Patent ID: 6651027
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: G01C,G01P

Abstract:
A processing method for motion measurement, comprising the steps of:(a) producing three-axis angular rate signals by an angular rate producer and three-axis acceleration signals by an acceleration producer; (b) converting said three-axis angular rate signals into digital angular increments and converting said input three-axis acceleration signals into digital velocity increments in an angular increment and velocity increment producer; (c) computing attitude and heading angle measurements using said three-axis digital angular increments and said three-axis velocity increments in an attitude and heading processor; and (d) maintaining a predetermined operating temperature throughout said above steps, wherein said predetermined operating temperature is a constant designated temperature selected between 150Â° F. and 185Â° F.; wherein the step (b) further comprises the steps of: (b.1) integrating said three-axis analog angular rate voltage signals and said three-axis analog acceleration voltage signals for a predetermined time interval to accumulate said three-axis analog angular rate voltage signals and said three-axis analog acceleration voltage signals as a raw three-axis angular increment and a raw three-axis velocity increment for said predetermined time interval to achieve accumulated angular increments and accumulated velocity increments, for removing noise signals that are non-directly proportional to said carrier angular rate and acceleration within said three-axis analog angular rate voltage signals and said three-axis analog acceleration voltage signals, improving signal-to-noise ratio, and removing said high frequency signals in said three-axis analog angular rate voltage signals and said three-axis analog acceleration voltage signals; (b.2) forming an angular reset voltage pulse and a velocity reset voltage pulse as an angular scale and a velocity scale respectively; (b.3) measuring said voltage values of said three-axis accumulated angular increments and said three-axis accumulated velocity increments with said angular reset voltage pulse and said velocity reset voltage pulse respectively to acquire angular increment counts and velocity increment counts as a digital form of angular and velocity measurements respectively; and (b.4) scaling said voltage values of said three-axis accumulated angular and velocity increments into real three-axis angular and velocity increment voltage values; wherein the step (d) further comprises the steps of: (db-1) producing temperature voltage signals by a thermal sensing producer to an analog/digital converter; (db-2) sampling said temperature voltage signals in said analog/digital converter and digitizing said sampled temperature voltage signals to digital signals which are output to said temperature controller; (db-3) computing digital temperature commands in a temperature controller using said input digital signals from said analog/digital converter, a temperature sensor scale factor, and a pre-determined operating temperature of said angular rate producer and acceleration producer, wherein said digital temperature commands are fed back to a digital/analog converter, and (db-4) converting said digital temperature commands input from said temperature controller in said digital/analog converter into analog signals which are output to a heater device to provide adequate heat for maintaining said predetermined operating temperature throughout said processing method.