Heading and position error-correction method and apparatus for vehicle navigation systems

摘要

The present invention provides methods and devices that enable correction of gyroscope bias and gyroscope bias drift in low-cost, vehicular navigation and positioning systems without using estimates of position and heading, and subsequent correction of heading and position errors resulting from gyroscope bias and bias drift, without relying on assumptions regarding gyroscope bias or predetermined time-dependent gyroscope bias drift profiles. The invention improves over existing GPS/DR systems that do not compensate for actual gyroscope bias instability, but instead correct the heading and position error that is induced by the bias instability and then correct estimates of gyroscope bias based on the corrected position and heading. The inventive methods provided herein can be used with any DR vehicle positioning system that uses a gyroscope.