Wireless positioning method for transmission pipe gallery inspection robot based on the TDOA algorithm

Abstract

A wireless sensor network for positioning an inspection robot is developed for a transmission pipe gallery environment. The time difference of the arrival algorithm optimized by the least squares method is utilized to realize the wireless positioning function of the robot in the inspection process. The developed system adopts a spiral configuration to install the sensor nodes at equal intervals on the sidewall of the transmission pipe gallery, and only 10 sensor nodes closest to the wireless signal transmission source are activated for each measurement, which avoids the poor long-distance measurement effect of the sensor, ensures sufficient accuracy, and reduces calculation costs. A wireless positioning simulation test was conducted in an experimental transmission corridor environment. The error of the simulation results is equivalent to the measurement error of a single sensor, and the error is not accumulated in the calculation of the algorithm, indicating that the algorithm has achieved good results.