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US 8,150,651 B2Granted
Acceleration compensated inclinometer
AssigneeTrimble Navigation Limited
InventorPeter Van Wyck Loomis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inclinometer using a speedometer and a forward-looking accelerometer for measuring inclination angle.
Claims28
An inclinometer, comprising:
- a speedometer to determine a forward speed;
- an accelerometer to measure a forward acceleration;
- a yaw rate sensor to measure a yaw angle rate;
- a yaw distance compensator configured to use said yaw angle rate with a linear position offset of said accelerometer respective to a turn radius line to determine a position offset error;
- and
- an incline angle calculator configured to use said acceleration, said yaw angle rate, said position offset error and said speed to calculate an incline angle.
3 more elements
An inclinometer, comprising:
- a speedometer to determine a forward speed;
- an accelerometer to measure a forward acceleration;
- a yaw rate sensor to measure a yaw angle rate;
- a yaw alignment compensator configured to use said yaw angle rate with said speed and a yaw alignment angle of said yaw rate sensor respective to a forward direction to determine a yaw alignment error;
- and
- an incline angle calculator configured to use said acceleration, said yaw alignment error and said speed to calculate an incline angle.
3 more elements
An inclinometer, comprising:
- a speedometer to determine a forward speed;
- an accelerometer to measure a forward acceleration;
- a restart bias detector to estimate an accelerometer bias at a restart of motion after a dormant time period, said estimate based on a last incline angle before said dormant time period;
- and
- an incline angle calculator configured to use said acceleration, said accelerometer bias and said speed to calculate a new said incline angle.
2 more elements
An inclinometer, comprising:
- a speedometer to determine a forward speed;
- an accelerometer to measure a forward acceleration;
- a DR altitude calculator to use said speed and said acceleration to calculate an altitude change;
- a Kalman filter configured to filter said altitude change with at least one external altitude fix to estimate an accelerometer bias;
- and
- an incline angle calculator configured to use said acceleration, said accelerometer bias and said speed to calculate an incline angle.
3 more elements
An inclinometer, comprising:
- a speedometer to determine a forward speed;
- an accelerometer to measure a forward acceleration;
- an incline angle calculator to calculate incline angle based on said measured acceleration and rate of change of said speed;
- a GNSS receiver to determine a GNSS-based position and a three dimensional GNSS-based heading including a GNSS-based incline angle;
- a yaw rate sensor to measure a yaw angle rate;
- and wherein:
- the incline angle calculator is configured to use said yaw angle rate, said GNSS-based position, said speed rate and said measured acceleration to determine a dead reckoning incline angle with a better accuracy than said GNSS-based upward heading.
4 more elements
A method for determining incline angle, comprising:
- determining a forward speed;
- measuring a forward acceleration;
- measuring a yaw angle rate;
- using said yaw angle rate with a linear position offset respective to a turn radius line for determining a position offset error;
- and
- using said acceleration, said position offset error and said speed for calculating an incline angle.
3 more elements
A method for determining incline angle, comprising:
- determining a forward speed;
- measuring a forward acceleration;
- measuring a yaw angle rate;
- using said yaw angle rate with said speed and a yaw alignment angle of said yaw rate sensor respective to a forward direction;
- and
- using said acceleration, said yaw alignment error and said speed for calculating an incline angle.
3 more elements
A method for determining incline angle, comprising:
- determining a forward speed;
- measuring a forward acceleration;
- at a restart of motion after a dormant time period, estimating an accelerometer bias based on a last said incline angle before said dormant time period;
- and
- using said acceleration, said accelerometer bias and said speed for calculating an incline angle.
2 more elements
A method for determining incline angle, comprising:
- determining a forward speed;
- measuring a forward acceleration;
- using said speed and said acceleration for calculating an altitude change;
- and
- Kalman filtering said altitude change with an external altitude fix to estimate said accelerometer bias;
- and
- using said acceleration, said accelerometer bias and said speed for calculating an incline angle.
4 more elements
A method for determining incline angle, comprising:
- determining a forward speed;
- measuring a forward acceleration;
- calculating an incline angle based on said measured acceleration and a rate of change of said speed;
- determining a GNSS-based position and a three dimensional GNSS-based heading including a GNSS-based incline angle;
- measuring a yaw angle rate;
- and wherein:
- calculating said incline angle includes using said yaw angle rate, said GNSS-based position, said speed rate and said measured acceleration for providing a dead reckoning incline angle having a better accuracy than said GNSS-based incline angle.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.