• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.702-708
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• 2013

Underwater TRN (Underwater Terrain Referenced Navigation) estimates an underwater vehicle state by measuring a distance between the vehicle and undersea terrain, and comparing it with the known terrain database. TRN belongs to absolute navigation methods, which are used to compensate a drift error of dead reckoning measurements such as IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) or DVL (Doppler Velocity Log). However, underwater TRN is different to other absolute methods such as USBL (Ultra-Short Baseline) and LBL (Long Baseline), because TRN is independent of the external environment. As a magnetic-field-based navigation, TRN is a kind of geophysical navigation. This paper develops an EKF (Extended Kalman Filter) formulation for underwater TRN. A filter propagation part is composed by an inertial navigation system, and a filter update is executed with echo-sounder measurement. For large-initial-error cases, an adaptive EKF approach is also presented, to keep the filter be stable. At the end, simulation studies are given to verify the performance of the proposed TRN filter. With simplified sensor and terrain database models, the simulation results show that the underwater TRN could support conventional underwater navigation methods.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.131-139
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• 2013

In recent years alternative navigation system such as a DBRN (Data-Base Referenced Navigation) system using geophysical information is getting attention in the military navigation systems in advanced countries. Specifically TRN (Terrain Referenced Navigation) algorithm research is important because TRN system is a practical DBRN application in South Korea at present time. This paper presents an integrated navigation algorithm that combines a linear profile-based TRN and INS (Inertial Navigation System). We propose a correlation analysis method between TRN performance and terrain roughness index. Then we propose a conditional position update scheme that utilizes the position output of the conventional linear profile type TRN depending on the terrain roughness index. Performance of the proposed algorithm is verified through Monte Carlo computer simulations using the actual terrain database. The results show that the TRN/INS integrated algorithm, even when the initial INS error is present, overcomes the shortcomings of linear profile-based TRN and improves navigation performance.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.307-314
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• 2017

Terrain referenced navigation(TRN) system is an attractive method for obtaining position based on terrain measurements and a terrain map. We focus on TRN systems based on the point mass filter(PMF) which is one of the recursive Bayesian method. In this paper, we propose two kinds of performance index for Bayesian filter. The proposed indices are based on entropy and mutual information from information theory. The first index measures roughness of terrain based on entropy of likelihood. The second index named by information gain, which is the mutual information between priori and posteriori distribution, is a quantity of information gained by updating measurement at each step. The proposed two indices are used to determine whether the solution from TRN is adequate for TRN/INS integration or not, and this scheme gives the performance improvement. Simulation result shows that the proposed indices are meaningful and the proposed algorithm performs better than normal TRN algorithm.

• Spatial Information Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.363-370
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• 2007

This study has been carried for the development of the basic algorithm of helicopter navigation system based on TRN (Terrain Referenced Navigation) with information input from the GPS. The helicopter determines flight path due to Origination-Destination analysis on the Cartesian coordinate system of 3-D DTM. This system shows 3-D mesh map and the O-D flight path profile for the pilot's acknowledgement of the terrain, at first. The system builds TCF (terrain clearance floor) far the buffer zone upon the surface of ground relief to avid the ground collision. If the helicopter enters to the buffer zone during navigation, the real-time warning message which commands to raise the body pops up using Matlab menu. While departing or landing, control of the height of the body is possible. At present, the information (x, y, z coordinates) from the GPS is assumed to be input into the system every 92.8 m of horizontal distance while navigating along flight path. DTM of 3" interval has been adopted from that which was provided by ChumSungDae Co., Ltd..

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.83-92
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• 2022

This paper analyzes the performance of the IRA(Interferometric Radar Altimeter) by terrain type for estimating reliability of TRN(Terrain Referenced Navigation). The accuracy of the altitude is one of the key parameters of TRN's accuracy. When the antenna of the IRA has wide beamwidth, its altitude accuracy is directly affected by the configuration of the earth's surface. Hence, the accuracy and reliability of TRN can also be affected and may cause ambiguity in positioning. We present analysis data for estimating the reliability of TRN by modeling several topographies and analyzing the performance of the IRA. The results of the analysis are verified by comparison with test data.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.384-390
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• 2012

In this paper, we analyzed the navigation error of TERCOM (TErrain COntour Matching), which is TRN (Terrain Referenced Navigation) batch processing, caused by scale factor error of radar altimeter and proved the possibility of false position fix when we use the TERCOM's feature matching algorithm. Based on these, we proposed the new TRN batch processing algorithm using the slope measurements of terrain. The proposed technique measures on periodic changes in the slope of the terrain elevation profile, and these measurements are used in the feature matching algorithm. By using the slope of terrain data, the impact of scale factor errors can be compensated. By simulation, we verified improved outcome using this approach compared to the result using the conventional method.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.85-90
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• 2013

This paper presents a study on terrain referenced navigation (TRN). The extended Kalman filter (EKF) is adopted as a filter method. A Jacobian matrix of measurement equations in the EKF consists of terrain slope terms, and accurate slope estimation is essential to keep filter stability. Two slope estimation methods are proposed in this study. Both methods are based on the least-squares approach. One is planar regression searching the best plane, in the least-squares sense, representing the terrain map over the region, determined by position error covariance. It is shown that the method could provide a more accurate solution than the previously developed linear regression approach, which uses lines rather than a plane in the least-squares measure. The other proposed method is weighted planar regression. Additional weights formed by Gaussian pdf are multiplied in the planar regression, to reflect the actual pdf of the position estimate of EKF. Monte Carlo simulations are conducted, to compare the performance between the previous and two proposed methods, by analyzing the filter properties of divergence probability and convergence speed. It is expected that one of the slope estimation methods could be implemented, after determining which of the filter properties is more significant at each mission.

• Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference
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• 2007.10c
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• pp.130-134
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• 2007

본 연구는 지형참조항법(TRN; Terrain Referenced Navigation)에 근거하는 헬리콥터 항법 시스템을 위한 기본 알고리즘을 개발하기 위해 수행되었다. 현재 본 연구에 위성항법장치(GPS; Global Positioning System)로부터의 정보(X, Y, Z 좌표)는 비행체가 항로를 비행하는 중 매 92.8m의 수평거리로 환산하여 수신되는 것으로 가정하였다. 비행체는 3차원 직교 좌표 체계(Cartesian coordinate system)로 표현되는 수치지형모델 (DTM; Digital Terrain Model)상에서 시점(Origination)-종점(Destination) 기법에 의해 항로를 결정한다. 본 시스템은 우선 조종사에게 지형의 사전 인식을 위해 시점-종점 주변 3차원 지형도와 항로의 종단면도를 보여준다. 본 시스템은 직접적인 지상 충돌을 피하기 위해 지형 여유 층면(terrain clearance floor)의 개념을 도입, 기복 지형 표면에 일정 높이의 완충 공간을 설정한다. 만약 비행체가 항행 중 완충 공간에 접근하게 되면 본 시스템은 즉시 경고음과 메시지를 발한다(Matlab 메뉴를 사용하였음). 물론 헬리콥터의 이착륙 시에는 불필요한 경고를 발생시키지 않기 위해 완충 공간 조정은 가능하다. 수치지형모델은 (주)첨성대가 확보하고 있는 3초 간격의 DTM을 채택, 작성하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.108-117
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• 2012

This paper focuses on a performance analysis of TRN among various nonlinear filtering methods. In a TRN research, extended Kalman filter(EKF) is a basic estimation algorithm. In this paper, iterated EKF(IEKF), EKF with stochastic linearization(SL), and unscented Kalman filter(UKF) algorithms are introduced to compare navigation performance with original EKF. In addition to introduced sequential filters, bank of Kalman filters method, which is one of the batch method, is also presented. Finally, by simulating an artificial aircraft mission, EKF with SL was chosen as the most consistent filter in the introduced sequential filters. Also, results suggested that the bank of Kalman filters can be alternative for TRN, when a fast convergence of navigation solution is needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.373-382
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• 2016

In this study, an EKF (Extended Kalman Filter) based database reference navigation using both gravity gradient and terrain data was performed to complement the weakness of using only one type of geophysical DB (Database). Furthermore, a new algorithm which combines the EKF and profile matching was developed to improve the stability and accuracy of the positioning. On the basis of simulations, it was found that the overall navigation performance was improved by the combination of geophysical DBs except the two trajectories in which the divergence of TRN (Terrain Referenced Navigation) occurred. To solve the divergence problem, the profile matching algorithm using the terrain data is combined with the EKF. The results show that all trajectories generate the stable performance with positioning error ranges between 14m to 23m although not all trajectories positioning accuracy is improved. The average positioning error from the combined algorithm for all nine trajectories is about 18 m. For further study, a development of a switching geophysical DB or algorithm between the EKF and the profile matching to improve the navigation performance is suggested.