Online INS/GPS integration with a radial basis function neural network

Most of the present navigation systems rely on Kalman filtering to fuse data from global positioning system (GPS) and the inertial navigation system (INS). In general, INS/GPS integration provides reliable navigation solutions by overcoming each of their shortcomings, including signal blockage for GPS and growth of position errors with time for INS. Present Kalman filtering INS/GPS integration techniques have some inadequacies related to the stochastic error models of inertial sensors, immunity to noise, and observability. This paper aims to introduce a multi-sensor system integration approach for fusing data from INS and GPS utilizing artificial neural networks (ANN). A multi-layer perceptron ANN has been recently suggested to fuse data from INS and differential GPS (DGPS). Although being able to improve the positioning accuracy, the complexity associated with both the architecture of multi-layer perceptron networks and its online training algorithms limit the real-time capabilities of this technique. This article, therefore, suggests the use of an alternative ANN architecture. This architecture is based on radial basis function (RBF) neural networks, which generally have simpler architecture and faster training procedures than multi-layer perceptron networks. The INS and GPS data are first processed using wavelet multi-resolution analysis (WRMA) before being applied to the RBF network. The WMRA is used to compare the INS and GPS position outputs at different resolution levels. The RBF-ANN module is then trained to predict the INS position errors and provide accurate positioning of the moving platform. Field-test results have demonstrated that substantial improvement in INS/GPS positioning accuracy could be obtained by applying the combined WRMA and RBF-ANN modules.     

惯性加速度计与气压高度计之随机误差模型的辨识与估计

 本文根据为某科学实验飞机设计最优气压/无线电/惯性混合高度系统的需要,利用机载数据采集系统,对惯性平台上的垂直加速度计以及在典型进场飞行条件下之气压高度计的随机误差模型进行了辨识与估计。应用时间序列分析方法,最优地估计了有关随机误差源的ARIMA模型。     

Altitude Damping of Space-Stable Inertial Navigation Systems

In order to stabilize the altitude calculation in an inertial navigation system, an altimeter is commonly used. In a conventional local-level mechanization, this is generally accomplished by correcting the vertical channel integrators with the difference between the inertial system and altimeter indication of vertical position. However, in a space-stable system the procedure is not as clear since a vertical channel is not physically present. Three altitude damping mechanizations for a space-stable inertial navigation system are proposed. The equivalent local-level mechanizations are then found by comparing error propagation equations in a common coordinate frame.     

Forward error correction for radiobeacon broadcast of differentialGPS data

Marine radiobeacon networks are being used to broadcast differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) corrections to marine users. The correction data digitally modulate signals from some of the existing marine radiobeacons, which operate in the 285 to 325 kHz band, creating DGPS/radiobeacons. The corrections improve the accuracy of the GPS fix from 100 m to 5-10 m, and provide position fixing service for many marine applications which are too demanding for the normal GPS service. Forward error correction can be used to improve the reliability or range of the DGPS/radiobeacon signal. The improvements made possible by channel coding are analyzed, and a code for DGPS/radiobeacons is recommended     

Sigma-mean monitoring for the local area augmentation of GPS

The local area augmentation system (LAAS) is a ground-based differential GPS system being developed to support aircraft precision approach and landing navigation with guaranteed integrity. To quantitatively appraise navigation integrity, an aircraft computes vertical and lateral protection levels using the standard deviation of pseudo-range correction errors, /spl sigma//sub pr/spl I.bar/gnd/, broadcast by the LAAS ground facility (LGF). Thus, one significant integrity risk is that the true standard deviation (sigma) of the pseudo-range correction error distribution may grow to exceed the broadcast correction error sigma or that the true mean of the correction error distribution becomes excessive during LAAS operation. This event may occur due to unexpected anomalies of GPS measurements. To insure that the true error distribution is bounded by a zero-mean Gaussian distribution with the broadcast sigma value, real-time sigma and mean monitoring is necessary. Both direct estimation and cumulative sum (CUSUM) methods are useful to detect violations with acceptable residual integrity risk. For sigma monitoring, the estimation method more rapidly detects small violations of /spl sigma//sub pr/spl I.bar/gnd/ but the fast initial response (FIR) CUSUM variant more promptly detects significant violations that would pose a larger threat to user integrity. For the purposes of mean monitoring, the FIR CUSUM variant is superior to the estimation method in detecting any mean violations. The results demonstrate that real-time protection is achievable against all sizes of sigma/mean failures that can threaten navigation integrity.     

Improving GPS-Based Landing System Performance using an Empirical Barometric Altimeter Confidence Bound

This paper develops an empirical confidence bound for barometric altimeter altitude errors and shows how this bound may improve the performance of GPS-based approach and landing systems. This empirical bound is developed using historical meteorological data collected at a set of geographically diverse locations over a thirty year period. The confidence bound developed is shown to provide a Gaussian overbound on altimeter altitude errors in standard atmospheric conditions between a 10-5 and 10-6 confidence level. This confidence bound is integrated into the standard methodology for analyzing the performance of GPS-based landing systems and the results of a performance trade study using the confidence bound are presented. The results show that incorporating the empirical barometric altimeter confidence bound provides an increase in the coterminous United States (CONUS) service volume for lateral precision with vertical guidance (LPV) type approaches. While this increase is approximately 2% for an L1 single-frequency GPS user, it jumps to roughly 40% for an L5 single-frequency user.     

用于SAR运动补偿的DGPS/SINS组合系统研究

使用考虑位置误差相关项的伪距率观测模型 ,研究了用于合成孔径雷达运动补偿的差分 GPS/ SINS伪距率组合系统。结果表明 ,组合系统的长期位置精度能达到 1 m左右。 GPS数据更新率低于 INS,在 GPS测量时间间隔内 ,组合系统的性能仅由 INS决定。虽然 INS误差随时间积累 ,在 GPS数据更新率为 1 s的情况下 ,即使采用中等精度的惯性仪表 ,其相对位置精度为厘米级 (这里相对位置精度指组合系统在 GPS测量时间间隔内位置误差的变化范围)。     

基于车载平台的飞行管理系统DR/GPS 导航试验验证

飞行管理系统是民用飞机的关键航空电子系统。飞行管理系统制造商有责任对飞行管理系统开展大 量的试验以验证飞行管理系统功能和性能的符合性。考虑数字验证的局限性和飞行试验验证的巨大代价,本文 利用车载平台开展飞行管理系统综合导航功能的验证,试验结果表明设计的飞行管理系统DR/GPS 导航方法能 够满足95% 的飞行时间水平方向达到0.1 海里的导航精度要求,为实际的飞行测试提供了试验数据参考。     

差分GPS在飞行试验中的应用

ＧＰＳ是美国正在大力发展的高精度卫星导航系统。主要叙述差分ＧＰＳ在飞行试验中的应用，首先介绍ＧＰＳ的伪距测量定位原理和测速原理，ＤＧＰＳ提高定位精度的原理。     

Carrier phase navigation architecture for shipboard relative GPS

Carrier phase differential GPS (DGPS) navigation architectures and algorithms for automatic shipboard landing of aircraft are described. Processing methodologies are defined to provide high integrity carrier phase cycle estimation and positioning by optimally exploiting the complementary benefits of measurement filtering and satellite geometric redundancy for the terminal navigation problem. Navigation performance sensitivity to the standard deviations of raw carrier and code phase measurement errors, measurement error correlation times, and the filtering duration is quantified. Necessary conditions to ensure acceptable terminal navigation availability are specifically defined.     

DGPS-based aircraft flight guidance/test system

The utilization of the GPS system for Aircraft Flight Guidance/Test (AFGT) is a research project in China. The paper describes the concepts and the technical realization of such a system, including three components: ground subsystem, on-board subsystem and data communication link using TDMA technique. The purpose of the proposed AFGT system is to calibrate and verify performance of an on-board radar. Therefore, it must meet the requirements of evaluation of radar performances in several areas: accuracy, coverage range, and others. The AFGT System's displays are separately: a Moving Colored Digital Map on which flight trajectories, waypoints, and heights of aircrafts are clearly marked; and a Polar Coordinate Figure on which the bearings, headings, and distances of aircrafts relative to the origin of the ground control center are shown. The AFGT may monitor and guide several aircrafts flying in the pointed airspace. It support airport surface surveillance and air traffic control at the terminal area. A real-time software package RTTEST, which includes tracking display software and on-flight test software for radar evaluation, has conducted simulation with satisfactory position accuracy     

Aircraft traffic management on the airport surface using VHF datalink for CNS

Aircraft traffic management on the airport surface will require the effective utilization of communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS). This paper describes an experiment which provides a glimpse of future automation. The experiment combines precision surface radar, high-accuracy differential GPS (DGPS) position determination, automatic dependent surveillance (ADS), and ground and airborne automation systems able to intercommunicate via a VHF data link. In particular, this paper describes the air/ground communications provided by the VHF Data Link. Two classes of messages are processed: continual and ad hoc. The former include DGPS corrections, ADS messages and target data. The latter include graphical taxi clearances and hold bar set-reset information. The work described in this paper is the result of a cooperative venture among NASA, Westinghouse-Norden Systems and ARINC     

气压高度表辅助下GPS接收机自备完善性监测可用性研究

 对我国范围内飞机非精密进场及终端航行时全球定位导航系统（ＧＰＳ）接收机自备完善性监测（ＲＡＩＭ）的可用性进行了研究，分析了气压高度表辅助和故障偏置大小对ＧＰＳＲＡＩＭ可用性的影响。结果表明：气压高度表与ＧＰＳ组合是提高ＲＡＩＭ可用性的有效措施；过大或过小的偏置误差将产生较小的漏警概率，而中等大小的故障偏置则产生较大的漏警概率     

Detection of interference/jamming and spoofing in a DGPS-aidedinertial system

Previous research at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) has resulted in the design of a differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) aided INS-based (inertial navigation system) precision landing system (PLS) capable of meeting the FAA precision requirements for instrument landings. The susceptibility of DGPS transmissions to both intentional and nonintentional interference/jamming and spoofing must be addressed before DGPS may be safely used as a major component of such a critical navigational device. This research applies multiple model adaptive estimation (MMAE) techniques to the problem of detecting and identifying interference/jamming and spoofing in the DGPS signal. Such an MMAE is composed of a bank of parallel filters, each hypothesizing a different failure status, along with an evaluation of the current probability of each hypothesis being correct, to form a probability-weighted average state estimate as an output. For interference/jamming degradation represented as increased measurement noise variance, simulation results show that, because of the good failure detection and isolation (FDI) performance using MMAE, the blended navigation performance is essentially that of a single extended Kalman filter (EKF) artificially informed of the actual interference noise variance. However, a standard MMAE is completely unable to detect spoofing failures (modeled as a bias or ramp offset signal directly added to the measurement). This work describes a moving-bank pseudoresidual MMAE (PRMMAE) to detect and identify such spoofing. Using the PRMMAE algorithm, spoofing is very effectively detected and isolated; the resulting navigation performance is equivalent to that of an EKF operating in an environment without spoofing     

Relative navigation for multi-spacecraft system with GPS

A type of multi-spacecraft system with kinematical restraint but no structural restraint and force action is considered. Both the absolute and relative navigation information is required for this multi-spacecraft system, but the relative information is more critical and the accuracy requirements for relative information will be much higher than those for the absolute information. In this paper, the Global Positioning System (GPS)/Differential GPS (DGPS) are introduced and used for relative navigation. Relative motion of space vehicles is modeled. Relative position, relative velocity and relative attitude are represented and solved by GPS/DGPS measurements. Using a type of commercial GPS receiver onboard spacecraft and relative differential GPS technique, the relative navigation of space vehicles can be implemented in real-time     

Ranging airport pseudolite for local area augmentation

This paper discusses the integration of an airport pseudolite (APL) into a local area augmented differential GPS based precision approach system. A prototype architecture is described that is being used to develop requirements for the local area augmentation system. Key features of this prototype system are presented along with its current performance. Key features discussed include the use of a multipath limiting antenna, APL signal structure factors, a unique APL automatic gain control, and GPS blanking technique to maximize APL tracking performance, while minimizing the electromagnetic interference to nominal DGPS performance     

A GPS/GLONASS/INS test program

Under contract of different German Ministries a test program investigating the combinations of GPS, GLONASS, and Inertial Navigation has been carried out since 1991. Besides other goals, the aim of the project is to investigate the capabilities of GLONASS in comparison to GPS, to realize a combined GLONASS/INS solution and to perform joint processing of GPS and GLONASS raw data. The paper describes the test procedures and presents some of the results. This includes the comparison of DGPS with stand-alone GLONASS and GLONASS/INS under different dynamic situations, e.g., driving tests, flight tests, and also the presentation of results of combined GPS/GLONASS data processing, which was successfully achieved in March '93 for the first time. The results show the potential of the non-SA-degraded GLONASS and the advantage of using both, GPS and GLONASS for combined solutions     

DGPS/IMU integration-based geolocation system: Airborne experimental test results

This paper addresses differential global positioning system (DGPS)/inertial measurement unit (IMU) integration-based geolocation system developed for airborne remote sensing cameras. First, we provide a brief review on sensor calibration, alignment and sensor fusion as background material of this research. After presenting those background material, as a main part of this paper we present a geolocation algorithm designed for an airborne imaging system. The geolocation system developed is tested through actual airborne experiments. For the verification of the geolocation system developed, we compare initial stationary states of the airplane before-taking off with states after-landing. From the actual test results, we find that it is critical to do an accurate time synchronization between IMU, DGPS, and airborne images, and to compensate for the data delay occurred during the network transfer.