Multi-EGI Flight Emulation With Synchronized GPS and INS Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for emulating flight in embedded GPS/INS systems in lab environments face challenges such as disparity between GPS and INS inputs leading to drift, require complex and costly flight simulator setups, and are limited to single EGI emulation.
Innovation Solution
A concurrent, multi-sensor, multi-inertial navigation system that uses a GPS emulator and a navigational processing core to synchronize and modify EGI messages, allowing for scalable, cost-effective emulation of multiple EGIs with synchronized positional and orientation data, and adaptable to various platforms without replacing the EGI entirely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a software emulator fully replaces the EGI with a flight simulator, then single EGI emulation is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the EGI system through software emulation, allowing the EGI to operate in a virtualized environment rather than requiring physical flight hardware. This copying approach maintains emulation accuracy while reducing the complexity of physical flight simulator setups
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical flight simulator system with a software-based virtualization platform. By substituting the physical mechanical flight environment with a software-generated virtual environment, the system achieves the same emulation goals with reduced complexity and cost
2Quantity of substance
If GPS and INS inputs are provided to EGI in lab environment, then navigation data is available, but disparity between inputs causes stationary drift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the virtualized EGI system continuously monitors the consistency between GPS and INS inputs and adjusts its processing to maintain output stability. The system detects disparities between sensor inputs and applies corrective algorithms to prevent stationary drift while preserving navigation data availability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares the EGI system in advance by providing it with pre-synchronized and coordinated GPS/INS data pairs that are designed to be consistent with each other. This beforehand cushioning prevents the EGI from encountering conflicting inputs that would cause drift, while still allowing it to process realistic navigation data
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple EGIs are emulated concurrently, then test coverage increases, but system complexity and coordination difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal virtualization platform that can emulate multiple different EGI types and configurations simultaneously. This multi-functional platform handles various sensor combinations, data formats, and processing algorithms through a single unified system, increasing test coverage while managing complexity through standardization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple EGI emulation functions into a single integrated virtualization environment. By combining the emulation of multiple EGIs, their sensor inputs, and processing logic into one coordinated system, the patent achieves comprehensive multi-sensor test coverage while reducing the complexity that would arise from managing separate emulation systems
Data Source
AI summary
A flight emulation system receives global positioning system (GPS) data into one or more EGIs (embedded GPS/inertial navigation system (INS)) or GPS receivers from a GPS emulator. The GPS data are based on a pre-defined flight trajectory plan of an aircraft. The system calculates real-time positional, orientational, and inertial emulation data using outputs of the EGIs or GPS receivers and platform-specific, flight dynamics data, and then transmits the real-time positional, orientational, and inertial emulation data to one or more subsystems associated with the aircraft for use by operations of the one or more subsystems.