# US 2015/0145720 A1 · Coarse attitude determination from gnss antenna gain profiling > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2015/0145720 A1 - Document ID: US20150145720A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/369,855 - Filed: 2012-12-29 - Published: 2015-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-30 - Assignees: AGCO Corporation - Applicants: AGCO Corporation - Inventors: Paul Matthews - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150145720A1 ## CPC - G01S 19/53: Determining attitude - G01S 5/0247: {Determining attitude} - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract Systems and methods provide coarse attitude determination without inertial sensor input. An attitude determination module can be configured to compare receiver-calculated values with expected values based on an antenna gain pattern. The differences between calculated and expected values can be used to generate an attitude plane. Platform attitude can be determined from the inclination of the attitude plane with respect to a horizontal reference plane. By way of example, platform roll and pitch can be determined for a receiver unit mounted on an agricultural vehicle. The roll and pitch values provided by the ADM can be used to improve the accuracy of receiver-calculated geo-positions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for attitude determination, comprising: a satellite receiver unit (SRU) having a single SRU antenna and being configured for satellite signal reception; and an attitude determination module (ADM) coupled to said SRU and configured to determine attitude of said SRU based on a received satellite signal and without inertial sensor input. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said ADM is configured to determine attitude of said SRU using an antenna gain pattern associated with said SRU antenna. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said ADM is configured to compare values calculated at said SRU with expected values based on an antenna gain pattern for said SRU antenna. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein said ADM is configured to compare an expected satellite elevation with a satellite elevation calculated at said SRU. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein said ADM is configured to compare an expected gain for a signal received at said SRU with a gain for said signal calculated at said SRU. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said ADM is configured to generate an attitude plane based on differences between values calculated at said SRU and expected values based on an antenna pattern for said SRU. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein said ADM is configured to determine inclination of said attitude plane to determine said SRU attitude. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a position adjustment module configured to adjust a geo-position calculated at said SRU using pitch and roll values determined at said ADM. ### Claim 9 An attitude determination module (ADM) connectable to a satellite signal receiver operating to generate receiver-calculated values associated with a received satellite signal, said ADM comprising: an azimuth adjustment submodule configured to receive and adjust receiver-calculated said values to compensate for receiver heading; a comparator submodule configured to determine difference between a receiver-calculated value associated with a received satellite signal and an expected value based on an antenna gain profile; an attitude plane submodule for providing an attitude plane based on said differences; and an inclination determination submodule configured to determine inclination of said attitude plane with a horizontal reference plane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The ADM of claim 9, wherein said comparator submodule is configured to determine the difference between a satellite elevation calculated at said receiver and an expected satellite elevation based on said antenna gain profile. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The ADM of claim 9, wherein said comparator submodule is configured to determine the difference between an antenna gain calculated at said receiver and an expected gain based on said antenna profile. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The ADM of claim 9, wherein said attitude plane submodule is configured to use a plurality of said differences to generate said attitude plane. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The ADM of claim 9, wherein said comparator submodule is configured to determine said differences based on signals received from a plurality of satellites. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The ADM of claim 9, further comprising a memory for storing said antenna gain profile. ### Claim 15 A method for determining platform attitude, comprising: comparing receiver-based values associated with a received satellite signal with expected values; using difference between said receiver-based and said expected values to determine an attitude plane; and determining inclination of said attitude plane with a reference plane to provide said receiver attitude. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising rotating said attitude plane for proper azimuth alignment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said expected value is based on an antenna gain profile. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said comparing receiver-based value with expected value comprises finding the difference between a receiver-calculated satellite elevation and an expected satellite elevation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said comparing receiver-based value with expected value comprises finding the difference between a receiver-calculated gain and an expected gain. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said comparing receiver-based values with expected values comprises comparing receiver-based and expected values associated with signals from a plurality of satellites.