US 6,480,789 B2 · Positioning and proximity warning method and system thereof for vehicle

Abstract

A positioning and proximity warning method for vehicle includes the steps of outputting global positioning system signals to an integrated positioning/ground proximity warning system processor; outputting an inertial navigation solution to an integrated positioning/ground proximity warning processor; measuring air pressure, and computing barometric measurements which is output to the integrated positioning/ground proximity warning processor; measuring time delay between transmission and reception a radio signal from a terrain surface, and computing radio altitude measurement which is output to the integrated positioning/ground proximity warning processor; accessing a terrain database for obtaining current vehicle position and surrounding terrain height data which is output to the integrated positioning/ground proximity warning processor; and receiving the position, velocity and time information or said pseudorange and delta range measurements of said global positioning system, the inertial navigation solution, the radio altitude measurement, the radio altitude measurement, and the current vehicle position and surrounding terrain height data, and computing optimal positioning solution data and optimal ground proximity warning solution data. Furthermore, a positioning and proximity warning method for vehicles further includes the steps of outputting the optimal positioning solution data and position data of near objects to an object tracking and collision avoidance processor to determine a potential collision threat with the near object.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A positioning and proximity warning method, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving global positioning system signals for deriving position, velocity and time information or pseudorange and delta range measurements of a global positioning system, and outputting said global positioning system signals to an integrated positioning/ground proximity warning system processor;
(b) receiving vehicle angular rate and specific force information for computing an inertial navigation solution, including position, velocity, and attitude of said vehicle, by solving inertial navigation equations, and outputting said inertial navigation solution to said integrated positioning/ground proximity warning processor;
(c) measuring air pressure, and computing barometric measurements which is output to said integrated positioning/ground proximity warning processor;
(d) measuring time delay between transmission and reception a radio signal from a terrain surface, and computing radio altitude measurement which is output to said integrated positioning/ground proximity warning processor;
(e) accessing a terrain database for obtaining current vehicle position and surrounding terrain height data which is output to said integrated positioning/ground proximity warning processor;
(f) receiving said position, velocity and time information or said pseudorange and delta range measurements of said global positioning system, said inertial navigation solution, said radio altitude measurement, said radio altitude measurement, and said current vehicle position and surrounding terrain height data, and computing optimal positioning solution data and optimal ground proximity warning solution data;
and
(g) receiving optimal positioning solution and position data of near objects and determining a optimal proximity warning solution with said near objects.

5 more elements

A positioning and proximity warning system, comprising:

a global positioning system receiver for receiving global positioning system signals and deriving position, velocity and time information or pseudorange and delta range measurements of a global positioning system;
an inertial navigation system for solving navigation equations with angular rate and specific force information from an inertial measurement unit and obtaining an inertial navigation solution;
a baro altimeter for providing baro altitude measurements;
a radio altimeter for providing a radio altitude measurement from a terrain surface;
a terrain database for providing global terrain data and obtaining a terrain height of current vehicle position and surrounding terrain height data;
an object detection system providing position and dynamic data of near objects;
and
a positioning/proximity warning system processor for receiving data from said global positioning system receiver, said inertial navigation system, said baro altimeter, said radio altimeter, said terrain database, and said object detection system, wherein said positioning/proximity warning system processor also receives vehicle performance and configuration data from an onboard vehicle control and management system and providing optimal position, velocity, attitude navigation information, and an optimal proximity warning information.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Positioning and proximity warning method and system thereof for vehicle

Life of this patent

Positioning and proximity warning method and system thereof for vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26