Method of and apparatus for detecting angular velocity, method of and apparatus for detecting angel, navigation system, program storage device, and computer data signal embodied in carrier wave

A method of detecting an angle comprising processes of:

• setting a bias voltage, as a standard voltage, which is an output voltage outputted from an angular velocity sensor mounted on a movable thing in response to an angular velocity when a predetermined condition is satisfied, as well as updating the standard voltage every time the predetermined condition is satisfied;
• calculating the angle of the movable thing on the basis of a difference between the output voltage and the set or updated standard voltage;
• storing time data, which indicate a time of setting or updating the standard voltage, in correspondence with standard voltage data, which indicate a value of the set or updated standard voltage;
• estimating a value of the bias voltage of the angular velocity sensor at each time between times of setting or updating the standard voltage, as a function of time, on the basis of a plurality of the stored standard voltage data and a plurality of the stored time data;
• and
• correcting the angle calculated by said calculating process on the basis of a difference between a value of the standard voltage used in said calculating process and the estimated value of the bias voltage.

An apparatus for detecting an angular velocity comprising:

• a setting device for setting a bias voltage, as a standard voltage, which is an output voltage outputted from an angular velocity sensor in response to an angular velocity when a predetermined condition is satisfied as well as updating the standard voltage every time the predetermined condition is satisfied;
• a calculating device for calculating the angular velocity on the basis of the output voltage with using the set or updated standard voltage as a standard;
• a storing device for storing time data, which indicate a time of setting or updating the standard voltage, in correspondence with standard voltage data, which indicate a value of the set or updated standard voltage;
• an estimating device for estimating a value of the bias voltage of the angular velocity sensor at each time between times of setting or updating the standard voltage, as a function of time, on the basis of a plurality of the stored standard voltage data and a plurality of the stored time data;
• and
• a correcting device for correcting the angular velocity calculated by said calculating device on the basis of a difference between a value of the standard voltage used in said calculating device and the estimated value of the bias voltage.

An apparatus for detecting an angle comprising:

• a setting device for setting a bias voltage, as a standard voltage, which is an output voltage outputted from an angular velocity sensor mounted on a movable thing in response to an angular velocity when a predetermined condition is satisfied as well as updating the standard voltage every time the predetermined condition is satisfied;
• a calculating device for calculating the angle of the movable thing on the basis of a difference between the output voltage and the set or updated standard voltage;
• a storing device for storing time data, which indicate a time of setting or updating the standard voltage, in correspondence with standard voltage data, which indicate a value of the set or updated standard voltage;
• an estimating device for estimating a value of the bias voltage of the angular velocity sensor at each time between times of setting or updating the standard voltage, as a function of time, on the basis of a plurality of the stored standard voltage data and a plurality of the stored time data;
• and
• a correcting device for correcting the angle calculated by said calculating device on the basis of a difference between a value of the standard voltage used in said calculating device and the estimated value of the bias voltage.

A navigation system comprising

• (i) an apparatus for detecting an angle comprising:
• a setting device for setting a bias voltage, as a standard voltage, which is an output voltage outputted from an angular velocity sensor mounted on a movable thing in response to an angular velocity when a predetermined condition is satisfied as well as updating the standard voltage every time the predetermined condition is satisfied;
• a calculating device for calculating the angle of the movable thing on the basis of a difference between the output voltage and the set or updated standard voltage;
• a storing device for storing time data, which indicate a time of setting or updating the standard voltage, in correspondence with standard voltage data, which indicate a value of the set or updated standard voltage;
• an estimating device for estimating a value of the bias voltage of the angular velocity sensor at each time between times of setting or updating the standard voltage, as a function of time, on the basis of a plurality of the stored standard voltage data and a plurality of the stored time data;
• and
• a correcting device for correcting the angle calculated by said calculating device on the basis of a difference between a value of the standard voltage used in said calculating device and the estimated value of the bias voltage,
• (ii) the angular velocity sensor, and
• (iii) a displaying device for displaying the corrected angle in a predetermined format.

A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method processes of detecting an angle of a movable thing,

• said method processes comprising:
• setting a bias voltage, as a standard voltage, which is an output voltage outputted from an angular velocity sensor mounted on a movable thing in response to an angular velocity when a predetermined condition is satisfied, as well as updating the standard voltage every time the predetermined condition is satisfied;
• calculating the angle of the movable thing on the basis of a difference between the output voltage and the set or updated standard voltage;
• storing time data, which indicate a time of setting or updating the standard voltage, in correspondence with standard voltage data, which indicate a value of the set or updated standard voltage;
• estimating a value of the bias voltage of the angular velocity sensor at each time between times of setting or updating the standard voltage, as a function of time, on the basis of a plurality of the stored standard voltage data and a plurality of the stored time data;
• and
• correcting the angle calculated by said calculating process on the basis of a difference between a value of the standard voltage used in said calculating process and the estimated value of the bias voltage.

A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method processes of detecting an angular velocity of a movable thing,

• said method processes comprising:
• setting a bias voltage, as a standard voltage, which is an output voltage outputted from an angular velocity sensor in response to an angular velocity when a predetermined condition is satisfied as well as updating the standard voltage every time the predetermined condition is satisfied;
• calculating the angular velocity on the basis of the output voltage with using the set or updated standard voltage as a standard;
• storing time data, which indicate a time of setting or updating the standard voltage, in correspondence with standard voltage data, which indicate a value of the set or updated standard voltage;
• estimating a value of the bias voltage of the angular velocity sensor at each time between times of setting or updating the standard voltage, as a function of time, on the basis of a plurality of the stored standard voltage data and a plurality of the stored time data;
• and
• correcting the angular velocity calculated by said calculating process on the basis of a difference between a value of the standard voltage used in said calculating process and the estimated value of the bias voltage.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform method processes of detecting an angle of a movable thing,

• said method processes comprising:
• setting a bias voltage, as a standard voltage, which is an output voltage outputted from an angular velocity sensor mounted on a movable thing in response to an angular velocity when a predetermined condition is satisfied, as well as updating the standard voltage every time the predetermined condition is satisfied;
• calculating the angle of the movable thing on the basis of a difference between the output voltage and the set or updated standard voltage;
• storing time data, which indicate a time of setting or updating the standard voltage, in correspondence with standard voltage data, which indicate a value of the set or updated standard voltage;
• estimating a value of the bias voltage of the angular velocity sensor at each time between times of setting or updating the standard voltage, as a function of time, on the basis of a plurality of the stored standard voltage data and a plurality of the stored time data;
• and
• correcting the angle calculated by said calculating process on the basis of a difference between a value of the standard voltage used in said calculating process and the estimated value of the bias voltage.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform method processes of detecting an angular velocity of a movable thing,

• said method processes comprising:
• setting a bias voltage, as a standard voltage, which is an output voltage outputted from an angular velocity sensor in response to an angular velocity when a predetermined condition is satisfied as well as updating the standard voltage every time the predetermined condition is satisfied;
• calculating the angular velocity on the basis of the output voltage with using the set or updated standard voltage as a standard;
• storing time data, which indicate a time of setting or updating the standard voltage, in correspondence with standard voltage data, which indicate a value of the set or updated standard voltage;
• estimating a value of the bias voltage of the angular velocity sensor at each time between times of setting or updating the standard voltage, as a function of time, on the basis of a plurality of the stored standard voltage data and a plurality of the stored time data;
• and
• correcting the angular velocity calculated by said calculating process on the basis of a difference between a value of the standard voltage used in said calculating process and the estimated value of the bias voltage.