Back to results
US 2009/0024342 A1Published application
Compensated measurement of angular displacement
AssigneeTrimble Inc.
InventorsMikael Hertzman, Thomas Klang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is disclosed methods and apparatus for compensated measurement of angular displacement within an instrument (600), such as a total station. Improved and compensated measurement of angular displacement is obtained by using a combination of e.g. an angular resolver (145) and an inertial sensor (645). A compensated angular position measurement is produced by combining at least portions of the output signals obtained from the angular resolver and the inertial sensor, respectively.
Claims26
An instrument comprising:
- a) a first component,
- b) a second component supported by the first component for rotation relative to the first component about a first axis,
- c) a first drive for rotating the second component about the first axis,
- d) a first angle sensor to produce a first angular position signal representing angular position (φi, αi) of the second component about the first axis relative to a first reference,
- e) a second angle sensor to produce a second angular position signal representing one of (A) angular displacement (φ2, α3) of the first reference relative to a second reference, and (B) angular position (φ3, α3) of the second component about the first axis relative to the second reference, and
- f) a signal processor to produce a first compensated angular position measurement for the second component relative to the second reference by combining at least portions of the first angular position signal and the second angular position signal.
3 more elements
A method of controlling an instrument having:
- a first component,
- a second component supported by the first component for rotation relative to the first component about a first axis, and
- a first drive for rotating the second component about the first axis in response to a control signal (DA, DE),
- the method comprising:
- i) obtaining from a first angle sensor a first angular position signal representing angular position (φi, αi) of the second component about the first axis relative to a first reference,
- ii) obtaining from a second angle sensor a second angular position signal representing one of (i) angular displacement (φ2, α2) of the first reference relative to a second reference, and (ii) angular position (φ3, α3) of the second component about the first axis relative to a second reference,
- iii) combining at least portions of the first angular position signal and the second angular position signal to produce a first compensated angular position measurement, and
- iv) applying to the first drive a control signal derived from the first compensated angular position measurement.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.