Systems and methods for location tracking based on velocity vectors
AssigneePsionic Inc
InventorsStephen Parker Sandford, Diego Fernando Pierrottet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for providing self-contained guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) functions for a vehicle moving through an environment on or near the ground, in the air or in space without externally provided information are disclosed. More particularly, one embodiment of the present invention includes a Heading Sensor (36), an Absolute Location Sensor (38), a timer (40), a Range Doppler Processor (42), a Navigation Reference Sensor (44), an Area Range and a Velocity Sensor (46) which provide enhanced navigation information about a universal reference frame (22) and one or more targets (20).
Claims20
A self-contained system for reliable tracking between locations without using global positioning system (GPS) signals, comprising:
- a location sensor to determine a location of the self-contained system;
- a heading sensor to determine a direction of movement of the self-contained system;
- a timer to measure elapsed time between time intervals;
- a velocity sensor to determine velocity vectors relative to reference points external to the self-contained system;
- and
- one or more processors coupled with memory to:
- receive a first location of the self-contained system from the location sensor at a first elapsed time responsive to the timer;
- receive, from the heading sensor, a first direction of movement of the self-contained system corresponding to the first elapsed time;
- receive, from the velocity sensor, a first velocity vector relative to a first reference point external to the self-contained system;
- determine, based on the first location, the first direction and the first velocity vector, a second location of the self-contained system at the first elapsed time.
A method for reliable tracking between locations without using global positioning system (GPS) signals, comprising:
- determining, by a location sensor, a location of a self-contained system;
- determining, by a heading sensor, a direction of movement of the self-contained system;
- measuring, by a timer, an elapsed time between time intervals;
- determining, by a velocity sensor, a velocity vector of the self-contained system relative to reference points external to the self-contained system;
- receiving, by one or more processors coupled with memory, a first location of the self-contained system from the location sensor at a first elapsed time measured by the timer;
- receiving, by the one or more processors, a first direction of movement of the self-contained system from the heading sensor corresponding to the first elapsed time;
- receiving, by the one or more processors, a first velocity vector relative to a first reference point external to the self-contained system from the velocity sensor;
- determining, by the one or more processors, based on the first location, the first direction, and the first velocity vector, a second location of the self-contained system at the first elapsed time.
A device for tracking between locations using optical signals without using global positioning system (GPS) signals, comprising:
- a location sensor configured to determine a location of the device;
- a heading sensor configured to determine a direction of movement of the device;
- a timer configured to measure elapsed time between time intervals;
- a velocity sensor utilizing a narrow linewidth emitter to provide a coherent electromagnetic signal having a linewidth of less than 100 kHz and configured to determine velocity vectors relative to reference points external to the device based on reflections of the coherent electromagnetic signal;
- and
- one or more processors coupled with memory and configured to:
- receive a first location of the device from the location sensor at a first elapsed time responsive to the timer;
- receive, from the heading sensor, a first direction of movement of the device corresponding to the first elapsed time;
- receive, from the velocity sensor, a first velocity vector relative to a first reference point external to the device;
- determine, based on the first location, the first direction, and the first velocity vector, a second location of the device at the first elapsed time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.