Host-based Tight-integration of MEMS Dead-Reckoning and GPS

Roberto Zanutta, Frank van Diggelen

Abstract:	A navigation solution that incorporates accelerometers, gyros, and altitude sensors along with GPS to provide improved navigation in difficult urban environments is presented. If cost and size were not limited a full 6-DOF inertial unit would be used to complement GPS to provide a continuous navigation solution. But, we are limited by economics and engineering so we implemented a system using a tri-axial accelerometer, single axis gyro, and an altitude sensor to improve urban navigation. The altitude sensor itself can be augmented to use the temperature sensor for improved performance. These MEMS sensors were combined with a high-sensitivity GPS unit that incorporates a sophisticated multi-path rejection algorithm. The complete solution combines a baseline factory calibration with in-vehicle calibration procedures using the GPS only solution. Using a tight-feedback implementation the GPS receiver is aided by the MEMS sensors to mitigate multi-path degradation and improve navigation. The MEMS sensors are continuously calibrated using a Kalman Filter during periods of good GPS reception. An overview of the system design is presented in the paper, as well as test results in difficult urban environments demonstrating the improvement when using the GPS augmented by the MEMS sensors.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 21st International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2008) September 16 - 19, 2008 Savannah International Convention Center Savannah, GA
Pages:	88 - 92
Cite this article:	Zanutta, Roberto, van Diggelen, Frank, "Host-based Tight-integration of MEMS Dead-Reckoning and GPS," Proceedings of the 21st International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2008), Savannah, GA, September 2008, pp. 88-92.
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