Terrain Profile Matching for Vehicle Location Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current vehicle location determining systems, such as GNSS, INS, and 5G, face limitations in accuracy due to errors and operating conditions, necessitating enhanced solutions for precise navigation, especially in automated vehicle operations.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle location accuracy enhancement system utilizing a digital active phased array radar to generate profiled terrain data, which is compared to a terrain database to provide profiled location solutions, augmenting existing systems and calibrating them to improve accuracy, and broadcasting location errors for other systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional location determining systems (GNSS, INS, 5G) are used, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the location accuracy is insufficient due to errors and operating conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple location determining systems (GNSS, INS, 5G) with a digital active phased array radar system to create an integrated location enhancement system. The radar system generates profiled terrain data that is merged with database comparisons to produce corrected location solutions, thereby improving accuracy while distributing complexity across multiple subsystems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a terrain database and profile matching mechanism as an intermediary between the radar system and the final location solution. This intermediary layer processes raw radar data through terrain profile comparison to generate accurate location corrections, mediating between the complex radar system and the simpler conventional location systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If multiple location determining systems are integrated to improve accuracy, then the reliability is enhanced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation system reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The digital active phased array radar system serves multiple functions: it generates profiled terrain data for location determination, provides backup location capability when other systems fail, and enables terrain database updates. This multi-functionality enhances reliability without proportionally increasing complexity, as a single radar system performs multiple critical roles

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a terrain database that is pre-populated with reference terrain profiles before operation. This beforehand preparation allows the system to quickly compare and correct location data in real-time without requiring complex real-time terrain mapping, cushioning against the complexity of real-time terrain analysis while maintaining high reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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

The system enhances the accuracy of vehicle location determination by correcting errors and providing reliable navigation, even in failure scenarios, through the integration of radar and terrain database technology, ensuring precise positioning for various vehicle types.

Implementation Method 1

at least one digital active phased array radar is configured to generate a profiled terrain including terrain altitude information

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadar: Radar

Data Source

PatentEP4027170B1Vehicle location accuracy enhancement system
Publication Date: 2024.11.27 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC
  • EP4027170B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4027170B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4027170B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vehicle location accuracy enhancement system is provided. A digital active phased array radar is configured to generate a profiled terrain including terrain altitude information. A controller is configured to implement operating instructions in memory to conduct profile matching between the generated profiled terrain from the at least one digital active phased array radar and terrain altitude profile information in a terrain database to determine profiled location solutions. The controller is further configured to at least augment sensor location solutions from at least one other location determining system, including a GNSS, with the profiled location solutions to enhance accuracy of the sensor location solutions. The controller is also configured to determine location errors in the GNSS based on the profiled location solution and to broadcast the determined location errors.