GPS/Optical Encoder Based Navigation Methods for dsPIC Microcontroled Mobile Vehicle

Abstract: Optical encoders are being widely suggested for precise mobile navigation. Combining such sensor information with Global Positioning System (GPS) is a practical solution for reducing the accumulated errors from encoders and moving the navigational base into global coordinates with high accuracy. This thesis presents integration methods of GPS and optical encoders for a mobile vehicle that is controlled by microcontroller. The system analyzed includes a commercial GPS receiver, dsPIC microcontroller and mobile vehicle with optical encoders. Extended kalman filtering (EKF), real time curve matching, GPS filtering methods are compared and contrasted which are used for integrating sensors data. Moreover, computer interface, encoder interface and motor control module of dsPIC microprocessor have been used and explained. Navigation quality on low speeds highly depends greatly upon the processing of GPS data. Integration of sensor data is simulated for both EKF and real time curve matching technique and different behaviors are observed. Both methods have significantly improved the accuracy of the navigation. However, EKF has more advantages on solving the localization problem where it is also dealing with the uncertainties of the systems.