Personal Navigation Initialization via Common Coordinate System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current navigation and tracking systems for personnel in hazardous environments, such as firefighters and military personnel, face inaccuracies and inefficiencies due to multipath propagation issues, especially indoors, where GPS and other technologies struggle with signal reception and accuracy, leading to potential delays or misdirection during rescue operations.
Innovation Solution
A navigational system initialization process that establishes a common coordinate system for multiple users by using arbitrary reference points, such as portable mats, to generate user data sets including horizontal position and azimuth angles, allowing for accurate and reliable tracking through inertial navigation systems (INS) without external references.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If GPS devices are used for location tracking, then outdoor location capability is provided, but indoor accuracy deteriorates due to multipath propagation problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces inertial measurement units (IMUs) as intermediary devices that measure local motion and orientation without relying on external signals. These IMUs serve as a mediator between the user's movement and the coordinate system, enabling accurate tracking independent of GPS or other external reference systems that fail indoors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electromagnetic-based GPS system with an inertial measurement system that uses mechanical principles (accelerometers and gyroscopes measuring local motion and orientation). This substitution eliminates dependence on external electromagnetic signals that suffer from multipath propagation, providing reliable indoor navigation capability.
2Ease of operation
If traditional indoor navigation systems with radio frequency markers are installed, then indoor navigation capability is provided, but installation and operating costs increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service navigation approach where the inertial measurement units operate autonomously using onboard sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes) to determine position and orientation through integration of motion data. This eliminates the need for external radio frequency marker infrastructure, making the system self-contained and cost-effective.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the navigation functionality from the external environment (removing dependence on installed radio frequency markers) and embeds it within portable inertial measurement units. This extraction eliminates the need for costly infrastructure installation while maintaining indoor navigation capability.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple users are tracked simultaneously, then comprehensive monitoring is achieved, but establishing common coordinate systems between users becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the coordinate systems of multiple users by establishing a common reference frame at a shared location. All inertial measurement units are initialized at the same reference point, which merges their individual coordinate systems into a unified common coordinate system, simplifying multi-user tracking rather than increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary coordinate system alignment by establishing a common reference frame at a shared location before users begin their respective tasks. This preliminary action ensures that all users' inertial measurement units are initialized with consistent coordinate systems, eliminating the need for complex real-time alignment procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
An initialization system for a personal navigation system associated with a user, including: a first reference point arrangement configured for communication with the personal navigation system of the user and to facilitate the generation of a first user data set including horizontal position and azimuth angle (x1, y1, θ1); a second reference point arrangement configured for communication with the personal navigation system of the user and to facilitate the generation of a second user data set including horizontal position and azimuth angle (x2, y2, θ2); and at least one control device configured to determine a common coordinate system based at least in part upon the first user data set and the second user data set. An initialization process and arrangement are also disclosed.