Dual-IMU Vehicle Navigation for Precision During Link Failures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Navigation systems for vehicles, such as aircraft and ships, face challenges in maintaining accurate position information exchange due to unreliable wireless communications links, leading to reduced precision in navigation, especially during critical operations like landing or formation flying.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a navigation system with a first inertial measurement unit enabled global positioning system device and a second inertial measurement unit enabled global positioning system device, along with a controller, to provide redundancy and increased accuracy by using error correction and redundant communication links, ensuring continued operation even with temporary communication losses or hardware/software issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a single navigation system is used in each vehicle, then the system complexity is low, but the navigation precision and reliability deteriorate when communication links fail

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by implementing different levels of navigation systems in different vehicles. The first vehicle has a first navigation system with first inertial measurement unit enabled global positioning system device, while the second vehicle has a second navigation system with second inertial measurement unit enabled global positioning system device. Each system is configured with appropriate complexity based on its specific navigation needs, allowing the first vehicle to maintain high precision navigation even when communication with the second vehicle is lost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements beforehand cushioning by providing redundant navigation capabilities. The first navigation system in the first vehicle is designed to independently determine its position with desired accuracy even when the communication link to the second vehicle fails. This pre-configured redundancy ensures that navigation precision is maintained without requiring complex real-time switching mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Reliability

If redundant navigation systems are implemented in the first vehicle, then the reliability improves during communication failures, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the first navigation system with inertial measurement unit enabled global positioning system device that can independently determine position accuracy. This preparation is done in advance so that when communication link failures occur, the system can immediately continue operating with desired accuracy without requiring complex real-time decision-making or switching mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The first navigation system is designed to be self-sufficient by incorporating inertial measurement unit enabled global positioning system device that can independently determine its position relative to the second vehicle even when communication links fail. This self-service capability ensures reliability without requiring constant external support or complex system-wide coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If error correction and redundant communication links are implemented, then the navigation accuracy is maintained during failures, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by concentrating the error correction and redundancy capabilities specifically in the first vehicle's navigation system where they are most needed for maintaining position accuracy. The first inertial measurement unit enabled global positioning system device is configured with enhanced capabilities to independently verify and maintain position accuracy without relying on continuous communication with the second vehicle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2696170B1Precision multiple vehicle navigation system
Publication Date: 2023.03.22 THE BOEING CO
  • EP2696170B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2696170B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2696170B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method and apparatus for managing movement. A navigation system comprises a first inertial measurement unit enabled global positioning system device having a first inertial measurement unit with a first level of accuracy in a first vehicle and is configured to provide first information that identifies a position of the first vehicle relative to a second vehicle. The navigation system further comprises a second inertial measurement unit enabled global positioning system device in the first vehicle having a second inertial measurement unit with a second level of accuracy that is greater than the first level of accuracy and is configured to provide second information that identifies the position of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle. The navigation system further comprises a controller that is configured to perform an action based on a desired level of accuracy of the first information.