An automated guided vehicle (AGV) control system which is downward compatible with existing guidewire systems pro-viding both guidewire navigation and communication and autonomous navigation and guidance and wireless communication bet-tween a central controller and each vehicle. Autonomous vehicle navigation comprises travel over paths marked by update mark-ers which may be spaced well apart, such as fifty feet. Redundant measurement capability comprising inputs from linear travel encoders from the vehicle's drive wheels, position measurements from the update markers, and bearing measurements from a novel angular rate sensing apparatus, in combination with the use of a Kalman filter, allows correction for navigation and guid-ance errors caused by such factors as angular rate sensor drift, wear, temperature changes, aging, and early miscalibration during vehicle operation. The control system comprises high frequency two-way data transmission and reception capability over the guidewires and via wireless communications. The same data rates and message formats are used in both communications sys-tems.

Downward compatible AGV system and methods

The invention concerns the field of aiming and sighting devices and more particularly a device (1) capable of determining the direction of a target in a predefined marker and comprising sighting means (10), including a sighting member (13), three gyroscopes (141, 142, 143) arranged along three non-coplanar axes, means for controlling (16), means (20) for resetting said sighting means (10) and means (30) for processing signals derived from the sighting means (10), said processing means being adapted to determine the direction between the sighting means (10) and the target and to transmit same to display means (40) or external means, as well as means (6) for controlling transmission to the display means (40) or external means, values representing the direction between the sighting means (10) and the target. The invention is characterised in that the resetting means comprise at least a non gyroscopic sensor (17) arranged on the sighting means (10) and designed to emit signals for transmission to said processing means.

Device, and related method, for determining the direction of a target

Ein
Verfahren zur Uberprufung einer
inertialen Messeinheit von Fahrzeugen, insbesondere von Luftfahrzeugen,
im stationaren
Zustand, wobei die inertiale Messeinheit (1) zumindest einen Beschleunigungssensor
(10), der ein translatorisches Beschleunigungssignal liefert, und
zumindest einen Drehratensensor (11), der ein Drehratensignal liefert,
aufweist, wobei die intertiale Messeinheit (1) mit einer Navigationscomputer-Anordnung (2)
mit zumindest einem Computer verbunden ist, die ein erstes funktionales
Element (20) aufweist, welches vom Beschleunigungssensor (10) gelieferte
translatorische Beschleunigungssignale und vom Drehratensensor (11)
gelieferte Drehratensignale als Eingangsdaten empfangt und verarbeitet,
die ein zweites funktionales Element (30) aufweist, welches die
Eingangsdaten vom ersten funktionalen Element (20) empfangt und
verarbeitet, und die ein drittes funktionales Element (40) aufweist,
welches die Eingangsdaten von der inertialen Messeinheit (1), vom
ersten funktionalen Element (20) und vom zweiten funktionalen Element
(30) empfangt
und verarbeitet, ist gekennzeichnet durch die Schritte: a) Bereitstellung
von Daten der aktuellen Position der inertialen Messeinheit (1)
und der aktuellen Euler-Winkel als Information uber die aktuelle Orientierung
der inertialen Messeinheit (1) im Raum; b) Initialisierung eines
Strapdown-Algorithmus mit den im Schritt a) bereitgestellten Daten
der aktuellen Position, der aktuellen Euler-Winkel und der aktuellen
...

Verfahren zur Überprüfung einer inertialen Messeinheit von Fahrzeugen, insbesondere von Luftfahrzeugen, im stationären Zustand

Methods and apparatus for: (a) the correction of one or more elements determined from a first set of continuous gyro and accelerometer measurements comprising using a second set of discontinuously measured higher accuracy accelerometer measurements doubly integrated in an inertial coordinate system, (b) determining relative movement of a vehicle using a first set of acceleration measurements that do not include components of acceleration caused by the Earth's gravitational field, and a second set of acceleration measurements that do include components of acceleration caused by the Earth's gravitational field; and (c) correcting errors in an inertial navigation system positioned in a vehicle comprising using independently measured changes in position of the vehicle relative to an inertial coordinate frame.

Inertial navigation system error correction

A method for harmonizing an equipment relative to a vehicle, such as a helicopter, based upon sensing of gravitational and magnetic fields in a number of reference systems. The equipment is installed fixedly on board the vehicle which, relative to a first absolute reference system (RM), has an orientation defined by a second reference system (R2) tied to the vehicle. The equipment is subjected to the earth's gravitational field represented by a gravity vector g oriented along its gradient, as well as to the earth's magnetic field represented by a vector H oriented along its gradient. The orientation of the equipment is defined, relative to the first absolute reference system (RM), by a third reference system (R3). The equipment includes a device for measuring the components of the gravity vector g, fixed to the equipment (2), and the vehicle carries a computer; a memory associated with the computer; an equipment magnetometer, fixed to the vehicle, whose orientation, relative to the first absolute reference system (RM), is referenced by a fourth reference system (R4); and a link connecting the equipment and the equipment magnetometer to the computer and to the memory. The gravitational and magnetic fields are measured when the vehicle is in a number of different orientations, and the equipment is harmonized to the vehicle based thereon.

Method and self-contained system for harmonizing equipments on board a vehicle, using means of measuring the earth's gravitational and magnetic fields

The system may be used, for example, to initialize the inertial unit of a missile from the inertial unit of a vehicle carrying the missile. According to the invention, a servo-control circuit is provided for slaving data in the missile inertial unit on data from the carrier inertial unit, together with a Kalman filter connected in parallel with said servo-control circuit and designed to identify harmonization errors between the two inertial units.

System for aligning the inertial unit of a carried vehicle on that of a carrier vehicle

System permitting, for example, initialisation of the inertial unit (CNm) of a missile from the inertial unit (CNp) of the carrier of this missile. According to the invention, a servo control device (A) is provided for the data from the inertial unit of the carrier (CNp) in the inertial unit (CNm) of the missile and a Kalman filter (K) is provided, mounted in parallel on the said servo control device (A) and intended to identify the harmonisation errors between the two inertial units.

System for the transfer of alignment between the inertial system of a carried vehicle and that of the carrier vehicle

Systeme permettant, par exemple, l'initialisation de la centrale inertielle (CNm) d'un missile a partir de la centrale inertielle (CNp) du porteur de ce missile. Selon l'invention, on prevoit un dispositif d'asservissement (A) des informations de la centrale inertielle du porteur (CNp) dans la centrale inertielle (CNm) du missile et un filtre de Kalman (K), monte en parallele sur ledit dispositif d'asservissement (A) et destine a identifier les erreurs d'harmonisation entre les deux centrales inertielles.

Gaide Pierre

Papers

System for aligning the inertial unit of a carried vehicle on that of a carrier vehicle

System for the transfer of alignment between the inertial system of a carried vehicle and that of the carrier vehicle

Système pour l'alignement de la centrale inertielle d'un véhicule porté sur celle d'un véhicule porteur