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  System for navigation redundancyRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Vehicles, Navigation, And Relative Location, Vehicle Control, Guidance, Operation, Or Indication, Vehicle Diagnosis Or Maintenance Indication, Plural Processors Or External ProcessorThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060106511. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001] A vehicle, for example, an airplane, a land vehicle, or a space vehicle, comprises multiple sensing systems. The sensing systems comprise one or more navigation components and one or more sensors. In one example, the navigation components compensate outputs of one or more of the sensors. For example, the navigation components determine navigation parameters, for example, orientation, velocity, and position, for the sensors and compensate the output of the sensors based on the navigation parameters. As one shortcoming, where the navigation component experiences one or more failures, the output of the sensor is inaccurately compensated, producing erroneous navigation information. [0002] For example, in a synthetic aperture radar, an image is formed by combining received signals over a period of time while the radar is in motion. The navigation components determine navigation parameters for the sensors. The navigation components employ the navigation parameters to compensate the signals from the sensors. Where a navigation component is unable to determine navigation parameters for a sensor, the sensor provides erroneous signals, resulting in an inaccurate image. [0003] In another example, the navigation components determine navigation parameters, for example, orientation, velocity, and position, of the vehicle with respect to a reference coordinate system. As another shortcoming, where the navigation component is unable to calculate the navigation parameters for the vehicle, the vehicle is unable to navigate. For example, a rocket employs a Global Positioning System ("GPS") unit to determine position of the rocket with respect to the Earth in order to calculate a flight path for the rocket. Upon occurrence of a failure in the navigation component, the rocket is unable to accurately calculate the flight path, and crashes into an undesirable location. [0004] Thus, a need exists for compensating outputs of sensors of sensing systems on a vehicle upon failure of one or more navigation components of the sensing systems. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0005] Features of exemplary implementations of the invention will become apparent from the description, the claims, and the accompanying drawings in which: [0006] FIG. 1 is a representation of one implementation of an apparatus that comprises one or more vehicles, one or more navigation network processor components, one or more navigation systems, one or more navigation components, one or more sensors, and one or more external positioning components. [0007] FIG. 2 is a representation of one implementation of one or more navigation solution determination components, one or more expected values components, one or more standard navigation solution components, one or more replacement navigation solution components, one or more flexural model components of the navigation network processor component of the apparatus of FIG. 1. [0008] FIG. 3 is a representation of one implementation of one or more reference coordinate components and one or more rigid lever arm model components of the navigation network processor component, the navigation components, the sensors, the external positioning components, one or more incremental dynamic lever arm correction components, and one or more filters of the apparatus of FIG. 1. [0009] FIG. 4 is a representation of an exemplary process flow for providing corrected navigational parameters for the sensors from the navigation network processor component to the navigation components of the apparatus of FIG. 1. [0010] FIG. 5 is another representation of an exemplary process flow for determining one or more health indicators of the navigation components, the navigation systems, and the sensors of the apparatus of FIG. 1. [0011] FIG. 6 is a representation of an exemplary process flow for determining one or more replacement navigation solutions for the navigation components, the navigation systems, and the sensors of the apparatus of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0012] Turning to FIG. 1, an apparatus 100 in one example comprises one or more vehicles 105, one or more navigation network processor components 110, one or more navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130, one or more navigation systems 152, 153, and 154, and one or more external positioning components 155 and 160. The vehicle 105 in one example comprises a car, a tank, an airplane, an airship, or a space vehicle. The navigation network component 110 establishes a coordinate system for the vehicle 105. In one example, the navigation network component 110 determines one or more navigation solutions for the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130. In one example, the vehicle 105 comprises one or more sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150. The navigation network component 110 determines one or more navigation parameters, for example, orientation, position, and velocity, for the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150. In yet another example, the navigation network component 110 determines the navigation solutions for the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 and the navigation parameters, for example, orientation, position, and velocity, for the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150. [0013] The navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 in one example comprise one or more inertial sensors, for example, three linear accelerometers and three gyros, to determine navigation parameters (e.g., orientation, position, and velocity) of the sensors 135, 140, 145 and 150. In one example, the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 comprise one or more Inertial Navigation System ("INS"). In another example, the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 comprise one or more Inertial Measurement Units ("IMUs"), as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 in one example comprise varying degrees of accuracy. For example, the navigation components 115 and 120 comprise high performance navigation systems, for example, one nautical mile per hour inertial navigation systems or navigation systems augmented by one or more Global Positioning System ("GPS") units, and the navigation components 125 and 130 comprise lower performance navigation systems, for example, small tactical accuracy inertial measurement units. The navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 obtain navigation measurement data for the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 and determine navigation parameters (i.e., orientations, positions, and velocities) for the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150. [0014] The one or more sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150 in one example comprise one or more synthetic aperture radars, one or more optical sensors, or one or more acoustic sensors. In one example, one or more of the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150 are at locations of the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130. In another example, one or more of the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150 are at locations distinct from the locations of the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130. For example, the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150 are located in between one or more of the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130. The navigation system components 152, 153, and 154 in one example comprise one or more embedded GPS-inertial ("EGI") navigation systems. For example, the navigation system components 152, 153, and 154 comprise one or more LN100s from Northrop Grumman (Northrop Grumman Corporation Corporate Headquarters, 1840 Century Park East, Los Angeles, Calif. 90067-2199, (310) 553-6262; http://www.northropgrumman.com). The external positioning components 155 and 160 comprise a Global Positioning System ("GPS") receiver and a baro-altimeter. The navigation network processor component 110 and the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 comprise an instance of a recordable data storage medium 101, as described herein. [0015] The navigation network processor component 110 in one example receives navigation measurement data from the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130. The navigation network processor component 110 employs the navigation measurement data from the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 to establish a coordinate system, for example, a first coordinate system, for the vehicle 105. The navigation network processor component 110 establishes a reference location for the vehicle 105 with respect to the coordinate system, for example, the first coordinate system. The navigation network processor component 110 employs the reference location for the vehicle 105 to determine one or more navigation solutions for the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130, and/or one or more navigational parameters (i.e., orientations, positions, and velocities) for the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The navigation network processor component 110 determines the navigational parameters (i.e., orientations, positions, and velocities) for the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150 with respect to the coordinate system established by the navigation network processor component 110, for example, the first coordinate system. The navigation network processor component 110 provides translated navigation parameters of the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150 in the coordinate system established by the navigation network processor component 110 as illustrated by the outputs 182, 184, 186, and 188. The navigation network processor component 110 provides orientation of the coordinate system established by the navigation network processor component 110 as output 190. [0016] The navigation network processor component 110 determines the navigation solutions for the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 with respect to the coordinate system established by the navigation network processor component 110, for example, the first coordinate system. The navigation network processor component 110 sends as outputs 192, 194, 196, and 198, one or more navigation solutions for the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 with respect to the coordinate system established by the navigation network processor component 110. The navigation solutions for the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 comprise one or more standard navigation solutions and one or more replacement navigation solutions, as described herein. [0017] The navigation network processor component 110 employs one or more navigation sensors to determine navigation measurement data for the vehicle 105. The navigation measurement data for the vehicle 105 in one example comprises: inertial measurement data, positioning measurement data, air speed measurement data, and/or pressure altitude measurement data. In one example, the navigation network processor component 110 employs one or more inertial sensors to determine inertial measurement data for the vehicle 105. In another example, the navigation network processor component 110 employs one or more pressure altitude sensors to determine pressure altitude measurement data for the vehicle 105. In yet another example, the navigation network processor component 110 employs one or more GPS units to determine GPS measurements for the vehicle 105. In yet another example, the navigation network processor component 110 employs one or more air speed sensors to determine air speed measurements for the vehicle 105. The navigation network processor component 110 employs the navigation measurement data to determine a navigation and orientation solution for the vehicle 105 that describes the location/position of the vehicle 105 with respect to a reference coordinate system, for example, the Earth. [0018] The navigation network processor component 110 establishes a coordinate system, for example, a first coordinate system, with respect to the reference coordinate system based on the navigation measurement data for the vehicle 105, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. In one example, the navigation network processor component 110 employs data from the external position component 155, for example, GPS data, pressure altitude, or air data, to establish the coordinate system, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In another example, the navigation network processor component 110 employs navigation measurement data from the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130, and positioning information from the external positioning components 155 and 160 to establish the coordinate system for the vehicle 105. In yet another example, the navigation network processor component 110 employs the navigation measurement data from the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 to further refine the coordinate system established by the navigation network processor component 110 for the vehicle 105. The navigation network processor component 110 employs the coordinate system and the navigation measurement data for the vehicle 105 to describe the orientation of the vehicle 105 as a function of time. [0019] The navigation network processor component 110 communicates with the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 to describe the position of the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150 relative to the coordinate system established by the navigation network processor component 110. The navigation network processor component 110 obtains navigation measurement data, for example, navigation measurement data, for the positions of the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150 as a function of time from the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130. The navigation network processor component 110 comprises one or more error estimation components, for example, one or more Kalman filters, to estimate one or more errors in the navigation measurement data of the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130. The navigation network processor component 110 corrects the navigation measurement data of the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 based on the estimations of the one or more errors. The navigation network processor component 110 provides the corrected navigation measurement data to the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130, as illustrated by outputs 165, 170, 175, and 180. The navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 employ the corrected navigation measurement data to improve estimations of navigation parameters (e.g., orientation, position, and velocity) of the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150. [0020] The navigation network processor component 110 translates the navigation measurement data of the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 from coordinate systems established by the navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130, for example, one or more second coordinate systems, to the coordinate system established by the navigation network processor component 110, for example, the first coordinate system, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The navigation network processor component 110 provides navigational parameters for the navigation network processor component 110 as output 182. The navigation network processor component 110 provides translated navigation parameters for the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150 in the coordinate system established by the navigation network processor component 110 as illustrated by the outputs 182, 184, 186, and 188. The navigation network processor component 110 provides the orientation of the coordinate reference system as output 190. [0021] The navigation network processor component 110 estimates one or more lever arms (i.e. parameters used to model three dimensional distance vectors) between a reference location established by the navigation network processor component 110 and the navigation component 115, the reference location established by the navigation network processor component 110 and the navigation component 120, the reference location established by the navigation network processor component 110 and the navigation component 125, and the reference location established by the navigation network processor component 110 and the navigation component 130. The navigation components 115, 120, 125, and 130 employ the estimation of the lever arms to determine dynamic motion of the sensors 135, 140, 145, and 150 relative to the coordinate system established by the navigation network processor component 110. Continue reading... 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