Navigation System Parallel Position Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated navigation systems face challenges due to the integration of errors in inertial navigation, which leads to position and velocity drift over time, especially in smaller and cheaper IMUs. Additionally, reliance on wireless signals for navigation can result in unreliability due to interference, making it difficult to detect and correct for inaccuracies in a timely manner.
Innovation Solution
A navigation system with multiple calculation units operating in parallel to determine position estimates using different sets of information from various sources, including inertial navigation, wireless signals, and terrain-referenced data. This system includes a selection unit that compares and selects the most reliable position estimate based on divergences attributed to specific information sources, thereby mitigating the impact of unreliable data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If inertial navigation is used to determine position, then position can be determined without external transmitters, but position and velocity drift over time due to sensor errors
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation system is divided into multiple independent calculation units, each processing different subsets of information sources. This segmentation allows the system to isolate and identify which specific information source is causing drift or interference without compromising the entire navigation solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the composition of information source sets used by different calculation units. By varying which sources are included or excluded from each unit's processing, the system can adapt to detect and mitigate the impact of unreliable sources while maintaining continuous navigation functionality.
2Measurement precision
If wireless signals from external transmitters are used for navigation, then accurate position estimates can be obtained, but the system becomes vulnerable to interference such as jamming and spoofing
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary comparisons between multiple calculation units that use different information source combinations before relying on any single source. This preliminary cross-validation allows the system to detect potential interference or spoofing attempts before they can corrupt the navigation solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the outputs of multiple calculation units and uses feedback from their comparisons to identify when wireless signal sources may be compromised. This feedback mechanism enables real-time detection of interference and automatic adjustment of which information sources are trusted.
3Reliability
If multiple calculation units process different sets of information, then the system can identify and mitigate unreliable sources, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple calculation units share common infrastructure including the IMU, receiver hardware, and information source interfaces. This multi-functionality approach allows the system to achieve redundant processing capabilities without proportionally increasing hardware complexity, as the same physical components serve multiple computational purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
A navigation system includes a plurality of information sources for use in determining a position estimate, including an inertial navigation system which determines an inertial-based position estimate, and a receiver which receives wireless signals from external transmitters. A first calculation unit repeatedly determines a first position estimate based on information derived from one or more of the information sources. A second calculation unit repeatedly determine a second position estimate based on information derived from one or more of the information sources. A selection unit repeatedly determines which of the first and second position estimates is more reliable, and selects one of these for output as an output position estimate. Over a period of time, first position estimate is determined based on a first set of information derived from one or more of the information sources, and the second position estimate is determined based on a second set of information.