Navigation systems and methods using fiber optic shape sensors and localized position sensors

US10317196B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Juha-Pekka J. Laine · Boston, US
• Bruce Dow · West Newbury, US
• Marc W. McConley · Andover, US
• Gregory P. Blasche · Burlington, US
• Paul Bohn · St. Petersburg, US
• Matthew S. Bottkol · Boston, US
• Michael Ricard · Natick, US
• Evan M. Lally · Blacksburg, US
• Sandra M. KLUTE · Blacksburg, US
• Matthew T. Reaves · Baltimore, US
• Emily H. Templeton · Blacksburg, US
• James Donna · Watertown, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 17, 2016
• Grant date: Jun 11, 2019
• Expiry date: Oct 17, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01D5/268
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining the shape and/or position of an object are described. A fiber optic shape sensor (FOSS) may be used in combination with one or more inertial measurement units (IMUs) to mutually cross-correct for errors in the sensors' measurements of position and/or orientation. The IMU(s) may be attached to the FOSS's optical fiber, such that each IMU measures the orientation of a corresponding portion of the optical fiber. The position and shape of the optical fiber can then be determined based on the measurements obtained from the IMU(s) and the measurements obtained from the FOSS. For example, the FOSS measurements and the IMU measurements can be provided to a state estimation unit (e.g., a Kalman filter), which can estimate the position and/or shape of the optical fiber based on those measurements. In some embodiments, the estimates of position are used for navigation of tethered mobile devices.