Apparatus and method for sensing rotation
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRobert A. Black, Michael J. Brosnan, Roopinder Singh Grewal
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Abstract
An apparatus for sensing rotation includes a plurality of motion sensors constructed in a substantially coplanar arrangement. The plurality of motion sensors is each configured to generate incremental movement data indicative of movement of the sensor in two dimensions. A rotation data generator generates rotation data based on the incremental movement data. The rotation data represents rotation of a first one of the motion sensors about a second one of the motion sensors.
Claims25
An apparatus for sensing rotation comprising:
- a plurality of motion sensors constructed in a substantially coplanar arrangement, the plurality of motion sensors each configured to generate incremental movement data indicative of movement of the sensor in two dimensions;
- and
- a rotation data generator for generating rotation data based on the incremental movement data, the rotation data representing rotation of a first one of the motion sensors about a second one of the motion sensors.
A method of sensing rotational movement comprising:
- providing a first and a second two-dimensional array of photo detectors;
- directing images onto the first and the second arrays of photo detectors;
- digitizing outputs of the photo detectors in the first and the second arrays, thereby generating digital representations of the images;
- correlating the digital representations of the images;
- generating translation data based on the correlation, the translation indicative of translation in two dimensions of the first and the second arrays;
- and
- generating rotation data based on the translation data, the rotation data indicative of rotation of the first array about the second array.
An apparatus for sensing rotation comprising:
- a movable motion sensor comprising a first and a second two-dimensional array of photo detectors configured in a coplanar arrangement, the motion sensor configured to generate digital representations of images directed onto the first and the second arrays, and to generate two-dimensional movement data based on the digital representations of the images, the movement data indicative of individual motion of the first and the second arrays;
- and
- a controller for processing the movement data to determine rotation information indicative of rotation of the motion sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.