Miniaturized Inertial Measurement Unit and Associated Methods
First Claim
1. An inertial measurement unit comprising:
- a base comprising a plurality of physically distinct sectors;
three groups of orthogonally oriented angle rate sensors, each group positioned on a different sector of the base;
three high-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers positioned on the base;
three low-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers positioned on the base;
a processor positioned on the base; and
means resident on the processor for receiving signals from the three groups of angle rate sensors and the three high-G and three low-G accelerometers and for calculating therefrom at least one of a change in attitude, a change in position, a change in angular rate, a change in velocity, and a change in acceleration of the unit over a plurality of finite time increments.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inertial measurement unit includes a base having a plurality of physically distinct sectors, upon which are positioned thereon three groups of orthogonally oriented angle rate sensors, each group positioned on a different sector of the base. Three high-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers are also positioned on the base, as well as three low-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers. A processor is positioned on the base having software resident thereon for receiving signals from the three groups of angle rate sensors and the three high-G and three low-G accelerometers. Software is also resident on the processor for calculating from the received signals one or more of the following: a change in attitude, a change in position, a change in angular rate, a change in velocity, and a change in acceleration of the unit over a plurality of finite time increments. Preferably, each gyro is subjected to oversampling, temperature and bias compensation, and bias offset compensation.
225 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An inertial measurement unit comprising:
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a base comprising a plurality of physically distinct sectors; three groups of orthogonally oriented angle rate sensors, each group positioned on a different sector of the base; three high-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers positioned on the base; three low-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers positioned on the base; a processor positioned on the base; and means resident on the processor for receiving signals from the three groups of angle rate sensors and the three high-G and three low-G accelerometers and for calculating therefrom at least one of a change in attitude, a change in position, a change in angular rate, a change in velocity, and a change in acceleration of the unit over a plurality of finite time increments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of making an inertial measurement unit comprising:
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positioning three groups of orthogonally oriented angle rate sensors on a base, each group positioned on a different sector of the base; positioning three high-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers on the base; positioning three low-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers on the base; positioning a processor on the base; receiving signals from the three groups of angle rate sensors and the three high-G and three low-G accelerometers into the processor; and calculating from the received signals at least one of a change in attitude, a change in position, a change in angular rate, a change in velocity, and a change in acceleration of the unit over a plurality of finite time increments. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of calculating from inertial measurement unit data at least one of a change in attitude, a change in position, a change in angular rate, a change in velocity, and a change in acceleration of the unit over a plurality of finite time increments comprising:
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receiving angle rate data from three groups of orthogonally oriented angle rate sensors oriented; receiving accelerometer data from three high-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers and from three low-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers, the accelerometer on the inertial measurement unit; and calculating from the received angle rate data and the received accelerometer data at least one of a change in attitude, a change in position, a change in angular rate, a change in velocity, and a change in acceleration of the unit over a plurality of finite time increments. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification