Title :
A precision automatic vehicle location system for use in construction automation
Author :
Feuerstein, Martin J. ; Pratt, Timothy ; Beliveau, Yvan J.
Author_Institution :
Virginia Polytech. Inst., Blacksburg, VA, USA
Abstract :
A prototype automatic position and control system is being developed for use in position-sensitive construction processes. The system, operating in the 400-450 MHz UHF band, provides three-dimensional location information within the construction site. The three-dimensional data from the system are available in near real time as input to a CAD database of the construction project. The vehicle to be located is equipped with a spread spectrum beacon transmitter and its position is found using a hyperbolic phase ranging system. Several methods of improving the accuracy of the system in the presence of multipath interference have been investigated. A computer simulator has been developed using Monte Carlo analysis to predict system error performance and thus evaluate the effectiveness of various multipath defeating techniques. Antenna diversity and receiver diversity have been found to improve dramatically the overall accuracy. Weighting techniques are used to reject data contaminated with large multipath errors.<>
Keywords :
Monte Carlo methods; construction industry; digital simulation; diversity reception; interference suppression; position control; position measurement; radiofrequency interference; spread spectrum communication; vehicles; 400 to 450 MHz; CAD database; Monte Carlo analysis; UHF; accuracy; antenna diversity; automatic vehicle location system; computer simulator; construction site; hyperbolic phase ranging system; multipath interference; receiver diversity; spread spectrum beacon transmitter; three-dimensional location information; Automatic control; Computer errors; Control systems; Databases; Interference; Prototypes; Real time systems; Spread spectrum communication; Transmitters; Vehicles;
Conference_Titel :
Vehicle Navigation and Information Systems Conference, 1989. Conference Record
Conference_Location :
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Print_ISBN :
0-9692316-2-8
DOI :
10.1109/VNIS.1989.98763
