Patent Document ID: 8554478
Application ID: 11678313
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of navigating with use of correlation position determination, the method comprising: identifying an initial location and heading of an operator-less vehicle in a select area, the operator-less vehicle including a ranging device and a processor; conducting a 360° range scan with the ranging device while the operator-less vehicle is initially traversing throughout the select area; storing data from the range scan required to reconstruct ranges and associated angles to objects into a scene database wherein the range scan data is stored with respect to an earth reference heading at selected angular implements; estimating an initial location of the operator-less vehicle—ring a subsequent traversal of the select area; measuring current ranges and associated angles to the objects with the ranging device during the subsequent traversal by the operator-less vehicle throughout the select area; correlating the current ranges and associated angles to the objects to reconstructed ranges and associated angles to the objects from the stored data using the processor; determining at least one of current location and heading estimates within the select area based at least in part on correlation results using the processor; and using the at least one of the current location and heading estimates for navigation.