Absolute acceleration sensor for use within moving vehicles

• US 7,239,953 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vision Works IP Corp.
• Original Assignee: Vision Works LLC
• Inventors: Braunberger, Alfred S., Braunberger, Beau M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanglaude, Gertrude A.
• Application Number:
  US11/243,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20060074540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/79, 701/91, 340/467
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0162 mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking B60G17/0164 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/01908 Acceleration or inclination sensors characterised by the use of gyroscopes B60G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/28 Gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/044 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0124 Roll-over conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/44 for indicating braking action or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/447 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing the shape or intensity of the indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/36 Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/06 Active Suspension System
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/171 Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/905 the sensor being an xyz axis sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0604 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/182 Brake pressure, e.g. of fluid or between pad and disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 : Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 : Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/06 : Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/22 : Suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/226 : Damping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 : Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/107 : Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/109 : Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/11 : Pitch movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/18 : Stabilised platforms, e.g. by gyroscope
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 : with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/14 : by making use of gyroscopes gyroscopes per se G01C19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 : in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 : Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/072 : Ionosphere corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 : whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 : Determining attitude

Abstract

A method of and system for detecting absolute acceleration along various axes relative to a desired movement vector while moving relative to a gravity source includes steps of determining a vertical acceleration, perpendicular to the desired movement vector and substantially anti-parallel to a gravitational acceleration due to the gravity source; determining a longitudinal acceleration, parallel to the desired movement vector and to output at vertical acceleration signal and a longitudinal acceleration signal; determining an inclination of the desired movement vector relative to the gravitational acceleration; and processing the vertical acceleration signal, the longitudinal acceleration signal, and the inclination signal to produce an absolute vertical acceleration signal and an absolute longitudinal acceleration signal.

Claims

1. A method of detennining and using data describing absolute acceleration along various axes relative to a desired movement vector while moving relative to a gravity source, comprising:

a. determining a vertical acceleration, perpendicular to the desired movement vector and substantially antiparallel to a gravitational acceleration due to the gravity source;

b. determining a longitudinal acceleration, parallel to the desired movement vector;

c. determining an inclination of the desired movement vector relative to the gravitational acceleration;

d. determining an absolute vertical acceleration and an absolute longitudinal acceleration from the longitudinal acceleration, the vertical acceleration, and the inclination of the desired movement vector; and

e. producing an output determined at least in part by one or more of the absolute vertical acceleration and the absolute longitudinal acceleration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is employed in a vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the output produced activates an alerting device depending at least in part on whether the absolute longitudinal acceleration signal is negative.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the output produced activates a performance warning system depending at least in part on whether the absolute longitudinal acceleration signal is positive and on its magnitude.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the output produced activates a suspension warning system depending at least in part on changes in the absolute vertical acceleration signal over time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

a. determining a lateral acceleration, perpendicular to the desired movement vector and perpendicular to the gravitational acceleration due to the gravity source;

b. determining a lateral inclination of the lateral acceleration relative to the gravitational acceleration; and

c. determining an absolute lateral acceleration from the lateral acceleration and the lateral inclination;

wherein the output can be determined in part by the absolute lateral acceleration.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method is employed in a vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the output produced activates a suspension control system depending at least in part on changes in the absolute lateral acceleration vertical acceleration signal over time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

a. determining a heading of the desired movement vector in a plane orthogonal to the gravitational acceleration;

b. summing the absolute longitudinal acceleration over time to determine a speed; and

c. producing an output indicating the speed and the heading.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

a. summing the absolute vertical acceleration over time to determine an altitude; and

b. producing an output indicating the altitude.

11. A system for determining and using data describing absolute acceleration along various axes relative to a desired movement vector while moving relative to a gravity source, comprising:

a. a two-axis accelerometer configured to sense both a vertical acceleration, perpendicular to the desired movement vector and substantially antiparallel to a gravitational acceleration due to the gravity source, and a longitudinal acceleration, parallel to the desired movement vector and to output a vertical acceleration signal and a longitudinal acceleration signal;

b. a gyroscope configured to sense an inclination of the desired movement vector relative to the gravitational acceleration and to output an inclination signal;

c. a logic circuit configured to process the vertical acceleration signal, the longitudinal acceleration signal, and the inclination signal to produce an absolute vertical acceleration signal and an absolute longitudinal acceleration signal; and

d. a controller configured to receive one or more of the absolute vertical acceleration signal and the absolute longitudinal acceleration signal and to produce an output determined at least in part by at least one of the absolute acceleration signals that it receives.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is employed in a vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the output produced activates an alerting device depending at least in part on whether the absolute longitudinal acceleration signal is negative.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the output produced activates a performance warning system depending at least in part on whether the absolute longitudinal acceleration signal is positive and on its magnitude.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the output produced activates a suspension warning system depending at least in part on changes in the absolute vertical acceleration signal over time.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the system further comprises:

a. an accelerometer configured to sense lateral acceleration, perpendicular to the desired movement vector and perpendicular to the gravitational acceleration due to the gravity source, and to output a lateral acceleration signal;

b. a gyroscope configured to sense a lateral inclination of the lateral acceleration relative to the gravitational acceleration and to output a lateral inclination signal; and

c. a logic circuit configured to process the lateral acceleration signal and the lateral inclination signal to produce an absolute lateral acceleration signal;

wherein the controller receives the lateral acceleration signal and the output produced can be determined in part by the absolute lateral acceleration.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the system is employed in a vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the output produced activates a suspension control system depending at least in part on changes in the absolute lateral acceleration vertical acceleration signal over time.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the system further comprises:

a. another gyroscope configured to determine a heading of the desired movement vector in a plane orthogonal to the gravitational acceleration and to output a heading signal;

b. a circuit configured to sum the absolute longitudinal acceleration over time to determine a speed and to produce a speed signal; and

c. a logic circuit configured to process the speed signal and the heading signal and to produce a velocity output signal that indicates the speed and the heading.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to sum over absolute vertical acceleration to determine altitude.