Satellite navigation system using multiple antennas
US7027918B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 7, 2003 |
| Grant date | Apr 11, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 19, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S19/50
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A satellite navigation system using multiple antennas for providing the position of multiple fiduciary points on an object even when fewer than four satellites are visible to some or all the antennas. Satellite signals from the multiple antennas are fed into at least one receiver. The receiver or receivers utilize constraint information, which is independent of the satellite signals. These external constraints are used to augment the signals received from the satellites, to obtain the position solution for each antenna. In a preferred embodiment, a common reference clock is used to provide an external constraint. Examples of other external constraints that can be used in the current invention are distance between the antennas, inertial measurement of attitude, rotational or linear position sensors, etc.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.