Attitude estimation in tiltable body using modified quaternion data representation

• US 6,377,906 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Independence Technology LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Independence Technology LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Rowe, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US09/496,785
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 702/150, 702/151, 702/152, 702/153, 702/109, 340/973, 340/974, 340/975, 340/967, 340/970, 701/4, 701/5, 701/38, 701/124, 333/20, 333/21, 334/01, 700/71, 244/3.21, 244/164, 244/165, 244/171
• US Class Current: 702/151
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/188 for accumulated errors, e.g. by coupling inertial systems with absolute positioning systems

Abstract

The attitude of a tiltable body is tracked and controlled on the basis of signals outputted from gyros and tilt sensors. The signals outputted from the gyros are transformed and integrated to produce estimated position information in the form of a modified quaternion in which the yaw component is constrained to a zero value. Modified quaternion information in the same form is also generated from signals outputted from the tilt sensor and is used to detect and correct an error component in the estimated position information. Gyro drift is also corrected based on the output of the tilt sensor.

Claims

1. A method of estimating the attitude of a tiltable body, said body including tilt sensing means and angular rate sensing means, the method comprising the steps of:

outputting angular rate information from said angular rate sensing means;

transforming and integrating said outputted angular rate information to produce first quaternion position information such that said first quaternion position information is constrained to represent a rotation about a horizontal axis in an earth frame of reference;

outputting tilt information from said tilt sensing means;

processing said outputted tilt information to generate second quaternion position information such that said second quaternion position information is constrained to represent a rotation about a horizontal axis in said earth frame of reference;

comparing said first quaternion position information to said second quaternion position information to generate error information; and

using said error information to compensate for drift in said angular rate sensing means.

2. A method of estimating the attitude of a tiltable body, said body including tilt sensing means and angular rate sensing means, the method comprising the steps of:

outputting angular rate information from said angular rate sensing means;

generating modified quaternion rate information from said outputted angular rate information, said modified quaternion rate information being in the form of a scalar quantity and a two-component vector;

integrating said modified quaternion rate information to generate first modified quaternion attitude information, said step of generating said modified quaternion rate information being constrained so that said first modified quaternion attitude information is of the form e=e₀+e₁i+e₂j, where i, j are imaginary unit vectors which satisfy the following relations with each other and with a third imaginary unit vector k;

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of low pass filtering said second modified quaternion position information.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

said angular rate information is provided in a first frame of reference and said tilt information is generated in a second frame of reference different from said first frame of reference;

said step of generating said modified quaternion rate information includes converting said outputted angular rate information from said first frame of reference to said second frame of reference; and

further comprising the step of converting said angular rate error signal from said second frame of reference to said first frame of reference before said using step.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein said second modified quaternion position information is generated on the basis of first tilt information outputted from said tilt sensing means and stored on a first occasion and second tilt information outputted from said tilt sensing means on a second occasion different from said first occasion.

6. A method of estimating the attitude of a tiltable body, comprising the steps of:

generating angular rate information in a body frame;

applying a drift correction signal to said angular rate information to produce corrected angular rate information;

processing said corrected angular rate information using modified quaternion estimated position information to produce modified quaternion estimated rate information referenced to an earth frame, said modified quaternion estimated rate information consisting of a scalar component and two vector components;

adjusting said modified quaternion estimated rate information on the basis of a weighted position error signal to produce an estimated position difference signal;

integrating said estimated position difference signal to produce said modified quaternion estimated position information, said modified quaternion estimated position information consisting of a scalar component and two vector components;

generating tilt information in said earth frame;

using said tilt information to generate modified quaternion reference position information, said modified quaternion reference position information consisting of a scalar component and two vector components;

subtracting said modified quaternion reference position information said modified quaternion estimated position information to produce an error position signal;

weighting said error position signal to produce said weighted position error signal;

converting said error position signal to a tilt angle error signal using said modified quaternion estimated position information;

forming an angular error vector from pitch and roll components of said tilt angle signal and from a yaw component of an angular rate signal generated by converting said corrected angular rate information to said earth frame using said modified quaternion estimated position information;

converting said angular error vector from said earth frame to said body frame using said modified quaternion estimated position information; and

applying weighted integration to said converted angular error vector to generate said drift correction signal.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

converting said modified quaternion estimated rate information and said modified quaternion estimated position information to generate Euler angle output information; and

outputting said Euler angle output information to control signal generating means.

8. Apparatus for estimating the attitude of a tiltable body, comprising:

tilt sensing means mounted on said body for outputting tilt information;

angular rate sensing means mounted on said body for outputting angular rate information;

means for generating modified quaternion rate information from said angular rate information outputted from said angular rate sensing means, said modified quaternion rate information being in the form of a scalar quantity and a two-component vector;

means for integrating said modified quaternion rate information to generate first modified quaternion attitude information, said first modified quaternion attitude information being of the form e=e₀+e_i+e₂j;

where i, j are imaginary unit vectors which satisfy the following relations with each other and with a third imaginary unit vector k;

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said tilt sensing means includes at least one fluidic tilt sensor.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said angular rate sensing means includes at least one gyro.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising means for converting said modified quaternion rate information into Euler angle rate information and for converting said first modified quaternion attitude information into Euler angle position information.