Processing method for motion measurement

• US 6,697,758 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American GNC Corporation
• Original Assignee: American GNC Corporation
• Inventors: McCall, Hiram, Lin, Ching-Fang
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Charioui, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US10/080,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 702/150, 702/151, 702/152, 702/141, 702/142, 702/144, 702/145, 702/153, 702/93, 702/94, 702/95, 701/220, 701/11
• US Class Current: 702/141
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/183 Compensation of inertial measurements, e.g. for temperature effects

Abstract

A processing method for motion measurement, which is adapted to be applied to output signals proportional to rotation and translational motion of the carrier, respectively from angular rate sensors and acceleration sensors, is more suitable for emerging MEMS (MicroElectronicMechanicalSystem) angular rate and acceleration sensors. Compared with a conventional IMU, the present invention utilizes a feedforward open-loop signal processing scheme to obtain highly accurate motion measurements by means of signal digitizing, temperature control and compensation, sensor error and misalignment calibrations, attitude updating, and damping control loops, and dramatically shrinks the size of mechanical and electronic hardware and power consumption, meanwhile, obtains highly accurate motion measurements.

Claims

1. A processing method for motion measurement, comprising the steps of:

(a) producing three-axis angular rate signals by an angular rate producer and three-axis acceleration signals by an acceleration producer;

(b) converting said three-axis angular rate signals into digital angular increments and converting said three-axis acceleration signals into digital velocity increments in an angular increment and velocity increment producer; and

(c) computing attitude and heading angle measurements using said three-axis digital angular increments and said three-axis velocity increments in an attitude and heading processor.

2. A processing method for motion measurement, comprising the steps of:

(a) producing three-axis angular rate signals by an angular rate producer and three-axis acceleration signals by an acceleration producer;

(b) converting said three-axis angular rate signals into digital angular increments and converting said three-axis acceleration signals into digital velocity increments in an angular increment and velocity increment producer;

(c) computing attitude and heading angle measurements using said three-axis digital angular increments and said three-axis velocity increments in an attitude and heading processor; and

(d) maintaining a predetermined operating temperature throughout the above steps.