Ocean Surface Topography Navigation System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional navigation systems above the Earth's surface, such as inertial navigation, GPS, RF beacons, and celestial sightings, face limitations like drift, signal disruption, and unavailability due to environmental conditions, making them unreliable for precise geographic positioning.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing ocean surface gradients, primarily surface height gradients, to determine geographic location by matching observed gradients with known or predicted topography, employing sensors and a contour matching engine to correlate detected contours with geographic locations, potentially using additional navigation systems for filtering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional navigation systems (INS, GPS, RF beacons, celestial sightings) are used for geographic positioning, then positioning capability is provided, but reliability deteriorates due to drift, signal disruption, or unavailability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ocean surface topography as an intermediary reference medium between the navigation platform and the Earth's surface. Instead of relying on satellite signals or inertial sensors alone, the system measures surface gradients (height, temperature, color) of the ocean and matches them against a catalog of known oceanographic features to determine position. This intermediary approach provides reliable positioning when GPS and other conventional systems fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a catalog of known ocean surface topography patterns (copies of reference features) that can be matched against real-time sensor measurements. By having pre-stored reference patterns of ocean features at known locations, the system can identify its position by finding matches between observed and cataloged surface gradients, providing reliable positioning independent of satellite signals.
2Reliability
If ocean surface gradient matching is used for navigation, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple sensors and processing systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a multi-functional sensor system where a single integrated platform performs multiple functions: radar altimeter measures surface height gradients, temperature sensors measure thermal gradients, and color sensors measure optical gradients. These same sensors also serve to characterize oceanographic features for the matching process, eliminating the need for separate dedicated systems and reducing overall complexity despite the multiple measurement capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges multiple navigation and sensing functions into a unified ocean gradient matching approach. Rather than operating INS, GPS, and oceanographic sensing as separate systems, the patent integrates them into a single navigation solution where ocean surface gradient measurements serve both as the primary positioning mechanism and as a means to correct INS drift, simplifying the overall system architecture.
3Measurement precision
If multiple navigation systems are integrated for filtering, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the ocean gradient matching system continuously provides position corrections to the inertial navigation system. The measured ocean surface gradients are compared against the catalog, and the position solution feeds back to correct INS drift in real-time. This closed-loop feedback improves positioning accuracy without requiring complex multi-system integration, as the ocean gradient system serves as a continuous correction source.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus ascertain a geographic position based on topographic contours of ocean surfaces. Observed ocean topographic contours are matched to predicted ocean topography and/or ocean topographic information stored in a database. Such systems and methods do not necessarily require INS, GPS, RF beacons, optical beacons or celestial sightings. These systems and methods may be used as references to correct INS. These systems and methods may be used to ascertain a geographic location of an aircraft, spacecraft, watercraft, landcraft (vehicle), person or the like. Similarly, these systems and methods may be used as part of a guidance system for guiding a craft to a destination. These systems and methods may be used in tandem with, or as backups for, other types of navigation or guidance systems or as one input to a navigation filter.