Sensor installation calibration for six-way blade monitoring

A system configured to be coupled on a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a body, a blade, and an attachment member that couples the blade to the body, wherein movement of the blade is defined orthogonal to an axis of motion with respect to the attachment member, wherein the attachment member is configured for lift movement, wherein the lift movement is defined as a rotation along a horizontal axis with respect to the body, wherein the blade is configured for swing movement, wherein the swing movement is defined as a rotation along an axis orthogonal to an axis of the lift movement with respect to the attachment member, the system comprising:

• at least one first sensor configured to be physically coupled to the blade, wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to determine attitude measurements of the blade;
• at least one second sensor configured to be physically coupled to the attachment member, wherein the at least one second sensor is configured to determine attitude measurements of the attachment member;
• and
• at least one processor integrated in or coupled to the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor, wherein the at least one processor is operative to perform a method for calibrating the blade;
• wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to determine first static blade attitude measurements with respect to a first axis of rotation of the blade for a first period of time in which the blade is held static with respect to the attachment member, wherein the first axis of rotation is defined parallel with respect to a first axis of the body,
• wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to determine first dynamic blade attitude measurements of the blade with respect to movement of the blade about a second axis of rotation, wherein the second axis of rotation is orthogonal to the first axis of rotation and defined parallel to a second axis of the body,
• wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to determine second static blade attitude measurements with respect to the second axis of rotation of the blade for a second period of time in which the blade is held static with respect to the attachment member,
• wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to determine second dynamic blade attitude measurements of the blade with respect to movement of the blade about a third axis of rotation, wherein the third axis of rotation is orthogonal to the first and second axis of rotation and defined parallel to a third axis of the body,
• wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine one or more calibration variables based on a combination of the attitude measurements from the at least one first sensor and the attitude measurements from the at least one second sensor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
• determine a first attitude offset of the blade and a second attitude offset of the blade with respect to the body based on the first dynamic blade attitude measurements and the first static blade attitude measurements,
• determine a third attitude offset of the blade with respect to the body based on the second dynamic blade attitude measurements and the first static blade attitude measurements;
• wherein the first attitude offset of the blade is a roll offset of the blade, the second attitude offset of the blade is a yaw offset of the blade, and the third attitude offset of the blade is a pitch offset of the blade,
• wherein:
• gx=[cos(Δψb)*sin(Δθs+Δθb)*cos(Δφb)]*ωz
• gy=[−cos(Δψb)*sin(Δφb)]*ωz
• gz=[cos(Δθs+Δθb)*cos(Δφb)]*ωz
• where the roll offset is Δφb, the yaw offset is Δψp, the pitch offset is (Δθs+Δθp), and ωz is rotation rate about a z-axis,
• wherein during movements of the vehicle, a calibration application causes the at least one processor to issue commands and control signals to motor systems on the vehicle in conjunction with the calibrating method, such that the at least one processor calculates the attitude offsets per the movements and stores the attitude offsets as installation offsets.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a body;
• a blade;
• an attachment member coupled on an end of the body and which couples the blade to the body, wherein movement of the blade is defined orthogonal to an axis of motion with respect to the attachment member,
• wherein the attachment member is configured for lift movement, wherein the lift movement is defined as a rotation along a horizontal axis with respect to the body,
• wherein the blade is configured for swing movement, wherein the swing movement is defined as a rotation along an axis orthogonal to an axis of the lift movement with respect to the attachment member,
• at least one first sensor coupled to the blade, wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to determine attitude measurements of the blade;
• at least one second sensor coupled to the attachment member, wherein the at least one second sensor is configured to determine attitude measurements of the attachment member;
• and
• at least one processor integrated in or coupled to the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor, wherein the at least one processor is operative to perform a method for calibrating the blade;
• wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to determine first static blade attitude measurements with respect to a first axis of rotation of the blade for a first period of time in which the blade is held static with respect to the attachment member, wherein the first axis of rotation is defined parallel with respect to a first axis of the body,
• wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to determine first dynamic blade attitude measurements of the blade with respect to movement of the blade about a second axis of rotation, wherein the second axis of rotation is orthogonal to the first axis of rotation and defined parallel to a second axis of the body,
• wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to determine second static blade attitude measurements with respect to the second axis of rotation of the blade for a second period of time in which the blade is held static with respect to the attachment member,
• wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to determine second dynamic blade attitude measurements of the blade with respect to movement of the blade about a third axis of rotation, wherein the third axis of rotation is orthogonal to the first and second axis of rotation and defined parallel to a third axis of the body,
• wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine one or more calibration variables based on a combination of the attitude measurements from the at least one first sensor and the attitude measurements from the at least one second sensor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
• determine a first attitude offset of the blade and a second attitude offset of the blade with respect to the body based on the first dynamic blade attitude measurements and the first static blade attitude measurements;
• determine a third attitude offset of the blade with respect to the body based on the second dynamic blade attitude measurements and the first static blade attitude measurements;
• wherein the first attitude offset of the blade is a roll offset of the blade, the second attitude offset of the blade is a yaw offset of the blade, and the third attitude offset of the blade is a pitch offset of the blade,
• wherein:
• gx=[cos(Δψb)*sin(Δθs+Δθb)*cos(Δφb)]*ωz
• gy=[−cos(Δψb)*sin(Δφb)]*ωz
• gz=[cos(Δθs+Δθb)*cos(Δφb)]*ωz
• where the roll offset is Δφb, the yaw offset is Δψb, the pitch offset is (Δθs+Δθb), and ωz is rotation rate about a z-axis,
• wherein during movements of the vehicle, a calibration application causes the at least one processor to issue commands and control signals to motor systems on the vehicle in conjunction with the calibrating method, such that the at least one processor calculates the attitude offsets per the movements and stores the attitude offsets as installation offsets.