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US 2016/0097638 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for tilt sensing using eccentric motor
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorStephen John Fedigan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems, apparatus and methods are presented for sensing or estimating a tilt angle, in which a current flowing in an eccentric mass motor is sensed, and a detector circuit assesses the amplitude of a synchronous component of the motor current and provides an output signal or value indicating a tilt angle relative to a gravitational axis at least partially according to the amplitude of the synchronous component of the motor current.
Claims21
A tilt sensor apparatus, comprising:
- a sensor for sensing a motor current flowing in an associated motor having a rotor supporting an eccentric mass as the rotor is rotated about a rotor axis, the sensor providing a sensor output signal representing the motor current;
- and
- a tilt angle detector circuit for detecting a tilt angle of the motor, the tilt angle detector circuit including a detector circuit input coupled to receive the sensor output signal from the sensor, and a detector circuit output for providing a tilt angle output signal or value representing a tilt angle of the rotor axis relative to a gravitational axis based at least partially on an amplitude of a synchronous component of the motor current.
A system, comprising:
- a base having a first surface defining a plane;
- a first motor, comprising:
- a first motor housing mounted in a fixed first position relative to the base,
- a first rotor defining a first rotor axis, the first rotor axis extending at a predetermined first angle relative to the plane of the base,
- a first eccentric mass supported by the first rotor, and
- first and second motor leads;
- a first power source operatively coupled with the motor leads to provide a first DC motor current to cause the first rotor to rotate about the first rotor axis;
- and
- a tilt sensor apparatus for detecting a tilt angle, comprising:
- a first sensor for sensing the first motor current, the first sensor operatively associated with at least one of the motor leads and providing a first sensor output signal representing the first motor current, and
- a first detector circuit for detecting a tilt angle of the first motor, the first detector circuit including a first detector circuit input coupled to receive the first sensor output signal from the first sensor, and a first detector circuit output for providing a first tilt angle output signal or value representing a first tilt angle of the first rotor axis relative to a gravitational axis based at least partially on an amplitude of a synchronous component of the first motor current.
8 more elements
A method of estimating a tilt angle of a structure relative to a gravitational axis, the method comprising:
- providing at least one actuator in a fixed position on the structure, the actuator having an eccentric mass adapted to rotate about a rotor axis;
- rotating the eccentric mass about the rotor axis;
- sensing a current flowing in the actuator;
- and
- estimating the tilt angle of the structure at least partially according to a synchronous component of the sensed current.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.