UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLE (UGV) INDOOR TRACKING SYSTEM

A PRECISION VEHICLE TRACKING SYSTEM (PVTS) THAT PROVIDES VERY ACCURATE POSITION INFORMATION FOR UGV'S IN A ROBOTICS TEST FACILITY IS PROPOSED. THE PVTS RELIES ON A SMALL (LESS THAN 10 CUBIC INCHES), LIGHTWEIGHT (LESS THAN 1 LB.) FREQUENCY HOPPED TRANSMITTER WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE UGV. NO TETHER OR HARD-WIRE CONNECTION FROM THE UGV TO THE CONTROL STATION IS REQUIRED. THIS SYSTEM WILL SUPPORT TRACKING OF MULTIPLE UGV'S SIMULTANEOUSLY AND CAN PROVIDE ORIENTATION INFORMATION IN ADDITION TO X, Y POSITION DATA. THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO COUNTERACT THE SEVERE MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE ENVIRONMENT RESULTING FROM OPERATION WITHIN A METAL BUILDING. THE DESIGN IS CONSISTANT WITH THE RUGGEDIZATION REQUIRED FOR OPERATION IN A SEVERE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT. THE OVERALL PROPOSED SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE PROCUREMENT AND LIFE CYCLE COST, ELIMINATE ACCURACY DEGRADATION WITH TIME AND TEMPERATURE, AND NOT INTERFERE WITH OTHER TEST FACILITY SYSTEMS. PHASE I PROGRAM OBJECTIVES ARE TO DESIGN, SIMULATE, EVALUATE, DOCUMENT AND PROVIDE A PROOF OF CONCEPT DEMONSTRATION FOR THE PVTS. IF SUCCESSFUL, THE PROGRAM WOULD LEAD TO INSTALLATION OF THE PVTS INTO A ROBOTICS TEST FACILITY IN PHASE II.