GNSS-INS Positioning Alignment for Multipath and Occlusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing GNSS technologies face challenges in achieving precise geolocation due to issues such as multipathing, satellite occlusion causing cycle slip, and receiver clock errors, which can lead to inaccurate positioning, especially in critical applications like autonomous vehicles and utility line excavation.

Innovation Solution

A GNSS and INS-based positioning device that integrates global navigation satellite systems with inertial navigation systems, utilizing correction data like PPP-RTK and RTK to adjust time corrections and align geolocation estimates with inertial data, enhancing precision by aligning GNSS and INS estimates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If correction data (PPP-RTK, RTK, SSR) is used to improve GNSS positioning precision, then geolocation accuracy is enhanced, but reliability deteriorates due to multipathing, satellite occlusion causing cycle slip, receiver clock errors, and other carrier phase observation errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegeolocation accuracyVSAvoidpositioning reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary alignment process that mediates between GNSS correction data and INS estimates. The system aligns GNSS geolocation estimates with INS geolocation estimates through a coordination mechanism, allowing the use of correction data while mitigating its reliability issues through cross-validation with independent INS measurements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously comparing GNSS-derived geolocation estimates with INS-derived geolocation estimates. When discrepancies arise due to multipathing, occlusion, or clock errors, the feedback mechanism allows the system to detect and correct these errors by relying on the more reliable INS estimates during degraded GNSS conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If standard GNSS positioning is used, then device complexity is low, but measurement precision deteriorates to within only a few meters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges GNSS positioning with INS (Inertial Navigation System) to create a hybrid positioning solution. By combining these two systems, the invention achieves centimeter-level precision without requiring a complete redesign of the GNSS receiver, thus improving measurement precision while maintaining relatively low device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system achieves multi-functionality by making the positioning device capable of operating in multiple modes: standard GNSS mode for general applications and enhanced GNSS-INS aligned mode for high-precision applications. This universality allows the same device to serve both low-complexity and high-precision needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12360251B2GNSS positioning methods and devices using PPP-RTK, RTK, SSR, or like correction data

Publication Date: 2025.07.15 SEESCAN INC

AI summary

The present application relates to PPP-RTK, RTK, SSR, or like correction data based devices and methods to produce geolocation solutions with improved accuracy. Further, such devices and methods may be further employed in various related utility locator devices, utility locating transmitters, and other utility locating and mapping devices.