METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING A RELATIVE ORIENTATION OF POINTS ON A RIGID BODY

• US 20150107358A1
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPG Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PPG Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: PARKE, Gordon, TSOURAS, Adam, MOUDAHI, Eytan
• Granted Patent: US 9,395,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/005 initial alignment, calibration or starting-up of inertial devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0888 for indicating angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

An inertial measurement unit is affixed to a rigid body. The inertial measurement includes a gyroscope that measures a first angular velocity and an angular acceleration; a first accelerometer that measures a first acceleration; a communications unit that receives a measurement signal, the measurement signal including a second acceleration transmitted from a second accelerometer, the second accelerometer being affixed to the rigid body; and a controller that calculates a relative orientation of the inertial measurement unit and the second accelerometer, and a distance separating the inertial measurement unit and the second accelerometer.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first sensor that measures a first angular velocity;

a communications unit that receives a measurement signal, the measurement signal including a second angular velocity transmitted from another apparatus including a second sensor; and

a controller that calculates a rotation vector that aligns the first angular velocity with the second angular velocity on an inertial frame.