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US 6,148,669 AGranted
Acceleration sensor with a spherical inductance influencing member
AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation
InventorWouter Roest
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An acceleration sensor (100) includes a spherical chamber (104) accommodating a spherical member (106) made from an inductance influencing material. The member is inductively coupled to one or more coils (110) outside the chamber. A force on the sensor pulls the member to a certain position in the chamber, which position corresponds to the direction of the force. The position is measured on the basis of the self induction of the coil or coils. In a steady state, the position of the member is representative of the orientation of the sensor with respect to the field of gravity.
Claims15
An acceleration sensor comprising:
- a housing with a chamber which has a cross section in a first plane;
- an inductance influencing member which resides inside the chamber and has a circular cross section in the first plane;
- and
- a first coil which is inductively coupled to the inductance influencing member, first coil being positioned in a second plane outside the chamber, the second plane not being parallel to the first plane,
- wherein the inductance influencing member comprises a non-magnetic, conducting material.
2 more elements
A tracking device for detecting the orientation in at least one direction, the device comprising:
- an acceleration sensor comprising
- a housing with a chamber which has a cross section in a first plane,
- an inductance influencing member which resides inside the chamber and has a circular cross section in the first plane, and
- a first coil which is inductively coupled to the inductance influencing member, the first coil being positioned in a second plane outside the chamber, the second plane not being parallel to the first plane, and
- first signal means for generating on the basis of an actual self induction of at least the first coil, a first signal representative of an orientation of the device with respect to an acceleration direction,
- wherein the inductance influencing member comprises a non-magnetic, conducting material.
3 more elements
A tracking device for detecting the orientation in at least one direction, the device comprising:
- an acceleration sensor comprising
- a housing with a chamber which has a cross section in a first plane,
- an inductance influencing member which resides inside the chamber and has a circular cross section in the first plane, and
- a first coil including windings which is inductively coupled to the inductance influencing member, first coil being positioned in a second plane outside the chamber, the second plane not being parallel to the first plane,
- the inductance influencing member having a spherical shape, the windings being positioned symmetrically with respect to the center of the chamber, and
- the inductance influencing member comprising a permanent magnet,
- position detecting means for detecting an actual position of the inductance influencing member relative to a center of the chamber on the basis of an actual self induction of the first coil,
- control means for applying on the basis of the actual position determined currents to the first coil in order to force the inductance influencing member towards the center of the chamber, and
- first signal means for generating, on the basis of the currents applied, a first signal representative of an orientation of the device with respect to an acceleration direction,
- wherein the inductance influencing member comprises a non-magnetic, conducting material.
7 more elements
A head mounted display including a tracking device, the tracking device comprising:
- an acceleration sensor comprising
- a housing with a chamber which has a cross section in a first plane,
- an inductance influencing member which resides inside the chamber and has a circular section in the first plane, and
- a first coil which is inductively coupled to the inductance influencing member, the first coil being positioned in a second plane outside the chamber, the second plane not being parallel to the first plane, and
- first signal means for generating on the basis of an actual self induction of at least the first coil, a first signal representative of an orientation of the device with respect to an acceleration direction,
- wherein the inductance influencing member comprises a non-magnetic, conducting material.
3 more elements
A mouse provided with a tracking device, the tracking device comprising:
- an acceleration sensor comprising
- a housing with a chamber which has a cross section in a first plane,
- an inductance influencing member which resides inside the chamber and has a circular cross section in the first plane, and
- a first coil which is inductively coupled to the inductance influencing member, the first coil being positioned in a second plane outside the chamber, the second plane not being parallel to the first plane, and
- first signal means for generating on the basis of an actual self induction of at least the first coil, a first signal representative of an orientation of the device with respect to an acceleration direction,
- wherein the inductance influencing member comprises a non-magnetic, conducting material.
3 more elements
A head mounted display including a tracking device, the tracking device including:
- an acceleration sensor comprising:
- a housing with a chamber which has a cross section in a first plane,
- an inductance influencing member which resides in the chamber and has a circular cross section in the first plane, and
- a first coil which is inductively coupled to the inductance influencing member, the first coil being positioned in a second plane outside the chamber, the second plane not being parallel to the first plane,
- the inductance influencing member having a spherical shape, the windings being positioned symmetrically with respect to the center of the chamber, and the inductance influencing member comprising a permanent magnet,
- position detecting means for detecting an actual position of the inductance influencing member relative to a center of the chamber on the basis of an actual self induction of the first coil,
- control means for applying on the basis of the actual position determined currents to the first coil in order to force the inductance influencing member towards the center of the chamber, and
- first signal means for generating, on the basis of the currents applied, a first signal representative of an orientation of the device with respect to an acceleration direction,
- wherein the inductance influencing member comprises a non-magnetic conducting material.
6 more elements
A mouse including a tracking device, the tracking device including:
- an acceleration sensor comprising:
- a housing with a chamber which has a cross section in a first plane,
- an inductance influencing member which resides in the chamber and has a circular cross section in the first plane, and
- a first coil including windings which is inductively coupled to the inductance influencing member, the first coil being positioned in a second plane outside the chamber, the second plane not being parallel to the first plane,
- the inductance influencing member having a spherical shape,
- the windings being positioned symmetrically with respect to the center of the chamber, and the inductance influencing member comprising a permanent magnet,
- position detecting means for detecting an actual position of the inductance influencing member relative to a center of the chamber on the basis of an actual self induction of the coils,
- control means for applying on the basis of the actual position determined currents to the first coil in order to force the inductance influencing member towards the center of the chamber, and
- first signal means for generating, on the basis of the currents applied, a first signal representative of an orientation of the device with respect to an acceleration direction
- wherein the inductance influencing member comprises a non-magnetic, conducting material.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.