Inertial sensing device

• US 10,563,985 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2019
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Song, Jian Yu, Shi, Ren Li, Wang, Tao
• Primary Examiner(s): LaBalle, Clayton E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butler, Kevin C
• Application Number:
  US16/253,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20190154447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 73493
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/00 Gyroscopes; Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses; Turn-sensitive devices without moving masses; Measuring angular rate using gyroscopic effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/04 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5783 Mountings or housings not specific to any of the devices covered by groups G01C19/5607 - G01C19/5719
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/02 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/08 with conversion into electric or magnetic values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

An apparatus for determining a spatial disposition of a movable object includes a support base configured to be carried by the movable object, a first inertial sensor coupled to the support base via a first damping element configured to damp motion of the first inertial sensor, and a second inertial sensor coupled to the support base via a second damping element configured to damp motion of the second inertial sensor. The first inertial sensor and the second inertial sensor are of different sensor types. The first damping element and the second damping element have different damping properties.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining a spatial disposition of a movable object comprising:

a support base configured to be carried by the movable object;

a first inertial sensor coupled to the support base via a first damping element configured to damp motion of the first inertial sensor; and

a second inertial sensor coupled to the support base via a second damping element configured to damp motion of the second inertial sensor;

wherein;

the first inertial sensor and the second inertial sensor are of different sensor types; and

the first damping element and the second damping element have different damping properties.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first inertial sensor and the second inertial sensor require different amounts of damping; and

the damping properties of the first damping element and the second damping element are selected to provide the different amounts of damping, respectively.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the first inertial sensor includes an accelerometer and the second inertial sensor includes a gyroscope; and

the damping properties of the first damping element and the second damping element are selected to provide a larger amount of damping to the accelerometer than to the gyroscope.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the accelerometer includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer and the gyroscope includes a MEMS gyroscope.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the damping properties of the first damping element and the second damping element include stiffnesses of the first damping element and the second damping element; and

the stiffness of the first damping element is less than the stiffness of the second damping element.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the stiffness of the first damping element is selected to reduce noise associated with a signal produced by the accelerometer; and

the stiffness of the second damping element is selected to reduce noise associated with a signal produced by the gyroscope.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the damping properties include stiffnesses and/or viscoelasticities of the first damping element and the second damping element.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the damping properties include stiffnesses of the first damping element and the second damping element; and

the stiffness of the first damping element is less than the stiffness of the second damping element.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first damping element and the second damping element includes at least one of a sponge material, a foam material, a rubber material, a piezoelectric material or a shape memory material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first damping element and the second damping element has at least one of an active damping characteristic or a passive damping characteristic.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first damping element and the second damping element includes at least one of a spring, a piston, a hydraulic, a pneumatic, a dashpot, a shock absorber, or an isolator.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first damping element and the second damping element includes a spring characterized by a spring coefficient and a damper characterized by a damping coefficient.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first inertial sensor is embedded within or enclosed by the first damping element; and

the second inertial sensor is embedded within or enclosed by the second damping element.

14. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a vehicle body; and

an apparatus carried by the vehicle body and configured to determine a spatial disposition of the UAV;

the apparatus including;

a support base carried by the body;

a first inertial sensor coupled to the support base via a first damping element configured to damp motion of the first inertial sensor; and

a second inertial sensor coupled to the support base via a second damping element configured to damp motion of the second inertial sensor;

wherein;

the first inertial sensor and the second inertial sensor are of different sensor types; and

the first damping element and the second damping element have different damping properties.

15. The UAV of claim 14, wherein:

the first inertial sensor and the second inertial sensor require different amounts of damping; and

the damping properties of the first damping element and the second damping element are selected to provide the different amounts of damping, respectively.

16. The UAV of claim 15, wherein:

the first inertial sensor includes an accelerometer and the second inertial sensor includes a gyroscope; and

the damping properties of the first damping element and the second damping element are selected to provide a larger amount of damping to the accelerometer than to the gyroscope.

17. The UAV of claim 16, wherein:

the damping properties of the first damping element and the second damping element include stiffnesses of the first damping element and the second damping element; and

the stiffness of the first damping element is less than the stiffness of the second damping element.

18. The UAV of claim 14, wherein the damping properties include stiffnesses and/or viscoelasticities of the first damping element and the second damping element.

19. The UAV of claim 18, wherein:

the damping properties include stiffnesses of the first damping element and the second damping element; and

the stiffness of the first damping element is less than the stiffness of the second damping element.

20. The UAV of claim 14, wherein the support base is rigidly connected to the vehicle body.