate sub-solutions for the system based on subsets of the pseudorange measurements and the odometry information, wherein one of the sub-solutions is not based on the odometry information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for integrity monitoring of odometry measurements within a navigation system are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a system includes imaging sensors that generate image frames from optical inputs. The system also includes a GNSS receiver that provides pseudorange measurements; and computational devices that receive the image frames and the pseudorange measurements. Further, the computational devices compute odometry information from image frames acquired at different times; and calculate a full solution for the system based on the pseudorange measurements and the odometry information. Additionally, the computational devices calculate sub-solutions for the system based on subsets of the pseudorange measurements and the odometry information, wherein one of the sub-solutions is not based on the odometry information.

Abstract: A wind energy converter has a generator adapted to be coupled directly to a wind turbine without need for a mechanical gear unit. A rectifier is coupled to the generator and a converter is coupled to the rectifier to provide a regulated DC bus voltage as a function of a controlled duty cycle. An inverter is coupled to the converter for providing a regulated AC output to a load.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for determining a navigational state of a vehicle, the vehicle having at least one pivotable wheel and a plurality of front wheels. The apparatus comprises a steering angle sensor coupled to the at least one pivotable wheel for determining a steering angle, a plurality of wheel speed sensors each coupled to a different one of the plurality of pivotable wheels for determining an angular velocity of each of the plurality of pivotable wheels, a GPS receiver coupled to the vehicle for receiving GPS positioning data, and a processor coupled to the steering angle sensor, the plurality of wheel speed sensors, and the GPS receiver. The processor is configured to determine a yaw rate for the vehicle based on the positioning data, the steering angle, and the longitudinal angular velocity of each of the plurality of front wheels, and integrate the yaw rate to determine a heading for the vehicle.

Abstract: A wind energy converter has a generator adapted to be coupled directly to a wind turbine without need for a mechanical gear unit. A rectifier is coupled to the generator and a converter is coupled to the rectifier to provide a regulated DC bus voltage as a function of a controlled duty cycle. An inverter is coupled to the converter for providing a regulated AC output to a load.