Abstract: A device and method for three-dimensional positioning are provided. The three-dimensional positioning of a common reference point is determined by fusion of supplied measurements, taking into account a lever arm compensation between the reference point, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver antenna, at least one radar antenna, and an inertial measuring unit.

Abstract: A system comprises a rotatable object having a pseudo-random pattern of overlapping rounded shapes on an outer surface of the rotatable object and an image sensor configured to capture an image of a portion of the pseudo-random pattern on the outer surface. The system also comprises a memory configured to store a pattern map corresponding to the pseudo-random pattern on the outer surface of the rotatable object; and a processing unit configured to correlate the portion of the pseudo-random pattern in the captured image with a corresponding portion of the pattern map stored on the memory.

Abstract: An automated guidance system for a moving frame. The automated guidance system has an imaging system disposed on the frame; a motion sensing system coupled to the frame and configured for sensing movement of the frame; and a processor communicably connected to the vision system for receiving image data from the vision system and generating optical flow from image data of frame surrounding. The processor is communicably connected to the motion sensing system for receiving motion data of the frame from the motion sensing system. The processor is configured for determining, from kinematically aided dense optical flow correction to frame kinematic errors, due to errors in motion data from the motion sensing system.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method for controlling the level of background reading of the sensors of a smartphone in order to continuously and incrementally track its location in an energy-efficient manner based on the situations its user faces habitually. More specifically, the present invention can be regarded as a new approach for continuous and incremental location tracking of a personal mobile device that best balances energy consumption with location accuracy during daily routine activities of a given user.

Abstract: Provided is a velocity calculating device including a vertical acceleration detector mounted on a moving body that travels on a predetermined travel surface, the vertical acceleration detector detecting an acceleration in a vertical direction generated due to an undulation of the travel surface; a horizontal angular velocity detector mounted on the moving body, the horizontal angular velocity detector detecting an angular velocity around a horizontal axis that is perpendicular to a direction of travel of the moving body, the angular velocity being generated due to the undulation of the travel surface; a velocity calculator that calculates a velocity of the moving body in the direction of travel of the moving body on the basis of the acceleration in the vertical direction and the angular velocity around the horizontal axis; and a velocity corrector that corrects the velocity in accordance with the velocity.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a blending filter based on extended Kalman filter (EKF), which optimally integrates the IMU navigation data with all other satellite measurements (tightly-coupled integration filter). Two more states in the EKF for estimating/compensating the speed bias and the heading bias in the INS measurement are added. The integration filter has no feedback loop for INS calibration, and can estimate/compensate the navigation error in the INS measurement within the integration filter.

Abstract: A method of operation of a navigation system includes: detecting an acceleration for monitoring a movement of a device; determining a travel state based on the acceleration; identifying a travel sequence involving the travel state; setting a lane-level granularity movement as a predetermined sequence of the travel state; and determining the lane-level granularity movement with the travel sequence matching the predetermined sequence for displaying on the device.

Abstract: A map building system, method and computer readable media thereof are provided, which are applied to a movable apparatus or which with a server apparatus. The system includes at least two distance sensing units, a inertial sensing unit, a parameter processing unit, and a display unit. The distance sensing units detect a distance between the movable device and at least one obstacle object and create at least two range data. The inertial sensing unit detects moving mode of the movable device and creates at least one moving data. The parameter processing unit calculates an area map data according the range data and the moving data. The area map data is shown on the display unit.

Abstract: Inertial navigation systems for wheeled vehicles with constrained motion degrees of freedom are described. Various parts of the navigation systems may be implemented in a smart-phone.

Abstract: Device for aiding the navigation and guidance of an aircraft, and system comprising such a device. The device (1) comprises at least three independent channels and it comprises at least one computer (2) which contains means (4) for storing and means (6, 7) for calculating positions and deviations.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a velocity of an object is below a predetermined threshold value is provided. The method includes measuring a plurality of accelerations of the object within a time interval from a point in time to a later point in time; deriving information indicative of a plurality of velocities of the object within the time interval based on the measured accelerations; and determining whether the velocity is below the predetermined threshold value at the point in time by applying a criterion based on the derived information indicative of the plurality of the velocities. Also a system for carrying out the method is provided as well as a method and a system for determining a coordinate of an object.

Abstract: To provide an information providing service system for railroad users, which enables provision of appropriate information according to a running status or the like of a train used by railroad users to improve convenience when the railroad users acquire information. A passenger who is holding an IC ticket with a wireless communication function and is on a car can acquire car information held by a train-information management device or information held by a ground system based on the car information held by the train-information management device via wireless communication of the IC ticket, and the passenger can confirm the acquired information on a display screen of the IC ticket.

Abstract: Inertial navigation systems for wheeled vehicles with constrained motion degrees of freedom are described.

Abstract: An image-augmented inertial navigation system includes an inertial navigation system configured to estimate a navigation state vector and an imager configured to output pixel signals associated with terrain features passing through a field view of the imager. The system further includes a processing unit configured to determine a distance from the imager to each of the pixel signals for a given image frame and to determine a distance between the imager and a centroid of one or more of the terrain features passing through the field of view of the imager for the given image frame. The processing unit is also configured to track each terrain feature as the terrain features pass through the field of view of the imager. The processing unit is further configured to update the navigation state vector of the inertial navigation system based on calculated NED coordinates position information of the tracked terrain features.

Abstract: Apparatus for orientating a user in a space wherein the space comprises a plurality of zones of which only certain zones constitute functional zones wherein each functional zone includes a first type device containing information relating to the position of the zone in the space and wherein the first type device is reactive to the presence of a second type device associated with the user to provide the user with the information to determine the orientation of the user in the space. A method of orientating the user within the space and guiding the user toward one or more features in the space is also disclosed.

Abstract: A GPS measuring unit receives a signal from a GPS satellite and outputs GPS measurement data including at least orientation of an object. An angular velocity sensor outputs angular velocity of the object. An offset value computing unit estimates a running condition of the object on the basis of the measurement data and the angular velocity. The offset value computing unit sequentially derives a temporary offset value of the angular velocity sensor in accordance with the estimated running condition of the object. The offset value computing unit derives an offset value of the angular velocity sensor by executing statistical process on the temporary offset value of the angular velocity sensor. A forgetting factor in the statistical process is changed according to the running condition of the object.

Abstract: A plate solving methodology determines celestial coordinates of an image. Star locations are extracted from the image in terms of pixel coordinates. A group of four stars, referred to as a “test quad”, is identified. A signature for the test quad is generated. In one embodiment, this test signature is derived by determining the separations of the four stars in the test quad, normalized by the largest separation. In one embodiment, the signature also includes the sum of these normalized separations. A query is performed, using the generated signature, against a database of reference signatures for known groups of stars (referred to as “reference quads”). A geometric transform is determined, establishing the relationship between the test quad and a reference quad that matches within a specified tolerance. This geometric transform defines the celestial coordinates of the image. Additional verification steps can be performed to confirm the accuracy of the match.

Abstract: A method of operation of a navigation system includes: receiving acceleration information, including an acceleration measurement, and location information; calculating a total acceleration magnitude, having a vertical acceleration magnitude and a horizontal acceleration magnitude, from the acceleration measurement; calculating an average velocity estimation from the location information; calculating an average acceleration estimation from the location information; calculating a component angle between the average velocity estimation and the average acceleration estimation; calculating a forward acceleration and a lateral acceleration with the component angle and the horizontal acceleration magnitude; and generating a motion classification for a travel acceleration based on the forward acceleration and the lateral acceleration for displaying on a device.

Abstract: A hybrid-computing navigation system worn by a user includes a modified motion sensor group which includes 9-axis or 10-axis motion sensors that are built-in, and a host device configured for providing navigation information, in which the modified motion sensor group is worn on the user so that a moving direction of the user is the same as a heading direction calculated from the modified motion sensor group. The modified motion sensor group provides step counting and absolute orientation in yaw, roll and pitch using a sensor fusion technique. The navigation system further includes at least one wireless sensor at wifi hot spot to perform sensor fusion for obtaining an absolute position of an estimated position of the user. Sensor fusion combining with location map are used to perform location map matching and fingerprinting. A method of position estimation of a user using the navigation system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A positioning device includes a magnetometer configured to detect and provide heading information, a motion sensor configured to detect and provide motion information, a microcontroller coupled to the magnetometer and the motion sensor and configured to generate position data based on the heading information and the motion information, a transmitter coupled to the microcontroller and configured to wireles sly transmit a signal including the position data, and a piezoelectric power source configured to supply power to at least one of the microcontroller, the magnetometer, the motion sensor and the transmitter.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a blending filter based on extended Kalman filter (EKF), which optimally integrates the IMU navigation data with all other satellite measurements tightly-coupled integration filter. This blending filter can be easily implemented with minor modification to the position engine of stand-alone GNSS receiver. Provided is a low-complexity tightly-coupled integration filter for sensor-assisted global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver. The inertial measurement unit (IMU) contains inertial sensors such as accelerometer, magnetometer, and/or gyroscopes Embodiments also include method for pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) data conversion for ease of GNSS/PDR integration. The PDR position data is converted to user velocity measured at the time instances where GNSS position/velocity estimates are available.

Abstract: An activity state (e.g., stationary or moving) of an intermittently moving mobile device is classified using sensor measurements provided by one or more on-board sensors. The activity state can be determined by a classifier that exploits the separable log-normal distributions of the short-time variance of sensor measurements. The activity state can provide an external non-correlated indication of movement or stationarity to an on-board navigation engine. The on-board navigation engine can use the activity state to improve tracking performance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a position of a vehicle are described. The system includes at least one GNSS sensor mounted to the vehicle for receiving GNSS signals of a global positioning system and at least one physical sensor mounted to the vehicle for generating physical data indicative of a physical parameter of at least a part of the vehicle. The system also includes a recursive statistical estimator, such as a Kalman Filter, in communication with the GNSS sensor(s) for seeding the recursive statistical estimator with an output of the GNSS sensor(s) to determine an estimated position of the vehicle. A data fusion module combines the estimated position and velocity of the vehicle with the physical data thus generating combined data, which is used to seed the recursive statistical estimator to determine an updated estimated position of the vehicle.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus with three-dimensional gravity sensor and a navigation method thereof. The navigation apparatus comprises an input module, a three-dimensional gravity sensor module, a processing module and a storage module. The input module inputs an initial point, a destination and a special road section. The three-dimensional gravity sensor module senses a three-dimensional acceleration of the navigation apparatus. The processing module calculates road condition information according to the three-dimensional acceleration. The storage module stores the road condition information and map information.

Abstract: A navigational deployment and initialization system, including: at least one personal inertial navigation module associated with at least one user and comprising a plurality of sensors and at least one controller configured to generate navigation data derived at least in part upon output of the plurality of sensors and at least one navigation routine; at least one deployment recognition device configured to directly or indirectly receive at least one of the following: user data, time data, event data, navigation data, or any combination thereof; and at least one central controller in direct or indirect communication with the at least one deployment recognition device and configured to receive at least a portion of at least one of the following: the user data, the time data, the event data, the navigation data, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A relative positioning system enabling a user to return to a starting position or some other point on the user's path. The system may include an array of accelerometers. The output from the accelerometers may be integrated to quantify movement of the array. The various movements of the array may be reconstructed to determine a net two or three dimensional translation. The current location of the array may be compared to a reference point to derive at trajectory directing the user to the reference point, such as an originating point. The trajectory may be continuously or periodically updated. Applications may include various displays presenting images, numbers, pointers, paths, vectors, or data by digital screens, watch faces, or other devices integrated with or remote from the processor calculating the vector back to the point of origin.

Abstract: The navigation system described here utilizes GPS and Galileo satellite signals combined with Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), where a Coupled Antenna (CAN) provides both GNSS and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data to a Highly Integrated GNSS-Inertial (Hi-Gi) receiver. Such receiver makes use of a high fidelity relation between GNSS unprocessed Correlator Output (COUT) I and Q data and the user trajectory, and inertial sensor data, which in turn are combined within a Kalman Filter (KF). The KF determines the navigation solution that is also used to provide feedback to the receiver demodulation signal processing stage, thus eliminating the need of dedicated structures such as Delayed Locked Loops (DLL) and Phase Locked Loops (PLL), allowing a significant improvement in navigation performance.

Abstract: An example embodiment includes a method for initializing a navigation system. The method includes receiving inertial measurement data from an inertial measurement unit over time and storing the inertial measurement data in a buffer with an indication of a time of validity for the inertial measurement data. The method also includes receiving navigation data from an aiding source, the navigation data having a time of validity, and initializing a navigation solution with the navigation data. The method also includes summing inertial measurement data from the buffer to produce an inertial motion estimate for a time increment after the time of validity of the navigation data, applying at least one of coning or sculling compensation to the inertial motion estimate to produce a compensated inertial motion estimate, and propagating the navigation solution forward based on the compensated inertial motion estimate.

Abstract: A method and system for a multi-spectrum celestial navigation system includes a first sensor responsive to at least a first and a second wavelength band of electromagnetic radiation. The sensor is configured to generate a first output related to the first wavelength band of electromagnetic radiation and to generate a second output related to the second wavelength band of electromagnetic radiation. The system also includes a processor programmed to receive the first and second outputs, determine a position of the sensor with respect to one or more stars using a stored star catalog and the received first and second outputs, and output the determined position.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a system for generating and transmitting a telemetry formatted message containing raw Global Positioning System (GPS) information, processed Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) information corresponding to the position and attitude of a high speed vehicle in motion. This telemetry formatted message is received on the ground and used to improve Kalman filter operation. In particular, the telemetry formatted message is used as an input to a ground based Kalman filter that is set to track and predict the trajectory of the high speed vehicle. The telemetry formatted message content improves the overall operation of the Kalman filter by preventing Kalman filter resets that occur when a bit error is encountered in the IMU data and improves the time correlation of high data rate IMU information and low data rate GPS information, both necessary for accurate tracking of the high speed vehicle.

Abstract: Systems and methods for autonomous underwater navigation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for autonomous underwater navigation comprises an underwater communication network, at least one master controller node coupled to the underwater communication network, at least one network docking node coupled to the underwater communication network, and at least one submersible vehicle for underwater mapping at least a portion of a floor of a body of water. The submersible vehicle comprises a geolocation module to establish a geographic reference for at least one location in the underwater geographic region and an image collection module to collect images of an underwater geographic region proximate the geographic reference.

Abstract: A relative positioning system enabling a user to return to a starting position or some other point on the user's path. The system may include an array of accelerometers. The output from the accelerometers may be integrated to quantify movement of the array. The various movements of the array may be reconstructed to determine a net two or three dimensional translation. The current location of the array may be compared to a reference point to derive at trajectory directing the user to the reference point, such as an originating point. The trajectory may be continuously or periodically updated. Applications may include various displays presenting images, numbers, pointers, paths, vectors, or data by digital screens, watch faces, or other devices integrated with or remote from the processor calculating the vector back to the point of origin.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a method of and apparatus for determining inaccurate GPS samples in a set of GPS samples is disclosed, according to the following actions: a) obtaining GPS samples as taken by a global positioning system on board a vehicle when traveling along a trajectory; b) obtaining a first estimation of the trajectory based on the GPS samples; c) obtaining a second estimation of the trajectory at least based on measurements made by an inertial measurement unit on board vehicle when traveling along the trajectory; d) comparing the first and second estimations; e) establishing locations where the first estimation shows a variation compared with the second estimation above a predetermined threshold; f) if no such locations can be established continue with action j), otherwise continue with action g); g) removing GPS samples associated with the locations of high variation as being inaccurate GPS samples, thus forming a set of remaining GPS samples; h) calculating the first estimati

Abstract: An integrated sensor device is provided. The integrated sensor device comprises a first substrate including a surface portion and a second substrate coupled to the surface portion of the first substrate in a stacked configuration, wherein a cavity is defined between the first substrate and the second substrate. The integrated sensor device also comprises one or more micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors located at least partially in the first substrate, wherein the MEMS sensor communicates with the cavity. The integrated sensor device further comprises one or more additional sensors.

Abstract: A navigation system provides sensors and a user interface mounted in a single unit while allowing individual users to make adjustments to the user interface without affecting the functionality of the device. This is accomplished by mounting the orientation sensitive sensors (e.g. accelerometers, gyros, etc) rigidly to a mounting bracket rigidly mounted to the vehicle (such as to the dashboard). The sensors are mounted within a ball rigidly mounted to the bracket and the ball is secured within a rotatable socket on the user interface enclosure. In this manner, the user interface enclosure can rotate on the ball, but the orientation of the sensors relative to the vehicle will remain the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and methods for improving satellite navigation by assessing the dynamic state of a platform for a satellite navigation receiver and using this data to improve navigation models and satellite tracking algorithms. The dynamic state of the receiver platform may be assessed using only accelerometer data, and does not require inertial navigation system integration. The accelerometers may not need to be very accurate and may not need to be aligned and/or accurately calibrated.

Abstract: A mobile platform, sensors mounted on the mobile platform, computers, data storage devices, power system, data acquisition hardware, and software form a Travel Way Measurement System. The mobile platform with sensors mounted within and upon it, moves along a surface travel way and records data to determine an accurate location and geometry of the travel way surface, surface features, transverse profile and features along side the travel way surface, structures, signs, and other features above the travel way surface, and utilities, pavement thickness and properties, pavement condition, and bridge deck properties and condition below the travel way surface. The mobile platform and sensors can travel and collect data at up to 60 miles per hour or more. The data acquisition hardware and software protocols permit the synchronization of all the sensor outputs in the temporal and spatial domain or in any other domain resulting from numerical transformation of sensor outputs.

Abstract: An electronic navigation device for a human user may include a housing to be carried by the human user, and at least one accelerometer carried by the housing and configured to sense acceleration during motion of the human user. The electronic navigation device may also include a controller carried by the housing and coupled to the at least one accelerometer. The controller may be configured to generate a plurality of acceleration sample values as the human user moves over a given distance, and determine an estimated distance traveled by the human user during movement over the given distance by at least multiplying each acceleration sample value by a scaling constant. The controller may also be configured to sum results thereof.

Abstract: A landmark-based method of estimating the position of an AGV (autonomous ground vehicle) or conventional vehicle, which has an onboard database of landmarks and their locations coordinates. During travel, the AGV looks for and identifies landmarks. It navigates according to position estimations that are based on measured yaw rate and speed. When a landmark s encountered and recognized, its true location coordinates are looked up from the database. These true coordinates are then used to enhance position estimation accuracy between landmarks.

Abstract: Method and apparatus of increasing location accuracy of an inertial navigational device is described. The inertial navigation device generates real-time data and transmits the real-time data to a second device so that the second device may obtain a location of the inertial navigational device. The inertial navigational device receives an update message from the second device, wherein the update message is created at the second device based on a comparison of the real-time data generated by the inertial navigational device against a magnetic field database and adjusts 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.

Abstract: A navigation system may determine an approximate position of a navigation device and determine a geographical area in which the navigation device is located based on the approximate position. The determined geographical area may be one of a plurality of geographical areas included in a routing area. Each geographical area may be associated with one of a plurality of positioning procedures each associated with a predetermined parameter set. The navigation system may select the positioning procedure associated with the determined geographical area and determine the position of the navigation device according to the selected positioning procedure and the associated predefined parameter set.

Abstract: A navigation system is disclosed comprising a navigation device (2a) with a navigation sensor unit (3) and a magnetic field sensor unit (4), the navigation device is arranged to be moved. The navigation sensor unit (3) is arranged for providing a navigation signal with navigation information (?, ?). The magnetic field sensor unit is arranged for providing a magnetic field signal (H) indicative for a magnetic field strength.

Abstract: A method determines the servicing requirements of axes of a robot arm of an industrial robot. The data of a movement sequence of at least one axis during at least one working cycle of the industrial robot is made available. The rotational movements of the at least one axis are established on the basis of the data, and a servicing interval for the at least one axis is determined by an assessment of the rotational movements established. A system for determining a servicing requirement performs the method.

Abstract: A feature location and management system having: a user-associated marker unit, including: a controller to generate feature data associated with at least one feature located at a site; an activation device to activate the controller to generate the feature data; and a communication device to transmit at least a portion of the feature data. A central control device directly or indirectly receives at least a portion of the feature data transmitted by the marker unit; and generates display data based at least partially on the received feature data.

Abstract: A network apparatus useful for providing directions and other information to a user of a client device in wireless communication therewith. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes one or more wireless interfaces and a network interface for communication with a server. User speech inputs in the form of digitized representations are received by the apparatus and used by the server as the basis for retrieving information including graphical representations of location or entities that the user wishes to find.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating and using moving violation alerts are disclosed. A navigation device located in a vehicle determines the vehicle's present location and present speed, and generates a moving violation alert. The moving violation alert comprises at least one of time information, location information, road segment information, and sensor information. A tracking device coupled to the navigation device provides the moving violation alert on a network. The network connection is configured to transmit the moving violation alert from the navigation device to a recipient outside the vehicle. Moving violation alerts may be stored and analyzed by the recipient.

Abstract: A global navigation satellite sensor system (GNSS) and gyroscope control system for vehicle steering control comprising a GNSS receiver and antennas at a fixed spacing to determine a vehicle position, velocity and at least one of a heading angle, a pitch angle and a roll angle based on carrier phase position differences. The roll angle facilitates correction of the lateral motion induced position errors resultant from motion of the antennae as the vehicle moves based on an offset to ground and the roll angle. The system also includes a control system configured to receive the vehicle position, heading, and at least one of roll and pitch, and configured to generate a steering command to a vehicle steering system. The system includes gyroscopes for determining system attitude change with respect to multiple axes for integrating with GNSS-derived positioning information to determine vehicle position, velocity, rate-of-turn, attitude and other operating characteristics.

Abstract: An inertial system measures the attitude of an aircraft consisting at least in determining the angle of pitch and/or the angle of heading and/or the angle of roll of the aircraft, each of the said angles of attitude being determined by successive double integration of their second derivative. A pair of accelerometers to determine the angle of pitch being are disposed on either side of the centre of gravity along an axis substantially merged with the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. A pair of accelerometers to determine the angle of heading are disposed on either side of the centre of gravity along an axis substantially merged with the transverse axis of the aircraft. A pair of accelerometers to determine the angle of roll are disposed on either side of the centre of gravity along a vertical axis perpendicular to the plane formed by the other axes.

Abstract: A system with a capability of detecting the platform stationary status is disclosed. The first aspect is to measure three raw acceleration outputs from an apparatus of the three-axis accelerometer unit. The second aspect is to compute the mean of the latest said acceleration outputs obtained from the three-axis accelerometer unit. The third aspect is to subtract the said mean acceleration outputs from the said raw acceleration outputs obtained from the three axis accelerometer unit to find the differential acceleration components between raw and mean values. The fourth aspect is to compute the amplitude of the differential acceleration, i.e., squared total sum of the three differential acceleration components. The fifth aspect is to count the number of measurements in which the amplitude of the differential acceleration is below a certain threshold, e.g., 0.05 (m/s2) to detect the stationary status if the small amplitude lasts for a certain time length, e.g., 1 second.

Abstract: A method of operation of a navigation system includes: detecting an accelerometer acceleration, having a magnitude and a direction, for monitoring a device; receiving a first location reading for locating the device with a remote location system; determining the first location reading as being invalid; and updating a device-location from the first location reading with the accelerometer acceleration for displaying on the device.