Global Positioning Systems, Inertial Navigation, and Integration

Chapter 9.3.4: INERTIAL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES: Calibration Parameter Instability

9.3.4 Calibration Parameter Instability

INS calibration parameters are not always exactly constant. Their values can change over the operational life of the INS. Specifications for calibration stability generally divide these calibration parameter variations into two categories: (1) changes from one system turnon to the next and (2) slow "parameter drift" during operating periods.

9.3.4.1 Calibration Parameter Changes Between Turn-ons These are changes that occur between a system shutdown and the next startup. They may be caused by temperature transients during shutdowns and turnons, or by what is termed "aging." They are generally considered to be independent from turn-on to turnon, so the model for the covariance of calibration errors for the kth turnon would be of the form

where ΔPcalib is the covariance of turnon-to-turnon parameter changes. The initial value Pcalib, 0 at the end of calibration is usually determinable from error covariance analysis of the calibration process. Note that this is the covariance model for a random walk, the covariance of which grows without bound.

9.3.4.2 Calibration Parameter Drift This term applies to changes that occur in the operational periods between startups and shutdowns. The calibration parameter uncertainty covariance equation has the same form as Eq. 9.19, but with ΔPcalib. now representing the calibration parameter drift in the time interval Δt = tk - tk-1 between successive discrete times within an operational period.

Detecting Error Trends Incipient sensor failures can sometimes be predicted by observing the variations over time of the sensor calibration parameters. One of the advantages of tightly coupled GNSS/INS integration is that INS sensors can be continuously calibrated all the time that GNSS data are available. System health monitoring can then include tests for the trends of sensor calibration parameters, setting threshold conditions for failing the INS system, and isolating a likely set of causes for the observed trends.

UNLIMITED FREE
ACCESS
TO THE WORLD'S BEST IDEAS

SUBMIT
Already a GlobalSpec user? Log in.

This is embarrasing...

An error occurred while processing the form. Please try again in a few minutes.

Customize Your GlobalSpec Experience

Category: Accelerometers
Finish!
Privacy Policy

This is embarrasing...

An error occurred while processing the form. Please try again in a few minutes.