GPS Augmentation With IMU and UAVs for Outage Playthrough
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional GPS systems in agricultural operations face limitations in accuracy and are prone to outages due to obstructions and atmospheric events, leading to issues such as compaction, overplanting, and missed planting, which affect crop yield.
Innovation Solution
The integration of an inertial measurement unit (IMU) with GPS to provide absolute positioning and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to augment and replace GPS data during outages, ensuring continuous location information and enhancing precision farming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS is used for location tracking in agricultural operations, then location information is provided, but accuracy is limited and outages occur due to obstructions and atmospheric events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines GPS with an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to create a hybrid positioning system. The IMU provides complementary inertial data (acceleration, orientation) that maintains location accuracy during GPS outages caused by obstructions or atmospheric events, thereby improving both measurement precision and reliability simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The IMU acts as an intermediary system that bridges gaps in GPS data. When GPS signals are blocked or degraded, the IMU provides intermediate position estimates through inertial navigation, ensuring continuous and reliable location tracking without direct GPS input
2Manufacturing precision
If GPS data is used for precision farming operations, then planting accuracy is maintained, but outages lead to compaction issues, overplanting, and missed planting
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary positioning using IMU data before GPS outages occur. By continuously tracking position through inertial navigation during GPS-denied periods, the system prevents planting errors (overplanting, missed planting) and maintains operational continuity without interruption
3Device complexity
If GPS alone is used for location tracking, then the system remains simple, but accuracy and reliability deteriorate during outages
Solution Approach 1:
The IMU serves multiple functions: it provides position data during GPS outages, enhances accuracy when GPS is available through sensor fusion, and maintains operational continuity. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering superior performance across all operating conditions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution improves the accuracy and reliability of location data, reducing errors in planting and other agricultural operations, even during GPS outages, thereby increasing crop yield and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an inertial measurement unit (IMU) with processor and memory, the IMU providing absolute positioning information
Implementation Method 2
a global positioning system (GPS) to provide location information for the at least one agricultural operation in the area
Data Source
AI summary
Agricultural machines utilize global positioning systems (GPS) to acquire the location of the machine as well as the location of an event, which may be based upon an operation of the agricultural machine. Because of the possibility of outage and/or inaccuracy of the GPS, a GPS augmentation system can be included with the agricultural machine. The GPS augmentation system can supplement the location determination of the GPS, or can be used in place of the GPS when the GPS is not available. An unmanned vehicle can also be used as part of the augmentation system to provide additional information for the location of the agricultural machine and/or the event.