Systems and methods for improved position determination of vehicles

US8374783B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG · CH

Inventors

• Frank Takac · Balgach, CH
• Oliver Zelzer · Feldkirch, AT
• William James Kellar · Brisbane, AU

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 28, 2008
• Grant date: Feb 12, 2013
• Expiry date: May 27, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S19/50
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining a position of a vehicle are described. The system includes at least one GNSS sensor mounted to the vehicle for receiving GNSS signals of a global positioning system and at least one physical sensor mounted to the vehicle for generating physical data indicative of a physical parameter of at least a part of the vehicle. The system also includes a recursive statistical estimator, such as a Kalman Filter, in communication with the GNSS sensor(s) for seeding the recursive statistical estimator with an output of the GNSS sensor(s) to determine an estimated position of the vehicle. A data fusion module combines the estimated position and velocity of the vehicle with the physical data thus generating combined data, which is used to seed the recursive statistical estimator to determine an updated estimated position of the vehicle.