Patents by Inventor Zdenek Kana

Zdenek Kana 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: 10889302
    Abstract: A system and methods for monitoring the integrity of navigation measurement information are disclosed. One method includes receiving a plurality of navigation measurement values, computing a first set and second set of estimates of the navigation measurement values, comparing the first set to the second set, and if the second set is statistically consistent with the first set, computing a plurality of sub-sets of the second set of estimates, computing a sub-solution for each sub-set of the second set of estimates, and computing an integrity value for each sub-solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Kana, Jindrich Dunik, Vibhor L Bageshwar, Milos Sotak
  • Publication number: 20200409820
    Abstract: A method to assure integrity of integrated certified and non-certified sensors or systems comprises calculating a certified main solution filter within a first software thread in a certified partition; calculating certified sub-solution filters, and sub-sub-solution filters within the first software thread; calculating a non-certified main solution filter within a second software thread in a non-certified partition; if applicable, reusing the certified main solution filter as a non-certified sub-solution filter, and reusing the certified sub-solution filters, as non-certified sub-sub-solution filters; calculating non-certified sub-solution filters, and sub-sub-solution filters, within the second software thread; based on the certified filters, determining protection limits of the certified partition, and/or providing execution of fault detection and exclusion; based on the non-certified filters, determining protection limits of the non-certified partition, and/or providing execution of fault detection and exc
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Kana, Mark A. Ahlbrecht, Milos Sotak
  • Publication number: 20200326428
    Abstract: Systems and methods for integrity monitoring of primary and derived parameters are described herein. In certain embodiments, a method includes transforming an estimated error state covariance matrix of at least one primary integrity monitoring parameter of a navigation system onto an error state covariance matrix of one or more derived integrity monitoring parameters, wherein the one or more derived integrity monitoring parameters depends from the at least one primary integrity monitoring parameter. The method also includes transforming an integrity threshold of the at least one primary integrity monitoring parameter onto separation parameters of the one or more derived integrity monitoring parameters. The method further includes computing a protection limit for the one or more derived integrity monitoring parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Kana, Mats Anders Brenner, Pavol Malinak, James Arthur McDonald
  • Patent number: 10760911
    Abstract: An integrity monitoring method for navigation systems with heterogeneous measurements is provided. Measurements from a plurality of different type navigation aiding sources are categorized by an information domain, an aiding class and an aiding section. The information domain is a category of at least one of estimated states and measurements that represent a same physical category. The aiding class is a category that uses a same physical method to acquire measurements. The aiding section is a category of measurements from the same aiding source. The measurements are organized into a plurality of measurement clusters based at least in part on measurement fault modes to be detected, measurement fault modes to be excluded, available computer resources and required performance. An integrity monitoring algorithm is applied to the measurement clusters to determine an integrity solution for all defined integrity monitoring classes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Kana, Jindrich Dunik, Milos Sotak, Radek Baranek
  • Publication number: 20200249361
    Abstract: A method for computing and applying alternative uncertainty limits is provided. The method includes generating a main solution from a plurality of received measurement signals. A solution separation is applied using a filter bank to generate sub-solutions from the received plurality of measurement signals. Each sub-solution uses all of the measurement signals from the plurality of measurement signals except one measurement signal to generate the associated sub-solution. Each sub-solution excludes a different measurement signal. One sub-solution is selected as fault free. A difference between the main solution and the selected sub-solution is determined. The determined difference is added to a rare normal protection limit to create a solution with improved integrity bounding. The solution with improved integrity bounding is then implemented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: James Arthur McDonald, Mark A. Ahlbrecht, Zdenek Kana
  • Publication number: 20200001886
    Abstract: A system and methods for monitoring the integrity of navigation measurement information are disclosed. One method includes receiving a plurality of navigation measurement values, computing a first set and second set of estimates of the navigation measurement values, comparing the first set to the second set, and if the second set is statistically consistent with the first set, computing a plurality of sub-sets of the second set of estimates, computing a sub-solution for each sub-set of the second set of estimates, and computing an integrity value for each sub-solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Kana, Jindrich Dunik, Vibhor L. Bageshwar, Milos Sotak
  • Patent number: 10422872
    Abstract: Methods for radar altimeter integrity monitoring are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jindrich Dunik, Milos Sotak, Zdenek Kana, David C. Vacanti, Michal Dobes
  • Publication number: 20180283871
    Abstract: An integrity monitoring method for navigation systems with heterogeneous measurements is provided. Measurements from a plurality of different type navigation aiding sources are categorized by an information domain, an aiding class and an aiding section. The information domain is a category of at least one of estimated states and measurements that represent a same physical category. The aiding class is a category that uses a same physical method to acquire measurements. The aiding section is a category of measurements from the same aiding source. The measurements are organized into a plurality of measurement clusters based at least in part on measurement fault modes to be detected, measurement fault modes to be excluded, available computer resources and required performance. An integrity monitoring algorithm is applied to the measurement clusters to determine an integrity solution for all defined integrity monitoring classes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Zdenek Kana, Jindrich Dunik, Milos Sotak, Radek Baranek
  • Patent number: 10048074
    Abstract: An attitude and heading reference system (AHRS) for a vehicle comprises an IMU that generates inertial measurements, a heading source that generates heading measurements, an attitude filter in communication with the IMU, and a heading filter in communication with the heading source. The attitude filter receives inertial measurements from the IMU; computes an attitude estimation comprising attitude estimates and covariances for the attitude estimates; and outputs the attitude estimation. The heading filter receives the heading measurements, when available, from the heading source; receives the attitude estimation, comprising the attitude estimates and the covariances for the attitude estimates; computes a heading estimation comprising a heading mean estimate and a heading variance; and outputs the heading estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Pavol Malinak, Zdenek Kana, Milos Sotak, Radek Baranek
  • Patent number: 10018729
    Abstract: A method of advanced receiver autonomous integrity monitoring of a navigation system is discussed and two modifications facilitating its implementation in a hybrid navigation system are disclosed. In the first approach, relations describing the effect of unmodeled biases in pseudo-measurement on the Kalman filter state estimate are analytically derived and their incorporation into the integrity monitoring algorithm is described. The method comprises receiving a plurality of signals transmitted from space-based satellites, determining a position full-solution and sub-solutions, specifying a pseudorange bias, computing a transformation matrix for the full-solution and all sub-solutions using a Kalman filter, computing a bias effect on an error of filtered state vectors of all sub-solutions, and adding the effect to computed vertical and horizontal protection levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jindrich Dunik, Martin Orejas, Zdenek Kana
  • Patent number: 9939532
    Abstract: One embodiment is directed towards a method for determining a heading for a hybrid navigation system with magnetometer aiding. The method includes receiving signals from a plurality of GNSS satellites, obtaining three-dimensional inertial measurements from one or more inertial sensors, and obtaining three-dimensional magnetic measurements from one or more magnetometers. Magnetic bias states are estimated for the three-dimensional magnetic measurements with a magnetic calibration filter using the three-dimensional inertial measurements, data from the signals from the plurality of GNSS satellites, and the three-dimensional magnetic measurements. An artificial heading is calculated based on the magnetic bias states. A main navigation solution can be estimated with a main navigation filter using the three-dimensional inertial measurements, data from the signals from a plurality of GNSS satellites, and the artificial heading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Kana, Jindrich Dunik, Milos Sotak
  • Publication number: 20170350973
    Abstract: Methods for radar altimeter integrity monitoring are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Jindrich Dunik, Milos Sotak, Zdenek Kana, David C. Vacanti, Michal Dobes
  • Patent number: 9784844
    Abstract: A method comprises receiving a plurality of signals from a plurality of space-based satellites, wherein the plurality of space-based satellites comprises at least one space-based satellite from each of a plurality of Navigation Satellite System (NSS) constellations. The method also comprises determining, in a first domain, a first plurality of sub-solutions based on a respective sub-set of the plurality of signals, each respective sub-set in the first domain chosen according to a characteristic defining the first domain; and determining, in a second domain, a second plurality of sub-solutions based on a respective sub-set of the plurality of signals, each respective sub-set in the second domain chosen according to a characteristic defining the second domain. The method further comprises determining if an error is present in the navigation system based on the first plurality of sub-solutions and on the second plurality of sub-solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Kana, Jindrich Dunik, Martin Orejas
  • Patent number: 9766346
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for selecting a sub-set of satellites from a set of N satellites is provided. The method includes recursively evaluating each sub-set of N?P satellites of a set of N satellites. If only one sub-set satisfies one or more first criterion, then the one sub-set that satisfies the one or more first criterions is selected. If, however, more than one sub-set satisfies the one or more first criterion, then the sub-sets that satisfy the one or more first criterion are evaluated with respect to one or more second criterion and the one sub-set that optimizes the one or more second criterion is selected. Once the selected set of N satellites is equal to the number of satellites from which a receiver is configured to calculate a navigation solution, then that selected set of N satellites is used to calculate a navigation solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jindrich Dunik, Martin Orejas, Zdenek Kana
  • Patent number: 9709405
    Abstract: An attitude and heading reference system (AHRS) for a vehicle is provided along with methods for mitigating vehicle acceleration effects in the AHRS. The AHRS comprises an inertial measurement unit configured to generate inertial measurements from at least one accelerometer and at least one gyroscope, a heading source configured to generate heading measurements, and an adaptive statistical filter configured to mitigate the impact of vehicle acceleration effects on attitude and heading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Milos Sotak, Pavol Malinak, Zdenek Kana, Jindrich Dunik
  • Patent number: 9671226
    Abstract: A method of magnetic sensor calibration for aircraft comprises obtaining attitude data, heading angle data, position data, and date information; inputting the position data and date into an earth magnetic field (EMF) model and into an EMF model correction map; inputting the attitude and heading angle data into a NOLL to body frame transformation module; outputting an EMF model vector from the EMF model; outputting an EMF correction vector from the EMF model correction map; compensating the EMF model vector with the EMF correction vector to produce a corrected EMF model vector; inputting the corrected EMF model vector into the transformation module; inputting magnetic field measurements data into a calibration processing unit; inputting true earth magnetic field data from the transformation module into the processing unit; computing compensation coefficients in the processing unit based on the magnetic field measurements and the true earth magnetic field; and storing the compensation coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Morrison, Vibhor L. Bageshwar, Ruth Dagmar Kreichauf, Zdenek Kana
  • Publication number: 20170146347
    Abstract: An attitude and heading reference system (AHRS) for a vehicle is provided along with methods for mitigating vehicle acceleration effects in the AHRS. The AHRS comprises an inertial measurement unit configured to generate inertial measurements from at least one accelerometer and at least one gyroscope, a heading source configured to generate heading measurements, and an adaptive statistical filter configured to mitigate the impact of vehicle acceleration effects on attitude and heading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Milos Sotak, Pavol Malinak, Zdenek Kana, Jindrich Dunik
  • Publication number: 20170131407
    Abstract: A method of advanced receiver autonomous integrity monitoring of a navigation system is discussed and two modifications facilitating its implementation in a hybrid navigation system are disclosed. In the first approach, relations describing the effect of unmodeled biases in pseudo-measurement on the Kalman filter state estimate are analytically derived and their incorporation into the integrity monitoring algorithm is described. The method comprises receiving a plurality of signals transmitted from space-based satellites, determining a position full-solution and sub-solutions, specifying a pseudorange bias, computing a transformation matrix for the full-solution and all sub-solutions using a Kalman filter, computing a bias effect on an error of filtered state vectors of all sub-solutions, and adding the effect to computed vertical and horizontal protection levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Jindrich Dunik, Martin Orejas, Zdenek Kana
  • Patent number: 9547086
    Abstract: A method of advanced receiver autonomous integrity monitoring of a navigation system is discussed and two modifications facilitating its implementation in a hybrid navigation system are disclosed. In the first approach, relations describing the effect of unmodeled biases in pseudo-measurement on the Kalman filter state estimate are analytically derived and their incorporation into the integrity monitoring algorithm is described. The method comprises receiving a plurality of signals transmitted from space-based satellites, determining a position full-solution and sub-solutions, specifying a pseudorange bias, computing a transformation matrix for the full-solution and all sub-solutions using a Kalman filter, computing a bias effect on an error of filtered state vectors of all sub-solutions, and adding the effect to computed vertical and horizontal protection levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jindrich Dunik, Martin Orejas, Zdenek Kana
  • Publication number: 20160202359
    Abstract: One embodiment is directed towards a method for determining a heading for a hybrid navigation system with magnetometer aiding. The method includes receiving signals from a plurality of GNSS satellites, obtaining three-dimensional inertial measurements from one or more inertial sensors, and obtaining three-dimensional magnetic measurements from one or more magnetometers. Magnetic bias states are estimated for the three-dimensional magnetic measurements with a magnetic calibration filter using the three-dimensional inertial measurements, data from the signals from the plurality of GNSS satellites, and the three-dimensional magnetic measurements. An artificial heading is calculated based on the magnetic bias states. A main navigation solution can be estimated with a main navigation filter using the three-dimensional inertial measurements, data from the signals from a plurality of GNSS satellites, and the artificial heading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Zdenek Kana, Jindrich Dunik, Milos Sotak