# US 8,770,023 B2 · Acceleration sensor module with attitude determining function

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,770,023 B2
- Document ID: US8770023B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/390,647
- Filed: 2010-08-18
- Published: 2012-06-07
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2009-08-18
- Assignees: Hokuriku Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Katsuyuki Ogihara; Hiroaki Nakabayashi
- Inventors: Katsuyuki Ogihara; Hiroaki Nakabayashi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770023B2

## CPC

- G01P 15/18: in two or more dimensions
- G03B 17/00: Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor (lens hoods or caps G03B11/04)
- G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)}
- G06F 3/0346: with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
- H04N 23/68: for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
- H04N 23/6812: {based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors}
- G09G 2340/0492: Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
- G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G})
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00)

## Abstract

An X-axis acceleration level determining section determines whether an X-axis acceleration signal output from a three-axis acceleration sensor has a value equal to or more than a predetermined positive threshold level, a value equal to or less than a predetermined negative threshold level, a value between the positive threshold level and a level of 0, or a value between the level of 0 and the negative threshold level. A Y-axis acceleration level determining section also makes a similar determination for a Y-axis acceleration signal output from the three-axis acceleration sensor. An attitude determining section determines the rotated attitude of a device equipped with the three-axis acceleration sensor with respect to the Z axis based on results of determinations made by the X-axis acceleration level determining section and the Y-axis acceleration level determining section.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An acceleration sensor module with an attitude determining function, comprising:
a three-axis acceleration sensor configured to detect accelerations in X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions that are perpendicular to each other;
an X-axis acceleration level determining section configured to determine whether an X-axis acceleration signal output from the three-axis acceleration sensor has a value equal to or more than a predetermined positive threshold level, a value equal to or less than a predetermined negative threshold level, a value between the positive threshold level and a level of 0, or a value between the level of 0 and the negative threshold level;
a Y-axis acceleration level determining section configured to determine whether a Y-axis acceleration signal output from the three-axis acceleration sensor has a value equal to or more than a predetermined positive threshold level, a value equal to or less than a predetermined negative threshold level, a value between the positive threshold level and a level of 0, or a value between the level of 0 and the negative threshold level; and
an attitude determining section configured to determine a rotated attitude of a device equipped with the acceleration sensor with respect to the Z-axis direction based on results of determinations made by the X-axis acceleration level determining section and the Y-axis acceleration level determining section, wherein:
the three-axis acceleration sensor, the X-axis acceleration level determining section, the Y-axis acceleration level determining section, and the attitude determining section are formed as a single unit;
the X-axis acceleration level determining section and the Y-axis acceleration level determining section each output the determination result as a 2-bit value, and the attitude determining section outputs the determined attitude as a 2-bit value; and
the attitude determining section determines a current attitude based on a combination of the 2-bit value indicating a preceding determined attitude, the 2-bit value output from the X-axis acceleration level determining section, and the 2-bit value output from the Y-axis acceleration level determining section.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The acceleration sensor module according to claim 1, further comprising:
first and second threshold level setting sections configured to changeably set the positive and negative threshold levels used by the X-axis acceleration level determining section and the Y-axis acceleration level determining section.

### Claim 3

An acceleration sensor module with an attitude determining function, comprising:
a three-axis acceleration sensor configured to detect accelerations in X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions that are perpendicular to each other;
an X-axis acceleration level determining section configured to determine whether an X-axis acceleration signal output from the three-axis acceleration sensor has a value equal to or more than a predetermined positive threshold level, a value equal to or less than a predetermined negative threshold level, a value between the positive threshold level and a level of 0, or a value between the level of 0 and the negative threshold level;
a Y-axis acceleration level determining section configured to determine whether a Y-axis acceleration signal output from the three-axis acceleration sensor has a value equal to or more than a predetermined positive threshold level, a value equal to or less than a predetermined negative threshold level, a value between the positive threshold level and a level of 0, or a value between the level of 0 and the negative threshold level; and
an attitude determining section configured to determine a rotated attitude of a device equipped with the acceleration sensor with respect to the Z-axis direction based on results of determinations made by the X-axis acceleration level determining section and the Y-axis acceleration level determining section, wherein
the three-axis acceleration sensor, the X-axis acceleration level determining section, the Y-axis acceleration level determining section, and the attitude determining section are formed as a single unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The acceleration sensor module according to claim 3, wherein
the X-axis acceleration level determining section and the Y-axis acceleration level determining section each output the determination result as a 2-bit value, and the attitude determining section outputs the determined attitude as a 2-bit value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The acceleration sensor module according to claim 3, wherein
the attitude determining section determines a current attitude based on a combination of the 2-bit value indicating a preceding determined attitude, the 2-bit value output from the X-axis acceleration level determining section, and the 2-bit value output from the Y-axis acceleration level determining section.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The acceleration sensor module according to claim 3, further comprising:
first and second threshold level setting sections configured to changeably set the positive and negative threshold levels used by the X-axis acceleration level determining section and the Y-axis acceleration level determining section.