Method and system for vehicle direction determination using adjustable position accelerometer

• US 9,547,022 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trapeze Software ULC (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Trapeze Software ULC (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Braun, Bradley Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US14/212,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20150260753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 701/512
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/16 by integrating acceleration or speed, i.e. inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining, for a vehicle using an adjustable position accelerometer, at least one direction tuned direction vector indicating a direction for the vehicle, the direction tuned direction vector made up of an X(a) axis component, a Y(a) axis component, and a Z(a) axis component, the adjustable position accelerometer providing acceleration values, the values made up of an X(a) axis component, a Y(a) axis component, and a Z(a) axis component, where the accelerometer is arbitrarily mounted, and optionally movable, in the vehicle such that each of the X(a) axis component, a Y(a) axis component, and a Z(a) axis component may be partially in X,Y, and Z directions of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

collecting an accelerometer value from an arbitrarily mounted, adjustable position and moveable accelerometer in a vehicle, said accelerometer value comprising an X(a) axis component, a Y(a) axis component, and a Z(a) axis component;

each of the X(a) axis component, the Y(a) axis component, and the Z(a) axis component may be partially in X,Y, and Z directions of the vehicle, where +Y is a forward direction of the vehicle;

creating a sample direction vector of values from the collected accelerometer value; and

calculating, while the vehicle is moving, a direction tuned direction vector for +Y direction comprising an X(a) axis component, a Y(a) axis component, and a Z(a) axis component, from the sample direction vector.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

collecting a first set of accelerometer values, creating a second set of sample direction vectors from the first set of accelerometer values and calculating the direction tuned direction vector by averaging the sample direction vectors from the second set of sample direction vectors.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the collecting further comprises:

receiving a trigger to perform the collecting, the trigger indicating that the vehicle is moving in a +Y or −

Y direction.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the trigger is a manual trigger.

5. A method for determining, for a vehicle using an adjustable position accelerometer, at least one direction tuned direction vector indicating a direction for the vehicle, the direction tuned direction vector made up of an X(a) axis component, a Y(a) axis component, and a Z(a) axis component, the adjustable position accelerometer providing acceleration values, the method comprising:

monitoring values provided by an arbitrarily mounted, adjustable position and moveable accelerometer;

the values made up of an X(a) axis component, a Y(a) axis component, and a Z(a) axis component, where the accelerometer is arbitrarily mounted and movable, in the vehicle such that each of the X(a) axis component, a Y(a) axis component, and a Z(a) axis component may be partially in X,Y, and Z directions of the vehicle, where +Y is a forward direction of the vehicle;

determining, while the vehicle is moving, if at least one of the X(a) axis component, the Y(a) axis component, or the Z(a) axis component exceeds a threshold;

if the threshold is exceeded then;

ensuring the threshold continues to be exceeded during a collection period; and

collecting accelerometer values, at a collection frequency for a collection period;

creating a sample direction vector of values from the collected accelerometer values;

inserting the sample direction vector to a set of sample direction vector; and

calculating at least one direction tuned direction vector from the set of sample direction vectors.