Phase-Accurate Vehicle Positioning via MIMO Waveform Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional vehicle positioning systems face challenges in achieving high accuracy while maintaining spectral efficiency, often requiring dedicated bandwidth and segregating positioning signals from communications signals, which limits their effectiveness in low-bandwidth conditions.
Innovation Solution
The development of systems and devices that utilize low-bandwidth signals for phase-accurate positioning based on time-of-arrival estimations and a phase-accurate distributed coherence algorithm, enabling simultaneous communication and positioning through MIMO communications waveforms, and RF-based positioning devices with signal processors that resolve phase information for precise vehicle location and orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional positioning systems use high-bandwidth signals for accurate positioning, then measurement precision is improved, but spectral efficiency deteriorates and bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines positioning signals with communication signals into a unified waveform structure. The positioning information is embedded within the communication signal framework, allowing both functions to share the same spectral resources. This merging eliminates the need for separate dedicated positioning bandwidth while maintaining positioning accuracy through phase-based time-of-arrival estimation.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication waveform is designed to serve dual purposes: enabling both data communication and positioning measurements. The same signal carries both communication payload and positioning reference information, making the system multi-functional. This universality allows the system to achieve positioning accuracy without requiring additional dedicated positioning spectrum.
2Measurement precision
If positioning signals are segregated from communication signals with dedicated spectrum, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and spectrum allocation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges positioning and communication signal processing into a unified receiver architecture. The same signal processing chain handles both communication decoding and positioning measurement extraction. This combined approach reduces the complexity of maintaining separate signal paths while achieving both communication and positioning objectives through integrated processing.
3Quantity of substance
If low-bandwidth signals are used for positioning, then spectral efficiency is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from amplitude or frequency-based methods to phase-based time-of-arrival estimation. By utilizing the phase information of the received signal, the system achieves high positioning accuracy even with limited bandwidth. The phase measurements provide precise timing information that enables accurate position estimation without requiring large signal bandwidth.
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
These systems achieve high-precision estimations of position, orientation, velocity, and acceleration, facilitating tasks like aircraft takeoff, landing, and formation flying, while also enabling joint communication and positioning, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of vehicle operations.
Implementation Method 1
An RF receiver receives a signal including a carrier signal and an envelope modulation
Implementation Method 2
The signal processor is operable to: receive a receive (RX) signal from the RF receiver, the RX signal comprising a carrier signal and an envelope modulation; resolve the phase of the carrier signal
Implementation Method 3
The positioning estimations are based on time-of-arrival estimations of low-bandwidth signals and a phase-accurate distributed coherence algorithm
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and devices for phase-accurate vehicle positioning are disclosed. These systems and devices facilitate high-precision estimations of positions, orientations, velocities, and accelerations of signal nodes in a distributed network (e.g., including base stations and vehicles, such as aircraft or unmanned aerial systems (UASs)). The positioning estimations are based on time-of-arrival estimations of low-bandwidth signals and a phase-accurate distributed coherence algorithm. In some cases, the low-bandwidth signals may further facilitate joint communications and positioning estimations between the signal nodes.