Novatel Inc.

Hexagon Technology Center Gmbh

Sandy Kennedy

Kristian Morin

Michael Bobye

Thomas John Ford

A system determines an otherwise unknown position and orientation of a camera in a working environment, relative to an associated coordinate system, based on visually identifiable unique objects in images taken by the camera. The system utilizes a database that includes or may be updated to include position coordinates for unique objects of interest. The system identifies a plurality of objects within images taken by the camera at a given location, and enters the database either to determine position coordinates for the respective identified objects or to add position coordinates to the data base for the respective identified objects, or both. The system may also update the database to include newly identified unique objects and objects that are altered between images, to determine position and orientation of the camera in a changing environment. Sensors may be included to add additional information relative to the position and orientation of the camera.

Visual positioning system that utilizes images of a working environment to determine position

A navigation system for use with moving vehicles includes target points proximate to a rendezvous site located on a first moving vehicle. One or more transmitters associated with the target points broadcast time-tagged target point positioning information. A navigation unit on a second moving vehicle utilizes a camera with known properties to capture images that include the target points. The navigation unit processes the image that corresponds in time to the positioning information, to determine the relative position and orientation of the rendezvous site at the second vehicle. The navigation unit utilizes the relative position and orientation and an absolute position and orientation of the rendezvous site calculated from the target position information and calculates an absolute position and orientation corresponding to the second vehicle. The navigation unit then initializes its component inertial subsystem using a local position and orientation that are based on the calculated absolute position and orientation of the second vehicle.

Navigation system with rapid GNSS and inertial initialization

A system consisting of a base GPS receiver with a clear view of the sky, one or more remote GPS receivers with restricted views of the sky and a processing center that batch processes range information provided by the GPS receivers determines the positions of the remote GPS receivers to within tight tolerances. The base GPS receiver and the remote GPS receivers produce range information based on the satellite signals that the respective receivers can track at a given time, and provide the range information to the processing center. The range information includes both code and carrier measurements for each of the signals that are being tracked by the respective GPS receivers. The center collects the range information over an extended period of time, for example, hours, days or weeks, and then batch processes the collected information in multiple passes through the data, to calculate the precise latitude, longitude and height of the receiver. The center batch processes the data using a floating ambiguity filter that, after a first pass through the data, is initialized with the position calculated in an earlier pass. The center also calculates the quality of the collected range information by fixing the position and position covariance of the floating ambiguity filter and using double differences with the base GPS receiver measurements, to ensure that the information used in subsequent position calculations is sufficiently reliable.

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Calgary, Canada

Sandy Kennedy