Miniaturized inclinometer for angle measurement with accurate measurement indicator
First Claim
1. A measuring device comprising a sensor, a microprocessor, and an output device, said sensor for providing a measurement to said microprocessor for calculating an angle with respect to the direction of the gravity vector, wherein said microprocessor provides a signal comprising said calculated angle and a self-testing output signal, wherein said self-testing output signal is directed to said output device for indicating whether said sensor measurement is substantially affected by an inertial error, wherein said self-testing output signal indicating inertial error is not combined with said calculated angle signal to provide a corrected calculated angle.
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Abstract
The novel miniaturized inclinometer for angle measurement with accurate measurement indicator is designed to monitor the angular motion of limbs. The device contains at least one inclinometer with signal conditioning electronics, including a microprocessor, placed within a miniature housing. A number of different sensors can be used and positioned in their housings so that their outputs vary as a function of their angle with respect to the gravity sector. The microprocessor controls a multiplexer, which controls the activities of the sensors; performs analog to digital conversions and measures the output curves from the sensor pairs to perform a conversion which results in a three hundred and sixty degree range with respect to gravity. Calibration data is stored in a read only memory and the microprocessor corrects variables to ensure accuracy and measures the difference in angle between the pairs of sensors.
99 Citations
69 Claims
- 1. A measuring device comprising a sensor, a microprocessor, and an output device, said sensor for providing a measurement to said microprocessor for calculating an angle with respect to the direction of the gravity vector, wherein said microprocessor provides a signal comprising said calculated angle and a self-testing output signal, wherein said self-testing output signal is directed to said output device for indicating whether said sensor measurement is substantially affected by an inertial error, wherein said self-testing output signal indicating inertial error is not combined with said calculated angle signal to provide a corrected calculated angle.
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28. A method of measuring an angle comprising the steps of
a) providing an inclinometer sensor having a self-testing feature; - and
b) initiating an angle measurement with said inclinometer sensor, wherein said self-testing feature provides an output signal indicating whether said measurement is substantially affected by an inertial error during said measurement, wherein said self-testing output signal indicating inertial error is not combined with said measurement to provide a corrected measurement angle. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 49)
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- 45. An angle measuring device comprising a housing, a sensor and a processor, wherein said sensor and said processor are both in said housing, wherein said sensor for sensing and said processor are for sensing and calculating an angle with a continuous range of 360 degrees with respect to the direction of the gravity vector, said sensor comprising a first accelerometer and a second accelerometer, wherein said first accelerometer has a first sensitive measuring axis oriented in a first direction and said second accelerometer has a second sensitive measuring axis oriented in a second direction, wherein said first direction is different from said second direction.
Specification