INTEGRATED DEAD RECKONING AND GNSS/INS POSITIONING

1 . A method of storing, positioning and retrieving containers in a containerized cargo handling facility, which method includes the steps of:

providing the vehicle with a GNSS receiver;

providing the vehicle with a processor connected to the GNSS receiver;

providing the vehicle with a dead reckoning subsystem connected to the processor;

providing the dead reckoning subsystem with a dead reckoning sensor connected to the vehicle and the processor;

providing GNSS positioning signal inputs from said receiver to said processor;

providing dead reckoning signals corresponding to movement of said vehicle from said dead reckoning sensor to said processor;

integrating in said processor GNSS positioning signals and dead reckoning signals; and

guiding said vehicle utilizing said integrated signals.

2 . The method of claim 1 , which includes the additional steps of:

equipping said vehicle with a wheel position sensor including a drive shaft encoder; and

providing distance and direction inputs to said processor from said wheel position sensor.

3 . The method of claim 2 , which includes the additional steps of:

equipping said vehicle with an inertial navigation system (INS) including a gyroscope and/or an accelerometer.

4 . The method of claim 2 , which includes the additional steps of:

calibrating the dead reckoning subsystem with GNSS positioning inputs.

5 . The method of claim 3 , which includes the additional steps of:

calibrating the INS with GNSS positioning inputs.

6 . The method of claim 1 , which includes the additional steps of:

providing said vehicle with an optical reader;

connecting said optical reader to said processor;

providing information on said containers visible to said optical reader;

scanning said container information with said optical reader;

providing input signals to said processor from said optical reader corresponding to information scanned by said optical reader; and

controlling said vehicle using said container information.

7 . The method of claim 1 , which includes the additional step of:

equipping said vehicle with an autosteer subsystem connected to said processor; and

automatically steering said vehicle with control signals from said processor.

8 . The method of claim 1 , which includes the additional steps of:

calculating with GNSS latitude and longitude scale factors;

snapping a vehicle position to a GNSS-derived latitude and longitude; and

generating latitude and longitude value changes based on heading and distance values detected by said dead reckoning subsystem and said INS.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein said vehicle comprises a forklift with a cab and a mast connected to said cab, which method includes the additional steps of:

providing a first GNSS antenna mounted on said cab;

providing a second GNSS antenna mounted on said mast; and

providing GNSS measurements to said processor from said first and second GNSS antennas; and

determining an attitude of said vehicle from said the GNSS measurements.

10 . The method of claim 1 , which includes the additional steps of:

providing said facility with a waterfront wharf for marine vessels;

providing said facility with road and/or railroad facilities for access by trucks and/or trains;

providing said facility with a gantry crane for transferring cargo containers to and from marine vessels and trucks;

providing said facility with a forklift for transferring and stacking cargo containers in staging areas; and

equipping and controlling operation of said marine vessels, trucks and/or trains, gantry crane and forklift with respective GNSS systems.

11 . A method of storing, positioning and retrieving containers in a containerized cargo handling facility with stacks of containers accessible via aisles formed between said container stacks, which method includes the steps of:

providing a vehicle chosen from among the group comprising: forklift; gantry crane; and

truck configured for transporting cargo containers;

providing said vehicle with a GNSS subsystem including a GNSS receiver;

providing the vehicle with a processor connected to the GNSS receiver;

providing the vehicle with a dead reckoning subsystem including a wheel sensor connected to a vehicle wheel;

connecting the dead reckoning subsystem to the processor;

providing an inertial navigation system (INS) connected to the processor;

providing the dead reckoning subsystem with a dead reckoning sensor connected to the vehicle and the processor;

providing GNSS positioning signal inputs from said receiver to said processor;

providing dead reckoning signals corresponding to movement of said vehicle to said processor;

integrating in said processor GNSS positioning signals and dead reckoning signals; and

guiding said vehicle utilizing said integrated signals.

12 . An integrated dead reckoning and GNSS method of positioning a vehicle, which method comprises the steps

providing the vehicle with a GNSS receiver;

providing the vehicle with a processor connected to the GNSS receiver;

providing the vehicle with a dead reckoning subsystem;

providing the dead reckoning subsystem with a dead reckoning sensor connected to the vehicle and the processor;

providing GNSS positioning signal inputs from said receiver to said processor;

providing dead reckoning signals corresponding to movement of said vehicle to said processor;

integrating in said processor GNSS positioning signals and dead reckoning signals; and

guiding said vehicle utilizing said integrated signals.

13 . The method of claim 12 , which includes the additional steps of:

equipping said vehicle with a wheel position sensor including a drive shaft encoder; and

providing distance and direction inputs to said processor from said wheel position sensor.

14 . The method of claim 13 , which includes the additional steps of:

equipping said vehicle with an inertial navigation system (INS) including a gyroscope and/or an accelerometer.

15 . The method of claim 13 , which includes the additional steps of:

calibrating the dead reckoning subsystem with GNSS positioning inputs.

16 . The method of claim 14 , which includes the additional steps of:

calibrating the INS with GNSS positioning inputs.

17 . The method of claim 12 , which includes the additional steps of:

providing said vehicle with an optical reader;

connecting said optical reader to said processor; and

providing input signals to said processor from said optical reader corresponding to information scanned by said optical reader.

18 . The method of claim 12 , which includes the additional step of:

equipping said vehicle with an autosteer subsystem connected to said processor; and

automatically steering said vehicle with control signals from said processor.

19 . The method of claim 12 , which includes the additional steps of:

calculating with GNSS latitude and longitude scale factors;

snapping a vehicle position to a GNSS-derived latitude and longitude; and

generating latitude and longitude value changes based on heading and distance phase detected by said dead reckoning subsystem and said INS.

20 . A system for storing, positioning and retrieving containers in a containerized cargo handling facility, which system includes:

a GNSS receiver;

a processor connected to the GNSS receiver;

a dead reckoning subsystem connected to the processor;

the dead reckoning subsystem including a dead reckoning sensor connected to the vehicle and the processor;

GNSS positioning signal inputs from said receiver to said processor;

dead reckoning signals corresponding to movement of said vehicle from said dead reckoning sensor to said processor;

said processor being configured to integrate GNSS positioning signals and dead reckoning signals; and

said processor being configured to guide to said vehicle utilizing said integrated signals.