SENSOR-BASED ORIENTATION SYSTEM

• US 20070214886A1
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheynblat, Leo
• Granted Patent: US 7,533,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/509
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/166 Mechanical, construction or arrangement details of inertial navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

A method for measuring positional changes of an object, including rotation about any or all of three axes, using linear accelerometers. There is disclosed a method of using a linear accelerometer to integrate two other 3D linear accelerometers in order to measure and supply for further use six-dimensional information, that is, translation in three dimensions and rotation about three axes. Two linear accelerometer sensors are used to determine all but one of the variables in the six degrees of freedom. Output from a third accelerometer generates the data need to determine a sixth, rotational, degree of freedom. The need for a gyroscope for detecting changes in heading (i.e., yaw of azimuth) may therefore be avoided.

Claims

1. A method for measuring motion and changes in orientation of an object in six degrees of freedom, comprising the steps of:

providing on the object a first and second linear accelerometers disposed on an imaginary axis;

disposing on the object a third linear accelerator disposed off the imaginary axis;

measuring with the first and second linear accelerometers the linear movement of the object in relation to an x-y-z coordinate system;

measuring with the first and second linear accelerometers the angular rotation of the object in relation to two axes of rotation; and

determining from at least one output of the third linear accelerator any movement of the imaginary axis in relation to the x-y-z coordinate system.