Sonar Sensor Fusion for Unified Underwater Navigation Models
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional navigational systems for watercraft and mobile structures operate independently, failing to integrate data from disparate sensors like sonar, radar, and GNSS, resulting in a fragmented representation of the environment, which hinders intuitive navigation.
Innovation Solution
A sensor fusion system that combines ranging sensor data from multiple systems, such as sonar and radar, with orientation and position data to generate an integrated model of the underwater environment, providing a unified and intuitive display for the user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple independent navigational systems (radar, sonar, GNSS) are used separately, then each system can perform its specific function, but the systems do not intercommunicate and provide fragmented environmental representation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines data from multiple independent navigational systems (radar, sonar, GNSS, LIDAR) into a single integrated environmental model. The system fuses sensor data in a common coordinate system to create a unified representation of the environment, allowing navigation decisions to be based on comprehensive information from all sensors rather than fragmented views from individual systems.
2Ease of operation
If separate display views are provided for each sensor system, then each system's data can be presented independently, but the views are presented without reference to data from other sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple sensor data streams into a single unified display that presents environmental information from all sensors in a coordinated view. Rather than showing separate independent displays for radar, sonar, and other sensors, the system creates an integrated visualization that correlates data across all sensor types, reducing the cognitive load on operators and simplifying the display architecture.
3Loss of information
If sensor data from disparate sensors is combined, then a more comprehensive environmental representation is achieved, but the integration of multiple data sources increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer that receives data from multiple sensors and transforms it into a unified environmental model. This intermediary system handles the complex tasks of coordinate transformation, data correlation, and fusion algorithms, isolating the complexity from both the sensor inputs and the user interface. The intermediary processor acts as a mediator that manages the integration complexity while presenting simplified integrated output.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods for sensor fusion with respect to mobile structures. A mobile structure may include multiple ranging sensor systems and/or receive navigational data from various sensors. A navigational database may be generated that includes data from the ranging sensor systems and/or other sensors. Aspects of the navigational database may then be used to generate an integrated model, which can be used to generally aid in the navigation of the mobile structure.