Patent · US Expired

System and method for determining relative differential positioning system measurement solutions

US7142982B2 · kind B2 · utility

24Cited by
60References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 13, 2004
Grant dateNov 28, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 10, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB61L2205/04
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and system in which a vehicle carries an on-board positioning system and has access to a database of information pertaining to a plurality of fixed paths. A vector between the position of the fixed path and a position of the vehicle as reported by the positioning system is calculated prior to arriving at a point of divergence (i.e., a point at which a path branches, such as a switch on a railroad track). After passing the path divergence, a second vector is calculated between the position of the vehicle as reported by the positioning system and at least one of the alternate paths, preferably the correct alternate path. The first vector is compared to the second vector, and a determination as to which path the vehicle is on is made based on the comparison.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.