SENSOR-BASED ORIENTATION SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method for determining changes in orientation of an object in six degrees of freedom, comprising:
- providing first and second linear accelerometers disposed on an imaginary axis relative to the object;
measuring, with the first linear accelerometer, a first linear movement of the object in relation to an x-y-z coordinate system;
measuring, with the second linear accelerometer, a second linear movement of the object in relation to the x-y-z coordinate system; and
measuring with the first and second linear accelerometers an angular rotation of the object in relation to two axes of rotation.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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 or azimuth) may therefore be avoided.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for determining changes in orientation of an object in six degrees of freedom, comprising:
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providing first and second linear accelerometers disposed on an imaginary axis relative to the object; measuring, with the first linear accelerometer, a first linear movement of the object in relation to an x-y-z coordinate system; measuring, with the second linear accelerometer, a second linear movement of the object in relation to the x-y-z coordinate system; and measuring with the first and second linear accelerometers an angular rotation of the object in relation to two axes of rotation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for determining changes in orientation of an object in six degrees of freedom, comprising:
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a first linear accelerometer; a second linear accelerometer positioned with respect to the first linear accelerometer to define an imaginary axis; means for measuring, with the first and second linear accelerometers, the linear movement of the object in relation to an x-y-z coordinate system; and means for measuring, with the first and second linear accelerometers, an angular rotation of the object in relation to two axes of rotation. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program product for enabling a computer to determine changes in orientation of an object in six degrees of freedom comprising:
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software instructions for enabling the computer to perform predetermined operations; and a computer readable storage medium bearing the software instructions; the predetermined operations including; receiving information indicative of first and second linear accelerometers disposed on an imaginary axis relative to the object; determining, with the information indicative of the first linear accelerometer, a first linear movement of the object in relation to an x-y-z coordinate system; determining, with the information indicative of the second linear accelerometer, a second linear movement of the object in relation to the x-y-z coordinate system; determining with the first and second linear accelerometers, information indicative of an angular rotation of the object in relation to two axes of rotation; determining, with information from the first and second linear accelerometers, a change in position of the object; and determining, with information from the first and second linear accelerometers, a change in orientation of the object, wherein the computer determines changes in orientation of an object in six degrees of freedom.
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Specification