Pedestrian Navigation Without Fixed Sensor Orientation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional deduced reckoning navigation technologies require a fixed mounting orientation of sensor platforms, limiting their use when the orientation is unknown or variable, such as when the sensor is carried in a pocket or purse.
Innovation Solution
The system determines the direction of travel by using sensors like gyroscopes and accelerometers to compute the orientation of the sensor platform relative to gravity, converting this information into a world frame oriented towards magnetic north, and deriving a frame that fixes the velocity vector, allowing navigation without prior knowledge of the sensor's orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the sensor platform mounting orientation is fixed, then the navigation accuracy is improved, but the adaptability to different carrying positions is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts to different sensor orientations by using gyroscope and accelerometer data to compute the current orientation of the sensor platform relative to gravity, then transforms this information into a world frame oriented toward magnetic north. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain navigation accuracy regardless of whether the sensor is carried in a pocket, purse, or other variable position.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the reference frame parameters from a fixed body coordinate system to a dynamic world coordinate system. By converting sensor readings from the body frame to the world frame using computed orientation angles, the system eliminates the constraint of fixed mounting orientation while maintaining measurement precision.
2Ease of operation
If the sensor orientation is unknown or variable, then the ease of operation is improved, but the measurement precision is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from gyroscope and accelerometer sensors to continuously monitor and compute the sensor platform's orientation. This feedback loop allows the system to automatically adjust for any orientation changes, maintaining measurement precision without requiring the user to maintain a specific carrying position.
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system performs self-calibration by using the sensor data itself to determine the orientation of the platform. The system automatically computes the transformation from body frame to world frame without external intervention, enabling accurate direction of travel determination regardless of how the sensor is carried.
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
Enables accurate direction and location tracking of a user or object with a sensor platform in an unknown or varying orientation, improving the flexibility and accuracy of navigation systems.
Implementation Method 1
signals from a sensor platform are received, wherein an orientation of the sensor platform is computed based on the signals, the orientation utilizing a gyroscope
Implementation Method 2
an orientation of the sensor platform is computed based on the signals, the orientation utilizing a gyroscope and an accelerometer
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and apparatus for performing deduced reckoning navigation without a constraint relationship between orientation of a sensor platform and a direction of travel of an object are described herein. A sensor fusion component can be configured to receive data from sensors of a sensor platform coupled to a pedestrian; and generate world coordinate information based on the data. Further, a gait recognition component can be configured to record one or more walking patterns of the pedestrian in a training database; and determine whether the world coordinate information is associated with a walking pattern of the one or more walking patterns. Furthermore, a position estimation component can be configured to estimate a position of the pedestrian based on the world coordinate information if the world coordinate information is associated with the walking pattern, regardless of an orientation of the sensor platform with respect to the position of the pedestrian.