Electronic roll pitch and yaw sensor using conductive fluid

• US 9,581,444 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Alattar, Zaid M., Dennes, Albert E., Figueroa, Ernesto E., Jesukaitis, Thomas T., Miller, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): FULTON, CHRISTOPHER W
• Application Number:
  US14/753,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20160377432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 333/51, 333/661.5, 333/661.6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/30 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/00 Gyroscopes; Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses; Turn-sensitive devices without moving masses; Measuring angular rate using gyroscopic effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/14 Fluid rotors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 2009/182 conductive
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/18 by using liquids

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining a rotational orientation of an object is provided. Embodiments of the present invention utilize an electrically conductive fluid enclosed within a shell attached to the object such that the conductive fluid contacts different portions of electrically conductive nodes, located on the inner wall of the shell, depending on the rotational orientation of the shell. The electrically activated nodes in contact with the conductive fluid act as sensors and individually transmit electric signals to a microcontroller for transformation into an indicator of a rotational orientation of the object. The indicator of the rotational orientation is then output.

Claims

1. A method for determining a rotational orientation of an object, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of concentric shells, wherein an electrically conductive shell, connected to one or more power cells, is disposed between an outer electrically non-conductive shell and an inner electrically non-conductive shell and one or more electrically non-conductive spacers separate the inner electrically non-conductive shell from the electrically conductive shell, creating a gap;

attaching a plurality of electrically conductive nodes to an outer wall of the inner electrically non-conductive shell;

disposing an electrically conductive fluid in the gap;

conducting an electrical charge between the electrically conductive shell and a portion of the plurality of electrically conductive nodes in contact with the electrically conductive fluid;

transmitting electrical signals individually conducted by the portion of the plurality of electrically conductive nodes in contact with the electrically conductive fluid, wherein the electrical signals are processed by one or more microcontrollers;

generating, using the one or more microcontrollers, an indicator of a rotational orientation of an object based on the portion of the plurality of electrically conductive nodes; and

outputting the indicator of the rotational orientation of the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive fluid is of sufficient volume to ensure the electrically conductive fluid remains in contact with at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive nodes regardless of the rotational orientation of the object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a rotation of the plurality of concentric shells causes the electrically conductive fluid to contact different portions of the plurality of electrically conductive nodes and an output of an associated indicator of a rotational orientation of the object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting is based on at least one of wired communications and wireless communications.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wireless communications are based on Bluetooth.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of concentric shells are spherical.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive fluid is mercury.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more power cells, disposed within the inner electrically non-conductive shell, provide a ground connection for each of the plurality of electrically conductive nodes and provide an electrical charge to the conductive shell.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrically conductive nodes are individually connected to the one or more microcontrollers and to the one or more power cells by electrically conductive wire.

10. An apparatus for determining a rotational orientation of an object, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of concentric shells, wherein an electrically conductive shell, connected to one or more power cells, is disposed between an outer electrically non-conductive shell and an inner electrically non-conductive shell and one or more electrically non-conductive spacers separate the inner electrically non-conductive shell from the electrically conductive shell, creating a gap;

a plurality of electrically conductive nodes attached to an outer wall of the inner electrically non-conductive shell;

one or more microcontrollers configured to receive electrical signals from the plurality of electrically conductive nodes and output a rotational orientation; and

an electrically conductive fluid disposed in the gap for conducting a charge between the electrically conductive shell and a portion of the plurality of electrically conductive nodes contacting the electrically conductive fluid, wherein the one or more microcontrollers determine the rotational orientation based on the portion of the plurality of electrically conductive nodes contacting the electrically conductive fluid.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive fluid is mercury.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more microcontrollers and the one or more power cells are disposed within the inner electrically non-conductive shell and the one or more power cells provide a ground connection for each of the plurality of electrically conductive nodes and provide an electrical charge to the electrically conductive shell.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more power cells are connected by electrically conductive wire to a recharging peripheral external to the plurality of concentric shells.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the concentric shells are spherical.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the outer electrically non-conductive shell is an electrically non-conductive coating applied to exterior wall of the electrically conductive shell.

16. An apparatus for determining a rotational orientation of an object, the apparatus comprising:

an electrically non-conductive shell;

a plurality of electrically conductive nodes, attached to an inner wall of the electrically non-conductive shell;

an electrically conductive fluid disposed within the electrically non-conductive shell for conducting an electrical charge to a portion of the plurality of electrically conductive nodes in contact with the electrically conductive fluid; and

one or more electrically conductive rods for disposing an electrical charge in the electrically conductive fluid wherein a length of the one or more electrically conductive rods is sufficient to remain in contact with the electrically conductive fluid regardless of a rotational orientation of an object.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the electrically non-conductive shell is spherical.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the electrically conductive fluid is mercury.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the electrically conductive rod is cylindrical.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

one or more microcontrollers external to the electrically non-conductive shell for independently determining which of each of the plurality of electrically conductive nodes is activated via a plurality of electrically conductive wires; and

an electrical power source located externally to the electrically non-conducting shell for providing an electrical charge via electrically conductive wire to the one or more electrically conductive rods.