US5452211A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for determining vehicle position
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
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Filing: 1992-08-10
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Granted: 1995-09-19
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Expires: 2012-08-10
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for estimating the terrestrial position of a vehicle is provided. The system receives electromagnetic signals from a single satellite and responsively produces successive ranges from the satellite to the vehicle and respective successive positions of the satellite. The vehicle's position is determined as a function of the successive ranges and positions.
Inventors
- 👤 Christos T. Kyrtsos
- 👤 Adam J. Gudat
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 04:55
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; G01S; G01S19/00; G01S19/38; G01S19/39; G01S19/42; G01S19/45; G01S19/47
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A system for estimating the terrestrial position of a vehicle using one of a plurality of orbiting satellites, comprising: means for receiving electromagnetic signals from the one satellite and responsively producing positions of the one satellite and corresponding ranges from said positions of the one satellite to the vehicle; means for receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a first pair comprising a range and a corresponding satellite position at a first time, t 1 , determining a second pair comprising a range and a corresponding satellite position at a second time, t 2 , and determining a third pair comprising a range and a corresponding satellite position at a third time, t 3 ; and, means for receiving said first, second and third pairs and responsively determining the position of the vehicle.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
136 words
A system for estimating the terrestrial position of a vehicle using one of a plurality of orbiting satellites, comprising: means for receiving electromagnetic signals from the one satellite and responsively producing positions of the one satellite and corresponding ranges from said positions of the one satellite to the vehicle; means for receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a first pair comprising a range and a corresponding satellite position at a first time, t 1 , determining a second pair comprising a range and a corresponding satellite position at a second time, t 2 , and determining a third pair comprising a range and a corresponding satellite position at a third time, t 3 ; and, means for receiving said first, second and third pairs and responsively determining the position of the vehicle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A system, as set forth in claim 1, including means for determining a fourth pair comprising a range and a corresponding satellite position at a fourth time, t 4 , and wherein said position determining means includes means for receiving said fourth pair and wherein the position of the vehicle is a function of said first, second, third, and fourth pairs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
A system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the position of the vehicle corresponds to said fourth time, t 4 , and wherein said position determining means includes means for determining the velocity of the vehicle at said first, second, and third times, t 1 , t 2 , t 3 and wherein the position of the vehicle is a function of said velocity at said first, second, and third times, t 1 , t 2 , t 3 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first, second and third times are separated in time by a predetermined sample rate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the positions of the one satellite are defined in Cartesian coordinates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system, as set forth in claim 3, including a base station at a known location, said base station including a reference receiver and adapted for determining velocity biases.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said velocity biases are communicated back to the vehicle.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
173 words
A system for estimating the terrestrial position of a vehicle using one of a plurality of orbiting satellites, comprising: means for receiving electromagnetic signals from the one satellite and responsively producing positions of the one satellite and corresponding ranges from said positions of the one satellite to the vehicle; means for receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a first pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a first time, t 1 , determining a second pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a second time, t 2 , and determining a third pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a third time, t 3 ; and, means for receiving said first, second and third pairs and responsively determining a first position estimate of the vehicle; means for producing a second position estimate, said second position estimate producing means including an odometer and an inertial reference unit; and, means for receiving said first and second position estimates and responsively producing a third position estimate.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
173 words
A system for estimating the terrestrial position of a vehicle using one of a plurality of orbiting satellites, comprising: means for receiving electromagnetic signals from the one satellite and responsively producing positions of the one satellite and corresponding ranges from said positions of the one satellite to the vehicle; means for receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a first pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a first time, t 1 , determining a second pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a second time, t 2 , and determining a third pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a third time, t 3 ; and, means for receiving said first, second and third pairs and responsively determining a first position estimate of the vehicle; means for producing a second position estimate, said second position estimate producing means including an odometer and an inertial reference unit; and, means for receiving said first and second position estimates and responsively producing a third position estimate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said first position estimate producing means includes a Kalman filter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said third position estimate producing means includes a Kalman filter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said third position estimate producing means includes a weighted combiner.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said third position estimate producing means includes a Kalman filter and a weighted combiner.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system, as set forth in claim 8, including means for determining a fourth pair comprising a range and a corresponding satellite position at a fourth time, t 4 and wherein said position determining means includes means for receiving said fourth pair and wherein the position of the vehicle is a function of said first, second, third, and fourth pairs.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
81 words
A system, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the position of the vehicle corresponds to said fourth time, t 4 , and wherein said position determining means includes means for determining the velocity of the vehicle at said first, second, and third times, t 1 , t 2 , t 3 and wherein the position of the vehicle is a function of said velocity at said first, second and third times, t 1 , t 2 , t 3 .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system, as set forth in claim 14, including a base station at a known location, said base station including a reference receiver and adapted for determining velocity biases.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
205 words
A system for estimating the terrestrial position of a vehicle using one of a plurality of orbiting satellites, comprising: means for receiving electromagnetic signals from the one satellite and responsively producing a first position estimate; means for producing a second position estimate, said second position estimate producing means including an odometer and an inertial reference unit; and, means for receiving said first and second position estimates and responsively producing a third position estimate; and wherein said first position estimate producing means includes: an antenna for receiving said electromagnetic signals; a receiver coupled to said antenna and being adapted to produce positions of the one satellite and corresponding ranges from said positions of the one satellite to the vehicle; and, a processor adapted to receive said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determine a first pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a first time, t 1 , determine a second pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a second time, t 2 , and determine a third pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a third time, t 3 and including means for determining said first position estimate as a function of said first, second and third pairs.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
205 words
A system for estimating the terrestrial position of a vehicle using one of a plurality of orbiting satellites, comprising: means for receiving electromagnetic signals from the one satellite and responsively producing a first position estimate; means for producing a second position estimate, said second position estimate producing means including an odometer and an inertial reference unit; and, means for receiving said first and second position estimates and responsively producing a third position estimate; and wherein said first position estimate producing means includes: an antenna for receiving said electromagnetic signals; a receiver coupled to said antenna and being adapted to produce positions of the one satellite and corresponding ranges from said positions of the one satellite to the vehicle; and, a processor adapted to receive said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determine a first pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a first time, t 1 , determine a second pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a second time, t 2 , and determine a third pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a third time, t 3 and including means for determining said first position estimate as a function of said first, second and third pairs.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system, as set forth in claim 16, including means for determining a fourth pair comprising a range and a corresponding satellite position at a fourth time, t 4 and wherein said position determining means includes means for receiving said fourth pair and wherein the position of the vehicle is a function of said first, second, third, and fourth pairs.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
81 words
A system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein said position of the vehicle corresponds to said fourth time, t 4 , and wherein said position determining means includes means for determining the velocity of the vehicle at said first, second, and third times, t 1 , t 2 , t 3 and wherein the position of the vehicle is a function of said velocity at said first, second, and third times, t 1 , t 2 , t 3 .
Claim 22
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for estimating the position of a vehicle using one of a plurality of orbiting satellites, including: receiving electromagnetic signals from the one satellite and responsively producing positions of the one satellite and corresponding ranges from said positions of the one satellite to the vehicle; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a first pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a first time, t 1 ; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a second pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a second time, t 2 ; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a third pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a third time, t 3 ; and, receiving said first, second and third pairs and responsively determining a position estimate of the vehicle.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for estimating the position of a vehicle using one of a plurality of orbiting satellites, including: receiving electromagnetic signals from the one satellite and responsively producing positions of the one satellite and corresponding ranges from said positions of the one satellite to the vehicle; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a first pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a first time, t 1 ; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a second pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a second time, t 2 ; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a third pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a third time, t 3 ; and, receiving said first, second and third pairs and responsively determining a position estimate of the vehicle.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method, as set forth in claim 19, including the step of: receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a fourth pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a fourth time, t 4 ; wherein said positioning determining step includes the step of: receiving the fourth pair; and wherein the position of the vehicle is determined as a function of the fourth pair.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
83 words
A method, as set forth in claim 20, including the steps of: determining the velocity of the vehicle at said first time, t 1 ; determining the velocity of the vehicle at said second time, t 2 ; determining the velocity of the vehicle at said third time, t 3 ; and wherein the position of the vehicle is determined as a function of the vehicle's velocity at said first, second, and third times, t 1 , t 2 , t 3 .
Claim 26
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for estimating the position of a vehicle using one of a plurality of orbiting satellites, including: receiving electromagnetic signals from the one satellite and responsively producing positions of the one satellite and corresponding ranges from said positions of the one satellite to the vehicle; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a first pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a first time, t 1 ; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a second pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a second time, t 2 ; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a third pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a third time, t 3 ; and, receiving said first, second and third pairs and responsively determining a first position estimate of the vehicle. receiving signals from an odometer and an inertial reference unit and responsively producing a second position estimate; and, receiving said first and second position estimate and responsively producing a third position estimate.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for estimating the position of a vehicle using one of a plurality of orbiting satellites, including: receiving electromagnetic signals from the one satellite and responsively producing positions of the one satellite and corresponding ranges from said positions of the one satellite to the vehicle; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a first pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a first time, t 1 ; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a second pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a second time, t 2 ; receiving said positions and said corresponding ranges and responsively determining a third pair comprising a range and a corresponding position at a third time, t 3 ; and, receiving said first, second and third pairs and responsively determining a first position estimate of the vehicle. receiving signals from an odometer and an inertial reference unit and responsively producing a second position estimate; and, receiving said first and second position estimate and responsively producing a third position estimate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-09-18 | 1999-03-20 | 1999-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-09-18 | 2003-03-20 | 2003-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-09-18 | 2007-03-20 | 2007-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |