Attitude measurement using a single GPS receiver with two closely-spaced antennas

A method for determining attitude of a rigid body, comprising:

• receiving navigation signals at the rigid body;
• measuring motion of the rigid body, including rate with poorer than ten degrees per hour accuracy, and providing corresponding motion signals;
• and
• processing the navigation signals and motion signals to provide an attitude measurement of the rigid body under arbitrary motion conditions.

An motion characterization system, comprising:

• platform means;
• means for receiving navigation signals at said platform means;
• means for sensing motion of said platform means and for providing associated motion signals, including rate of said platform means with an accuracy of poorer than ten degrees per hour;
• and
• means for processing the navigation signals and the motion signals to provide an attitude measurement of said platform means under arbitrary motion conditions.

A mobile system, comprising:

• a platform;
• a motion characterization system including:
• (i) a first navigation antenna and second navigation antenna coupled to the platform to receive navigation carrier signals, (ii) a plurality of motion sensing devices coupled to the platform to provide motion signals representative of motion of the platform, and (iii) a processor (a) coupled to the antennas to make range and carrier phase measurements of the navigation carrier signals at a plurality of epochs defining the navigation carrier signals and to segment the range and carrier phase measurements for the navigation carrier signals into a navigation set and an interferometry set, the sets having at least one navigation carrier signal for a plurality of navigation epochs and supporting interferometry calculations and (b) coupled to the motion sensing devices to receive the motion signals and to convert the motion signals into measurements of platform motion for a plurality of epochs defined for the motion signals, the processor determining a navigation solution including position and attitude of the platform from the range and carrier phase measurements for the navigation carrier signals and from measurements of platform motion developed from the motion signals;
• and
• a subsystem in communication with the motion characterization system responsive to the navigation solution.

A method for determining attitude of a stationary or moving platform, comprising:

• receiving navigation carrier signals;
• making range and carrier phase measurements of the navigation carrier signals at a plurality of navigation system epochs defining the navigation carrier signals;
• segmenting the range and carrier phase measurements for the navigation carrier signals into a navigation set and an interferometry set, the sets (i) having at least one navigation carrier signal for a plurality of the navigation system epochs and (ii) supporting interferometry calculations;
• receiving motion signals representing motion of the platform;
• converting the motion signals into measurements of platform motion for a plurality of epochs defined for the motion signals;
• and
• determining a navigation solution including position and attitude of the platform from the range and carrier phase measurements for the navigation carrier signals and from the measurements of platform motion developed from the motion signals.

An apparatus for determining attitude of a platform under arbitrary motion conditions, comprising:

• means for receiving navigation carrier signals;
• means for making range and carrier phase measurements of the navigation carrier signals at a plurality of epochs defining the navigation carrier signals;
• means for segmenting the range and carrier phase measurements for the navigation carrier signals into a navigation set and an interferometry set, the sets (i) having at least one navigation carrier signal for a plurality of navigation system epochs and (ii) supporting interferometry calculations;
• means for converting the motion signals into measurement of platform motion for a plurality of navigation system epochs defined for the motion signals;
• and
• means for determining a navigation solution including position and attitude of the platform from the range and carrier phase measurements of platform motion developed from the motion signals.