MX2008000385A - Automatic past error corrections for location and inventory tracking - Google Patents

Abstract

A system is provided for tracking and maintaining an inventory of location of containers that are stored on cargo ships or in a container yard. The system includes one or more sensors, such as GPS and INS sensors for obtaining real-time position information, as well as a processor configured to automatically provide post processing to recover lost data and to correct erroneous data, such as when real-time position signals are blocked or distorted, the post processing performed by estimating trajectories and correcting the location errors. Post-processed positioning techniques are continuously applied to the stored position data to iteratively determine calibrated position locations to provide calibrated second trajectory segments in a real-time fashion. The calibrated second trajectories are then used to identify the errors in the past real-time position data as soon as a segment of the second calibrated trajectory becomes statistically trustworthy. Corrections can be automatically made in inventory locations stored in a database to correct position errors for the containers.

Description

AUTOMATIC CORRECTION OF PAST ERRORS FOR LOCAL TRACKING AND INVENTORY PRIORITY CLAIM The Patent Application of E.U.A. Provisional No. Serial No. 60 / 696,619, entitled AUTOMATIC PAST ERROR CORRECTIONS FOR LOCATION AND INVENTORY TRACKING, by Hañ-Shue Tan, et al., filed July 5, 2005 (Proxy Case No. TRAC-010O0US0 TAW); and the U.S. Patent Application. No. 11 /, titled AUTOMATIC PAST ERROR CORRECTIONS FOR LOCATION AND INVENTORY TRACKING, by Han-Shue Tan, et al., Filed on June 29, 2006 (Case of the Attorney No. TRAC-01000US1 TAW).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to the tracking of the location of containers that are transported in ships, rail cars or trucks, or stored in cargo yards. More particularly, the present invention relates to tracking and inventory of containers using a global positioning system (GPS) and an inertial navigation system (INS). The INS can be replaced or supported by a combination of inertial sensors, speed sensors, speed sensors and sensors that indicate the direction of rotation or movement in combination with GPS.

RELATED TECHNIQUE Position or location tracking is a crucial component of many inventory and resource management and monitoring systems. Typical location tracking systems employ real-time positioning sensors that provide location solutions for location tracking on a continuous or periodic basis. These sensors or system commonly acquire the locations of vehicles, equipment or inventory based on the principles of either triangulation or proximity with respect to known locations using various electronic positioning means, such as the global positioning system (GPS). , the differential global positioning system (DGPS), the integrated differential global positioning system and the inertial navigation system (DGPS / INS), the real-time location system (RTLS), RTLS / GPS, RTLS / INS, satellite repeaters, ultra-wideband location system or some combinations of the above systems. For example, the Patent of E.U.A. No. 6,577,921, describes a container tracking system that tracks the real-time positions of the container handling equipment using GPS, INS and wireless communication. The Patent of E.U.A. No. 6,657,586 describes a real-time location system and a method for locating an object with a label attached to the object and remote readers, each with a GPS receiver. The Patent of E.U.A. No. 6,266,008, describes a system and method for determining the location of cargo containers in a cargo yard by attaching GPS receivers to each container. The Patent of E.U.A. No. "6 ~ 6117755 discloses a timing control method of a fleet management system using a communication status and positioning sensor system. US Patent No. 6,876,326 describes a location tracking system using variable mode techniques. However, limitations in physics generally prevent real-time positioning systems from achieving 100% reliability or precision, examples of these limitations with respect to radio-wave positioning are: blocking obstacles the line of sight of position signals or signals reflected from nearby surfaces (multipath) Additional practical limitations in sensor technologies include deviations in measurements, or poor signal at noise ratio as a result of environmental sources. These limitations result in common positioning errors, such as such as inaccuracies, loss of position or location derivations that produce erroneous position data.

To overcome physical and practical limitations, any real-time positioning systems use complementary sensors, or digital maps to improve accuracy and reliability. As an example, the complementary nature of the inertial navigation system (INS) and the global positioning system (GPS) are the main reasons why the integrated GPS / INS system is becoming increasingly popular. The high, long-term accuracy of the GPS can be combined with the high output rate, robustness and reliability of the INS to deliver superior positioning performance. Depending on how much information is shared and processed between the GPS, INS and the integration computer, the architecture of the integrated system can be classified into three categories, the system loosely coupled, the system tightly coupled and the system deeply coupled ( ultra-narrow trailer). All these integration methods improve positioning performance in real time. In addition to INS systems to complement GPS, other components have been used for vehicle or aircraft navigation to provide better measurements or estimates of current positions. For example, the Patents of E.U.A. Nos. 6,731, 237; 6,697,736; 6,694,260; 6,516,272; 6,427,122 and 6,317,688 describes various techniques for integrating GPS systems with sensors or units by inertia (gyroscopes and accelerometers), altimeters, compasses or magnetometers using various linear and non-linear filters to improve either the reliability or accuracy of positioning in real time. The Patents of E.U.A. Nos. 6,826,478; 6,801, 159 and 6,615,136 describe various techniques for increasing the precise INS real-time positioning or correcting the error in real time by incorporating the stored map and location information, the second data sensor, or the previously determined perimeter threshold. The Patent of E.U.A. No. 6,810,324 increases positioning accuracy in real time by replacing high quality position measurements with improved low quality position measurement when high quality measurement is not available. The Patent of E.U.A. No. 6,853,687, describes a method to improve RTLS real-time performance by incorporating sound emitters based on magnetic field proximity within RFID tags. The Patents of E.U.A. Nos. 6,766,247; 6,728,637 and 6,615,135 describe various specific methods to increase positioning accuracy by incorporating map or route information into a GPS or other sensor. Although these solutions do not solve one of the important problems in the inventory and resource tracking environment: what happens when the real-time position solution is inaccurate, absent or lost. And what happens after such misinformation is reported or entered into an inventory database. As a simple example, a real-time positioning system based on a narrowly expansive integrated GPS / INS solution can drift away from the real positions when the system enters an area with less than four GPS satellite coverages for a period of time. long time. In a typical inventory or resource tracking environment, inaccurate location measurements, if not corrected in time, can be generated and propagated in scattered inventory or database errors. This happens especially when tracking the position of containers or vehicles in a warehouse, container yard or wagon yard, where the tracking signals can be blocked. The resulting errors often require manual correction. The corrupt inventory database thus creates delays and often costly corrective measures in resource management and inventory control. To correct the errors found even when the GPS is combined with another system, such as INS, the post-processed positioning techniques have been used to apply geographic information to obtain accurate planimetric position solutions. For example, the Patent of E.U.A. No. 6,804,621, describes post-processed methods for aligning measured tracking data with locations on a digital map to correct geographic map locations. The post processing of the position information can identify the unknown embedded parameters and noises, and resolve the past position solutions. It would be desirable to provide a system that monitors the real-time position data of an object such as a cargo container and perform the automatic post-processing to correct the position data when the signals are blocked or distorted in a timely manner to provide data of position with a high confidence level.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The embodiments of the present invention provide an improved positioning method and system that, in addition to obtaining and reporting data in real time, also provide post processing correction automatically in a real-time mode as the signals are received. The system employs one or more positioning systems, such as GPS, to detect the first position data in real time. Secondary sensors, such as INS or speed sensors or wheels, are also used in some modes to improve the accuracy of GPS data and provide movement data. A first movement path in real time is then determined, and reported when requested. The first position data is in any case stored in an inventory database. To provide automatic error correction post processing in a timely manner, a segment of a second calibrated path is determined continuously using the first position data by applying a mathematical algorithm that includes a filter for position data that removes inaccuracies based on in the noise and error propagation models, and the statistical signal properties of the signals in the first position data. The filter applies repetition and post-processing techniques to identify and remove noise, deviations and other unknown terms that result in a calibrated path that provides a significantly higher level of confidence to a user than that provided by a real-time solution. conventional. The errors in the first real-time position data are identified by comparing the first real-time path with the second calibrated path to identify the segments of the first path that show an unacceptable error. In one mode, errors are determined when the data differences exceed a defined threshold that is associated with a specified level of trust or credibility. The first position data, in some modalities, are then updated and corrected continuously to provide the second revised position data. The system can detect and continuously and automatically identify the storage location of the errors generated by the first real-time position data. The system can, in this way, provide a list of error correction data for an inventory or database, and report location errors or inventory status or simply update the inventory. Below is an example of the embodiments of the present invention. Although a narrowly integrated GPS / INS system typically reports its real-time position solutions when entering an area with fewer than four GPS coverage satellites over a long period of time, solutions can be derived far from the true positions. By providing the real-time post processing according to the present invention, the noise or the errors found can be corrected. The post-processing system can clearly identify the equivalent noise and derivation terms in the INS after the GPS system has recovered sufficient coverage for a period of time. The processor positioning system can subsequently adjust the INS position solutions with respect to the "good" GPS data segments before and after the "bad" GPS coverage areas, and truthfully resolve the past trajectories in areas between these "good" GPS coverage segments. By repeating the trajectory adjustment techniques using the data segments that can be adjusted until a statistically good fit between the calibrated past path and the "good" GPS path segments is achieved, the embodiments of the present invention can discover and correct the Real-time position errors with high probabilities while continuously reporting position solutions in real time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The additional details of the present invention are explained with the help of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a flow chart illustrating the basic operation of a method for tracking positions in real time and correcting the past trajectory of a mobile object in a real-time mode; Figure 2 is a flowchart for a method for tracking positions in real time as modified in Figure 1 to include two sensors, as well as to describe additional details of calibration and error correction; Figure * 3, ~ shows a block diagram of the components of a system of the present invention used to correct and track past positions of a mobile object; Figure 4 shows modifications to the system of Figure 3, which includes two sensors and shows more details of the components to provide the determination of the past trajectory; Figure 5 is a flow chart that provides modifications to Figure 1 to provide error corrections for events that occur after the acquired real-time data that may affect the position information; Figure 6 shows the system of Figure 4 modified to provide error correction events as described in the method steps of Figure 5; and Figure 7 shows a block diagram of a system architecture for tracking multiple moving articles and correcting position errors according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 is a flow chart illustrating the basic operation of a method for tracking positions in real time and correcting the past trajectory of a mobile object in a real-time mode. Initially, in Figure 1, the real-time data are obtained in step 100 from the position sensor. The position sensor typically includes a combination of a positioning sensor such as a GPS sensor, and a sensor indicating movement such as an INS or velocity sensor. In one embodiment, the position data includes a confidence level parameter indication of the position sensor. The position data obtained is provided to an inventory 101 for storage. The real-time position data is additionally provided to step 02 to determine the past paths that are stored in a past trajectory database 104. Ideally, the past trajectory in step 102 includes the available position solutions that have been obtained or reported in real time. The real-time position information of step 102 is also provided to the steps for determining the path errors beginning with step 106. In one embodiment, step 102 and step 106 include the determination of the path confidence level. or data when such determinations are available. To provide a calibrated trajectory to later allow to determine if trajectory errors occurred, in step 106 a path was determined based on the real-time position data after the data is filtered using mathematical filters or estimation formulas that determine better the subsequent positions in which errors potentially occur. In one embodiment, the estimation formulas include the terms or mathematical parameters that count for the cumulative effects of noise and errors in the position data. In a further embodiment, the estimation formulas additionally include noise and noise models that describe the propagation of noise and error in path calibration procedures. In step 106, the trajectory can be further processed by estimating and calibrating the noise and error terms to result in a more reliable past trajectory. In a further embodiment, step 106 includes adjusting the processed path later by calibrating the parameters to match the selected segments of the real-time path passed reliably. In step 108, the calculated trajectory is evaluated and if the trajectory is determined unacceptable it is sent back through a repetitive regression or adjustment procedure to calculate again the position data filtered more accurately in step 106 before evaluating them again in step 108. Once the path or segment of the path passes the evaluation in step 108, the procedure proceeds to step 110 to determine a calibrated path based on the filtered position data.

To determine the error path, the path calibrated in step 10 is compared with the past history of the database 104 to identify the position errors in step 112. If path error exceeds a predetermined range as determined in step 112, in a further step 116, a message error correction is sent to update the inventory 101. in one embodiment, the error correction information is further sent to update the database of past trajectory 104. steps The above are performed repeatedly to correct errors in the real-time positions passed since the new data is provided continuously by the position sensor. Figure 2 is a flowchart for a method for tracking real-time positions as modified from Figure 1, to include two types of sensors, as well as to write the additional details of calibration and error correction. The steps performed from Figure 1 are labeled in a similar manner, as will the steps or components made in the subsequent drawings. Initially, in Figure 2, the sensor signals are obtained in step 200 from a first position sensor, such as a GPS sensor and are processed in step 202 to provide position data in real time. In one embodiment, the position data includes the confidence level parameters from the position sensor. The real-time position data is then provided to a database 101 for storage in step 204.

In one embodiment, the position data may be reported as further illustrated in component 101. In step 212, the real-time position data of the first position sensor is processed to create a primary movement path that is stored in the past trajectory database 104. Further, in step 208, a second position sensor is used to collect the movement data. The collected movement data may be either in the form of a trajectory, or be used in step 214 to calculate the trajectory. In one embodiment, the second position sensor is an INS sensor. In another embodiment, the second position sensor includes inertial sensors and speed or wheel sensors. The second sensor INS system, data can be provided uninterrupted position when the first sensor data are blocked or distorted, in step 210. The position data lost by the first position sensor they can be calculated from the data of the second position sensor and then be provided to determine the positions in step 204. In other embodiments, the movement data of step 208 is also used for the real-time position solution in step 202. Once it is determines the past trajectory, either in step 212 or step 214, the path data last stored in the database 104. data position information in real time path may further be provided from steps 212 or 214 to step 218 to allow calibration to establish trajectory data processed subsequently within acceptable standards. In one embodiment, data stored background in step 104 are also used in step 218. In step 218 a past trajectory is determined using the path data described above after the data are filtered using mathematical filters or formulas estimate that best determine subsequent positions when position errors potentially occur. In one modality, the estimation formulas include terms or mathematical parameters that count for the effects of noise and errors in the position data. In the additional modalities, the estimation formulas also include noise and noise models that describe the propagation of noise effects in path calibration. In step 218, the trajectory is further processed by estimating and calibrating the noise and error terms to result in a more reliable past trajectory. In the additional mode, step 218 includes adjusting the processed trajectory later by calibrating the parameters to better match the calibrated path for the selected segments of real-time trajectories passed reliably. The calibration criteria, such as length of calibration data for the reliable path segments can be determined in step 216 using the first real-time position and the path values provided from steps 212 and the comparative data are verified in step 220 to determine if they are within an acceptable reliability region, and if not, the data is provided back to be calibrated again in step 216, and subsequently to be compared again in step 218. If the data are within an area of acceptable reliability after a number of repetitions, the data is used to generate a second trajectory processed later in step 1 0. The second trajectory calibrated from step 1 10, is then used to create data from new position that are compared in step 12 with the first past position data from database 104 to update to correct past position errors. If the errors are found to be outside the acceptable limits in step 116, the history database is updated with the corrected position errors. In an additional mode, report messages are generated to provide a user with the deployment that identifies the errors in the past real-time position data. The method of Figure 2, in this way, provides a tracking and correction of positions and trajectory in a continuous way of a mobile object using real-time positioning algorithms and processed subsequently. Although it is described with certain steps and database, in Figure 2 it should be understood that combinations or variations of the steps can be provided. For example, in a further embodiment, the database 101 may include second position data in addition to the first position data, the second position data includes the position corrections. In another embodiment, the database 101 is used to store trajectories in real time, as well as calibrated trajectories processed subsequently and combined with the trajectory database 104. With the storage of all the trajectory information, the past trajectories they can be continuously calibrated using subsequently processed positioning algorithms and any reliable segments of said calibrated past positions will be updated in the past trajectory database. Figure 3 shows a block diagram of the components of a system of the present invention used to correct and track past positions of a moving object. In this embodiment, real-time position information is obtained from a first sensor system 301 shown as a DGPS system 301, and a second sensor system, shown as an INS 302 system. Although the first sensor 301 is shown as a DGPS system and the second sensor 301 is shown as an INS system, it should be understood that other motion sensors could be used for the embodiments of the present invention. Additionally, it is contemplated that a single system, such as the DGPS system, could be used alone. The figures subsequent to Figure 3 will refer to the first sensor 301 and the second sensor 302 in a general manner. The DGPS system 301 and the INS 302 system can be located on a tracked article 300 (eg, a vehicle, a container, etc.), or remotely located with sensors that detect the position of the tracked article 300. The unit Differential GPS 301 and the INS 302 unit are shown as a narrowly coupled DGPS / INS system, with positions and trajectories determined in a combined processor 304. As an alternative, the GPS unit 301 and the INS 302 unit can be loosely coupled with interacting processors separately. Real-time position solutions can also be supported by an additional digital map 305, such as the one shown, or other sensors such as a speed sensor or wheel sensor, and compass. The system of Figure 3 additionally includes a position inventory 101 that can be a single memory device, or additionally includes a display to report position data and error information. A communication module 306, which may simply be a memory controller, or a more complex processor, is used to provide data to and from the position inventory 101. The communication module 306, receives the position data from the DGPS processor / INS 304, and provides the data to the DGPS / INS 304 processor to allow the calculation of the trajectories from the position inventory 101. An error correction module 310 is provided to correct the errors in the position data, especially for those that they were already sent to the inventory 101. The error correction module 310 can be formed from a processor, or logic configured to perform the necessary tasks, such as an FPGA or an ASIC. The error correction module 310 may be combined with the processor 304 in an embodiment of the present invention. The error correction module internally includes a memory and modules to perform the tasks to correct the position errors as described below. The position error correction module 310, initializes it includes a path database 104 that receives position information from the processor 304. The past path information is sent from the database 104 to a path analysis module. 314. Path analysis module 314 determines if any path error is within acceptable limits. If not, a calibration step 216 is used to modify the criteria and data segments for the subsequently processed trajectory adjustment before performing the path analysis 314 again. In step 318 a path can be determined using mathematical filters or estimation formulas that better determine the subsequent positions when position errors potentially occur, as described above. Once the path analysis module 314 determines that the data is within acceptable limits, a calibrated path is generated in the module 110 (if it was not previously generated as part of the path analysis), and a comparator 112 is used. to compare the calibrated path with the past path of the database 104. If the comparison indicates that the past path of 104 is outside the acceptable range, the correction information is provided from the module 116 back to the communication module 306 The communication module 306 then updates the position data in the position inventory 101, and / or alternatively causes errors to be reported. Figure 4 shows modifications for the system of Figure 3, which illustrate two general sensors 301 and 302 together with more details of components to provide the determination of the past trajectory. The figure 4, further shows how the components may be distributed, with a calibrated path determined using the navigation computer 400, and with the error correction performed in a separate error correction module 420. The error correction module 420 may be, in this way, located separately from the navigation computer 400 and potentially does not reside on the tracked article 300, but in a separate stationary location. To determine the trajectories, the navigation computer 400 includes a primary path generator 402 connected to receive data from the first position sensor 301 and possibly from the position inventory 101 through the communication module 306, allowing the calculation of a path of movement for the tracked article 300. Similarly, the navigation computer includes a secondary path generator 404 connected to the second position sensor 302. The secondary path generator is also connected to the position inventory 101 through the communications module 306 if the second sensor 302 does not provide movement data. The path generators 402 and 404 are synchronized with the synchronizer 405, and provide data for the past path generator 406. The past path generator 406 determines whether the primary path data is accurate from the 402, and if there are no resources for the path. include the secondary path generator 404 to provide the trajectories. The past path generator 406 also provides at least one path passed to the past trajectory database 104. In one embodiment, the past path includes the past position data sent to the position inventory 101. The past path generator 406 , also provides an output to a calibrated path determination module 408. The module 408 provides the combined function of the modules 314, 216 and 318 of Figure 3, and can be separated into separate modules. The output of module 408 is then provided to a calibrated path generator 110 if a calibrated path is not yet generated. The error correction modules include the path error identifier 1 12 which receives path data calibrated from the generator 1 10, as well as a path passed from the database 104, and determines whether the errors are within the limits acceptable If not, a past error corrector 116 sends a message to the communication module 306, and also sends a corrected update to the past trajectory database 104. The communication module 306 then functions to update the position inventory 101 , and provides error information to a report module 422 and a warning module 424. It should be noted that although communication module 306 is used, communication can be performed directly, such as between the error corrector passed 116 and the warning module 424. Additionally, a device, such as a wireless communication device, may be included in a meter to transfer the data between the navigation computer 400 and the error correction module 420. In one embodiment, the navigation computer 400 and the error correction module 420. Additionally, the position inventory can be connected to an in Use the user to view the data as described above. Figure 5 is a flow chart that provides modifications to Figure 1 to provide error corrections for events that occur during and after the data is acquired in real time. The recording of events in a database can be susceptible to position precisions, especially when said events indicate the inventory transactions, for example, the collection of a container from a certain location at a specific time, or moving several inventories around different locations. An event may also occur to provide erroneous data in a number of ways. For example, if the tracked article has a GPS sensor as a first position sensor 301 and travels through a tunnel lock GPS reception, the second position sensor 302, such as an INS sensor, provides the position data. . The INS data, however, can vary significantly from a current location, particularly the more the INS system is used without reference to the GPS position data. A similar event can occur if some of the satellites that provide GPS data in a location become inactive, for example, due to blocking or reflection, which significantly reduces the accuracy of the data that is being received, but then returns to online to provide extremely accurate data. To correct errors when an event occurs, a state sensor 500 is initially included to alert an interface or user controller, provided with a position inventory 101 to indicate when an event occurs, whether it affects or is linked to the events. position data obtained previously. The status sensor 500 can be attached to the article being tracked, or joined where the first position sensor 301 is located or where the event can be observed. The position inventory and the event management system 101 respond to the status sensor 500 by providing position data to an event trajectory database 504, allowing the determination of the trajectories during the same time in which the event occurred that I could either create or be linked to erroneous past data. In one embodiment, the event trajectory database 504 is combined with the past trajectory database 104, although they are separated in Figure 5 for the purposes of illustration. Additionally, the position inventory and the event management system 101 sends data for the purpose of calibration to provide for further processing of the path for step 106 when the event occurs. The calibrated position data is then generated in a repetitive or regression procedure in steps 106 and 108, and a calibrated path for the event data is generated in step 110. In FIG. 5, steps 502 and 506 are provided. for the evaluation of the calibrated event trajectory. In one embodiment, the steps 502 and 506 are combined with the respective steps 112 and 116, which perform the same function for the real-time data that is being collected, the steps operate simultaneously. In step 502, the past paths of the database 504 are compared with the event paths calibrated from step 110. If the past paths are determined to have errors greater than the acceptable limits in step 502, the trajectory calibrated from step 110 is used in step 506 to provide corrected data for the position inventory 101 and for the event path database 504. The position inventory and the event management system 101 continue to send event data for the event. Calibration until all data events have been verified again and determined to be within acceptable limits. In one mode, the rules and logic to trace back the event are used in step 01 to optimize the new verification of event data when the potential propagation of inventory errors occurs. Figure 6 shows the system of Figure 4 modified to provide correction of event error as described in the steps of the method of Figure 5. The system of Figure 4 is modified to include a status sensor 500 for detecting events, and to include an event tracker and resource 604 to allow correction of the event data. The past trajectory database 104 provides the combined function of the event trajectory database 504 and the past trajectory database 104 of Figure 5, although they could be separated. Similarly, the path error identifier 1 12 serves to identify errors between the calibrated and passed data, although a separate event error identifier could be used. During the operation, once an event is detected by the status sensor 500, the position inventory and event management 101 operates the event and resource tracker 604 to re-process the data received during the event. The event and resource tracker 604 provides the data for calibration to the module 408, and the resulting errors are detected and the correction data is returned to the communications module. In one embodiment, the event and resource tracker 604 also schedules a new event trace procedure when a past error has already propagated to create additional inventory errors.

As in the case of Figure 4, in Figure 6, the components on the navigation computer 400 and the event correction module 429 can be combined into a single or distributed unit to better serve the particular design requirements. Figure 7 shows a block diagram of a system architecture for tracking multiple moving articles 700I-700N, and correcting position errors according to the present invention. The 700 700N mobile items each include the components shown in Figure 6, although it should be understood that some components, such as the 400I-400N navigation computers, can be combined and moved away from the 700r700N mobile items within a stationary unit. separated. Similarly, the stationary components shown in Figure 7, such as the inventory module and event error correction 420 may be separated and included in each of the 700 700N mobile articles. In Figure 7, the tracking and error correction components are shown in the block diagram of Figure 6, although it should be understood that more limited components could be used, such as those in Figure 1. Although the present invention has previously described with particularity, this was only intended to teach an expert in the art how to make and use the present invention. Many additional modifications will be within the scope of the present invention, as that scope is defined by the following claims.

Claims (16)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A position tracking system, comprising: a positioning unit associated with a mobile object to provide first position data of the mobile object that allows providing a first real-time path indicating the movement of the object; a data storage unit for storing the first position data; a navigation processing module for generating the second trajectory data calibrated from the first position data; and an error correction calculation module for comparing the second path data calibrated from the navigation processing module with the first path data and generating the correction data indicating the corrections in the first position data.

2. - The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a report module connected to the error correction module to provide the messages indicating a location of data errors in the first position error as stored in the data storage unit.

3. - The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the positioning unit comprises: a first position sensor for providing real-time position data of the moving object for the determination of the first position data; and a second sensor for providing at least one of the following information that supports the determination of the first path of the moving object: linear motion data, angular motion data, linear velocity data, angular velocity data, linear acceleration data and angular acceleration data.

4. - The system according to claim 3, further characterized in that the first position sensor includes a receiver of the global positioning system (GPS); and the second sensor includes at least one component of a coasting system (INS).

5. - The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the positioning unit includes at least one sensor for providing the first position data in real time and a processor that determines the first path; and wherein the navigation module uses at least one output from the positioning unit to generate the second path data from the first real-time position data using an algorithm to filter the first stored position data to provide for at least one segment of the second trajectory with greater precision than the first trajectory.

6. - The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the navigation module generates a segment the second path using mathematical formulas a number of times until the segment is statistically reliable based on a previously determined standard.

7. - The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the error correction calculation module updates the first position data with the corrected data by storing the corrected data instead of some of the first position data in the unit. of data storage.

8. - The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the error correction calculation module updates the first position data with the corrected data to provide the second position data and stores the second position data in the unit of data storage.

9. - The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the error correction calculation module reports the corrected data to a user interface.

10. - The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the positioning unit comprises: sensors to receive the position data; and a digital map to correlate it with the position data of the sensors to provide the first position data and the first trajectory in real time.

11. - The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the positioning unit resides in the mobile object, and wherein the navigation processing module and the error correction calculation module reside far from the mobile object and are linked wirelessly to the positioning unit.

12. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the positioning unit and the navigation processing module reside in the mobile object, and wherein the error correction calculation module resides away from the mobile object and is linked wirelessly to the positioning unit and the navigation processing module.

13. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the positioning unit, the navigation processing module and the error correction calculation module reside in the mobile object.

14. A method for providing position data for a mobile object comprising the steps of: obtaining first position data of the mobile object in a real-time mode; storing the first position data in at least one timed sequence; determine a first trajectory based in part on the first position data; calculating the movement of the position data of the moving object using a post-processing estimation filter to provide a second path more accurately representing the movement of the object instead of the first path; correlating the first path with the second path to identify the segments of the first position data that require correction; and generate correction data indicating the corrections in the first position data.

15. - A resource tracking inventory system comprising a processor with a readable storage medium, the storage medium stores the inventory data to allow the tracking of a mobile object by the processor, the storage medium: stores first position data of the mobile object in at least one timed sequence; storing a first path indicating movement of the moving object based in part on the first position data; storing a second trajectory indicating the movement of the moving object, the second trajectory obtained from the first position data using a filter that includes subsequent processing estimation algorithms in such a way that the second trajectory predicts more precisely the movement of the object in place of the first trajectory; and storing the revised position data indicating the revisions to the first position data based on a comparison of the first path with the second path.

16. - The system according to claim 15, further characterized in that the storage means additionally stores the event data of the mobile object in a database, and wherein the processor additionally reviews the event data by retracing the sequence of events. event based on the revised position data of the mobile object.