Patents by Inventor Ulrich Vollath
Ulrich Vollath has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 7576690Abstract: Position determination at a rover station on the basis of positioning signals from a plurality of positioning satellites. During normal operation a position of the rover station is determined on the basis of the positioning signal from the positioning satellites and reference data received via a separate connection from a reference station. Upon detecting an outage of the reference data from the reference station, error data at least including satellite clock drifts is obtained from error data transmitter and applied in the determination process in order to eliminate positioning errors introduced by satellite clock drifts that cannot be compensated on the basis of the reference data due to the outage.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2007Date of Patent: August 18, 2009Assignee: Trimble Navigation LimitedInventor: Ulrich Vollath
-
Publication number: 20090184868Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing of data from GNSS receivers are presented. A post-processing engine and a post-processed accuracy predictor are described. The post-processing engine provides high accuracy GNSS (GPS) position determination with short occupation time for GIS applications. The post-processed accuracy predictor calculates during data collection an estimate of the accuracy likely to be achieved after post-processing. This helps to optimize productivity when collecting GNSS data for which post-processed accuracy is important. The predictor examines the quality of carrier measurements and estimates how well the post-processed float solution will converge in the time since carrier lock was obtained.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2009Publication date: July 23, 2009Inventors: Junjie Liu, Ulrich Vollath, Peter Ian West, Soeren Uif Klose
-
Publication number: 20090184869Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and apparatus are presented for processing data collected by at least two receivers from multiple satellites of multiple GNSS, where at least one GNSS is FDMA. Data sets are obtained which comprise a first data set from a first receiver and a second data set from a second receiver. The first data set comprises a first FDMA data set and the second data set comprises a second FDMA data set. At least one of a code bias and a phase bias may exist between the first FDMA data set and the second FDMA data set. At least one receiver-type bias is determined, to be applied when the data sets are obtained from receivers of different types. The data sets are processed, based on the at least one receiver-type bias, to estimate carrier floating-point ambiguities. Carrier integer ambiguities are determined from the floating-point ambiguities. The scheme enables GLONASS carrier phase ambiguities to be resolved and used in a combined FDMA/CDMA (e.g., GLONASS/GPS) centimeter-level solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2009Publication date: July 23, 2009Inventors: Nicholas Talbot, Ulrich Vollath, Gang Lu
-
Publication number: 20090182502Abstract: In a method for refining a position estimate of a low earth orbiting (LEO) satellite a first position estimate of a LEO satellite is obtained with a GNSS receiver on-board the LEO satellite. The first position estimate is communicated to a Virtual Reference Station (VRS) processor. VRS corrections are received at the LEO satellite, the VRS corrections having been calculated for the first position estimate by the VRS processor. The VRS corrections are processed on-board the LEO satellite such that a VRS corrected LEO satellite position estimate of the LEO satellite is generated for the first position estimate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2008Publication date: July 16, 2009Inventors: Bruce D. Riter, James M. Janky, Nicholas C. Talbot, Ulrich Vollath
-
Publication number: 20090135057Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing of data from GNSS receivers are presented. A real-time GNSS rover-engine, a long distance multi baseline averaging (MBA) method, and a stochastic post-processed accuracy predictor are described. The real-time GNSS rover-engine provides high accuracy position determination (decimeter-level) with short occupation time (2 Minutes) for GIS applications. The long distance multi baseline averaging (MBA) method improves differential-correction accuracy by averaging the position results from several different baselines. This technique provides a higher accuracy than any single baseline solution. It was found, that for long baselines (more than about 250 km), the usage of non-iono-free observables (e.g. L1-only or wide-lane) leads to a higher accuracy with MBA compared to the commonly used iono-free (LC) combination, because of the less noisy observables and the cancellation of the residual ionospheric errors.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2008Publication date: May 28, 2009Inventors: Ulrich Vollath, Soeren Ulf Klose
-
Patent number: 7538721Abstract: Three new methods are presented to improve floating solutions and ambiguity resolution for multiple global satellite navigation systems (GNSS), one of which may be an FDMA-based GNSS such as GLONASS: (1) modeling of the hardware-related differential clock error between two (or more) different GNSS, (2) modeling the frequency-dependent biases present in frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) GNSS, and (3) an ambiguity resolution method called Scoreboard Partial Fixing (SPF). The methods presented are independent of the number of carrier frequencies tracked for each satellite navigation system. Their application results in quicker and more reliable ambiguity resolution. The benefits of combining observations of multiple GNSS are exploited in a very efficient way, in contrast to known algorithms which often result in degraded performance with multiple GNSS. The frequency-dependent bias method has been found effective with GNSS observations from a combination of substantially dissimilar hardware, e.g.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2007Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: Trimble Navigation LimitedInventors: Ulrich Vollath, Kenneth Donald Doucet
-
Publication number: 20090109090Abstract: Position determination at a rover station on the basis of positioning signals from a plurality of positioning satellites. During normal operation a position of the rover station is determined on the basis of the positioning signal from the positioning satellites and reference data received via a separate connection from a reference station. Upon detecting an outage of the reference data from the reference station, error data at least including satellite clock drifts is obtained from error data transmitter and applied in the determination process in order to eliminate positioning errors introduced by satellite clock drifts that cannot be compensated on the basis of the reference data due to the outage.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2007Publication date: April 30, 2009Inventor: Ulrich Vollath
-
Publication number: 20090093959Abstract: A real-time high accuracy position and orientation system (RT-HAPOS) system for a vehicle, such as an aircraft, comprises a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver disposed on the vehicle and an integrated inertial navigation (IIN) module disposed on the vehicle. The GNSS receiver generates GNSS position data indicating approximate positions of the vehicle during a data acquisition period in which the vehicle is moving. The IIN module executes a real-time kinematic (RTK) algorithm during the data acquisition period to generate output position data indicating positions of the vehicle at a greater precision than the GNSS position data, based on the GNSS position data, inertial measurement data acquired on the vehicle during the data acquisition period, and a set of virtual reference station (VRS) observables received during the data acquisition period from a remote source external to the vehicle, where the VRS observables are based on the GNSS position data.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2007Publication date: April 9, 2009Applicant: Trimble Navigation LimitedInventors: Bruno M. Scherzinger, Joseph J. Hutton, Ulrich Vollath
-
Patent number: 7498979Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing of data from GNSS receivers are presented. A post-processing engine and a post-processed accuracy predictor are described. The post-processing engine provides high accuracy GNSS (GPS) position determination with short occupation time for GIS applications. The post-processed accuracy predictor calculates during data collection an estimate of the accuracy likely to be achieved after post-processing. This helps to optimize productivity when collecting GNSS data for which post-processed accuracy is important. The predictor examines the quality of carrier measurements and estimates how well the post-processed float solution will converge in the time since carrier lock was obtained.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2007Date of Patent: March 3, 2009Assignee: Trimble Navigation LimitedInventors: Junjie Liu, Ulrich Vollath, Peter Ian West, Soeren Ulf Klose
-
Publication number: 20090027264Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing of data from a network of GNSS reference stations are presented. An ionosphere-free, federated geometry filter is employed so that computation time increases only linearly with the increase in number of reference stations, significantly reducing processing time as compared to a centralized filter approach.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2007Publication date: January 29, 2009Inventors: Xiaoming Chen, Ulrich Vollath
-
Publication number: 20080284643Abstract: A method of generating post-mission position and orientation data comprises generating position and orientation data representing positions and orientations of a mobile platform, based on global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data and inertial navigation system (INS) data acquired during a data acquisition period by the mobile platform, using a network real-time kinematic (RTK) subsystem to generate correction data associated with the data acquisition period, and correcting the position and orientation data based on the correction data. The RTK subsystem may implement a virtual reference station (VRS) technique to generate the correction data.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2007Publication date: November 20, 2008Inventors: Bruno M. Scherzinger, Joseph J. Hutton, Ulrich Vollath
-
Patent number: 7432853Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for factorized processing of a set of GNSS signal data derived from signals having at least three carriers. A geometry filter is applied to the set of GNSS signal data using a geometry carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information. A bank of ionosphere filters is applied to the set of GNSS signal data using a geometry-free ionosphere carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the ionosphere carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information. At least one bank of Quintessence filters is applied to the set of GNSS signal data using a geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2003Date of Patent: October 7, 2008Assignee: Trimble Navigation LimitedInventor: Ulrich Vollath
-
Publication number: 20080165055Abstract: Three new methods are presented to improve floating solutions and ambiguity resolution for multiple global satellite navigation systems (GNSS), one of which may be an FDMA-based GNSS such as GLONASS: (1) modeling of the hardware-related differential clock error between two (or more) different GNSS, (2) modeling the frequency-dependent biases present in frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) GNSS, and (3) an ambiguity resolution method called Scoreboard Partial Fixing (SPF). The methods presented are independent of the number of carrier frequencies tracked for each satellite navigation system. Their application results in quicker and more reliable ambiguity resolution. The benefits of combining observations of multiple GNSS are exploited in a very efficient way, in contrast to known algorithms which often result in degraded performance with multiple GNSS. The frequency-dependent bias method has been found effective with GNSS observations from a combination of substantially dissimilar hardware, e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2007Publication date: July 10, 2008Inventors: Ulrich Vollath, Kenneth Donald Doucet
-
Publication number: 20080165053Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing of data from GNSS receivers are presented. A post-processing engine and a post-processed accuracy predictor are described. The post-processing engine provides high accuracy GNSS (GPS) position determination with short occupation time for GIS applications. The post-processed accuracy predictor calculates during data collection an estimate of the accuracy likely to be achieved after post-processing. This helps to optimize productivity when collecting GNSS data for which post-processed accuracy is important. The predictor examines the quality of carrier measurements and estimates how well the post-processed float solution will converge in the time since carrier lock was obtained.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2007Publication date: July 10, 2008Inventors: Junjie Liu, Ulrich Vollath, Peter Ian West, Soeren Ulf Klose
-
Publication number: 20080165054Abstract: Three new methods are presented to improve floating solutions and ambiguity resolution for multiple global satellite navigation systems (GNSS), one of which may be an FDMA-based GNSS such as GLONASS: (1) modeling of the hardware-related differential clock error between two (or more) different GNSS, (2) modeling the frequency-dependent biases present in frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) GNSS, and (3) an ambiguity resolution method called Scoreboard Partial Fixing (SPF). The methods presented are independent of the number of carrier frequencies tracked for each satellite navigation system. Their application results in quicker and more reliable ambiguity resolution. The benefits of combining observations of multiple GNSS are exploited in a very efficient way, in contrast to known algorithms which often result in degraded performance with multiple GNSS. The frequency-dependent bias method has been found effective with GNSS observations from a combination of substantially dissimilar hardware, e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2007Publication date: July 10, 2008Inventors: Ulrich Vollath, Kenneth Donald Doucet
-
Patent number: 7312747Abstract: Three new methods are presented to improve floating solutions and ambiguity resolution for multiple global satellite navigation systems (GNSS), one of which may be an FDMA-based GNSS such as GLONASS: (1) modeling of the hardware-related differential clock error between two (or more) different GNSS, (2) modeling the frequency-dependent biases present in frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) GNSS, and (3) an ambiguity resolution method called Scoreboard Partial Fixing (SPF). The methods presented are independent of the number of carrier frequencies tracked for each satellite navigation system. Their application results in quicker and more reliable ambiguity resolution. The benefits of combining observations of multiple GNSS are exploited in a very efficient way, in contrast to known algorithms which often result in degraded performance with multiple GNSS. The frequency-dependent bias method has been found effective with GNSS observations from a combination of substantially dissimilar hardware, e.g.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2006Date of Patent: December 25, 2007Assignee: Trimble Navigation LimitedInventors: Ulrich Vollath, Kenneth Donald Doucet
-
Publication number: 20070120733Abstract: Three new methods are presented to improve floating solutions and ambiguity resolution for multiple global satellite navigation systems (GNSS), one of which may be an FDMA-based GNSS such as GLONASS: (1) modeling of the hardware-related differential clock error between two (or more) different GNSS, (2) modeling the frequency-dependent biases present in frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) GNSS, and (3) an ambiguity resolution method called Scoreboard Partial Fixing (SPF). The methods presented are independent of the number of carrier frequencies tracked for each satellite navigation system. Their application results in quicker and more reliable ambiguity resolution. The benefits of combining observations of multiple GNSS are exploited in a very efficient way, in contrast to known algorithms which often result in degraded performance with multiple GNSS. The frequency-dependent bias method has been found effective with GNSS observations from a combination of substantially dissimilar hardware, e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2006Publication date: May 31, 2007Inventors: Ulrich Vollath, Kenneth Doucet
-
Publication number: 20050101248Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for factorized processing of a set of GNSS signal data derived from signals having at least three carriers. A geometry filter is applied to the set of GNSS signal data using a geometry carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information. A bank of ionosphere filters is applied to the set of GNSS signal data using a geometry-free ionosphere carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the ionosphere carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information. At least one bank of Quintessence filters is applied to the set of GNSS signal data using a geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination to obtain an array of ambiguity estimates for the geometry-free and ionosphere-free carrier-phase combination and associated statistical information.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2003Publication date: May 12, 2005Inventor: Ulrich Vollath