Speed Patents (Class 702/96)
  • Publication number: 20120330595
    Abstract: A system for determining motor speed of a brush DC motor in an apparatus, including circuitry for sensing current in the brush DC motor; a first filter for receiving a substantially DC component of the sensed current and parameters corresponding to the brush DC motor, for calculating a speed estimate thereof; an adaptive bandpass filter having a center frequency corresponding to the speed estimate of the first filter, for receiving the sensed current and substantially isolating a periodic current fluctuation thereof; a block for determining a frequency of the periodic current fluctuation, the periodic current fluctuation frequency being a commutation frequency of the brush DC motor and corresponding to motor speed of the brush DC motor. The motor speed determined from the periodic current fluctuation of the motor current is then used to control the speed of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventor: Stefan Mark Atay
  • Patent number: 8336364
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating wheel speed signals measured by wheel rpm sensors in a vehicle equipped with at least one longitudinal acceleration sensor integrates the signal of the longitudinal acceleration sensor during the acceleration or deceleration phases of the vehicle, and the resulting vehicle speed signal is compared against the signals of the individual wheel rpm sensors. A determination is made as to whether a deviation that may exist for a wheel lies within a predefined tolerance range. If a deviation falls outside of the tolerance range, the parameterized tire circumference of the associated wheel is adaptively recalibrated until the deviation falls within the tolerance range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Munko, Axel Stender, Gerhard Ruhnau, Ingo Tha
  • Patent number: 8321166
    Abstract: Wireless platform attitude information such as pitch, roll and heading are disclosed. Attitude estimates can be made by using orthogonally mounted gyroscopes. Attitude estimates can be also made by determining the direction of arrival of signals and comparing the direction of arrival of the signals with the position of the transmitters and the position of the receiver. The attitude estimates can be then combined to determine “real time” attitude information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: James K. O'Hare
  • Publication number: 20120215474
    Abstract: A calibration system for simultaneous calibration of multiple motion capture elements (MCEs) of at least one type (accelerometer and/or gyroscope). Includes motion and/or rotational element coupled to a base and configured to move and/or rotate multiple MCEs mounted on a mount in and/or about at least one axis. For one axis movement embodiments, after each motion and/or axial rotation, the motion and/or rotational mount itself is rotated for example manually, so the mount points in a different direction, i.e., the Z axis. In a single axis embodiment, this is performed twice so that each axis of the MCEs experience motion and/or rotation about three axes. The motion capture data is sampled and used in calculation of a 3×3 calibration matrix. The physical format of the motion capture sensors may be any format including chip, memory or SIM card format, PCB format, mobile computers/phones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Michael Bentley, Bhaskar Bose
  • Publication number: 20120203486
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for obtaining data for calibrating an accelerometer. The method and system operate by using at least one magnetometer reading to detect that a first orientation is being maintained; obtaining a plurality of accelerometer readings at the first orientation; using at least one magnetometer reading to detect that a plurality of additional orientations are being maintained and, for each orientation, obtaining a plurality of accelerometer readings at that orientation; determining calibration parameters comprising, for each axis of the accelerometer, at least one of a gain value and an offset value, using the plurality of accelerometer readings at the first and plurality of additional orientations; and applying the calibration parameters to subsequent accelerometer readings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Nazih Almalki, Christopher Harris Snow
  • Patent number: 8234399
    Abstract: A serial ATA interface calibrates serially connected components of a computer system linked by the interface to a negotiated data transmission speed. The interface negotiates the fastest data transmission speed supported by the serially connected components. Link parameters associated with the negotiated data transmission speed are calibrated and implemented in a Phy layer of the interface before data is transmitted across the interface. The calibrated link parameters include signal transmission settings for amplitude, pre-emphasis, equalization and timing. Default settings of the link parameters correspond to the slowest data transmission speed supported by the serially connected components. The serially connected components are calibrated each time system power is initialized. The serially connected components can be a host computer linked to a data storage device such as a backplane-based storage subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Robert B. Wood
  • Patent number: 8229697
    Abstract: A method and a device are described for determining the rotational direction and/or rotational speed of a rotatable body on the basis of a sine signal and cosine signal, which is assignable to the rotational direction and/or rotational speed of the rotatable body and are output by a sensor, having at least one of the following steps: recording a sine signal and cosine signal, which is assignable to the rotational direction and/or rotational speed, at a point in time; determining a phase value from the sine signal and cosine signal; recording sine signals and cosine signals, which is assignable to the rotational direction and/or rotational speed, at points in time; determining phase values from the corresponding sine signals and cosine signals; calculating phase differences from the phase values and the phase value; and determining the rotational direction and/or rotational speed from the phase differences on the basis of a Vernier method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Axel Wenzler
  • Patent number: 8210023
    Abstract: The method of calibrating a scale factor of an axially-symmetrical vibrating rate gyro operating by applying an amplitude control signal (CA) and a precession control signal (CP) to a vibrator member (1) set into vibration at a given frequency comprises a pre-calibration step consisting in calculating a reference gain ratio between a drive gain (Gmx) in a first direction and a drive gain (Gmy) in a second direction in modal quadrature with the first direction, and in storing the reference gain ratio, and a calibration step consisting in calculating a value for a measurable magnitude associated with the scale factor by a proportionality relationship including the reference gain ratio, and calculating a corrected scale factor on the basis of the value of the measurable magnitude and the stored reference gain ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Sagem Defense Securite
    Inventors: Alain Jeanroy, Alain Renault, Jean-Michel Caron
  • Patent number: 8209081
    Abstract: A method for compensating for wheel speed and acceleration calculation errors comprising the steps of collecting a wheel speed signal, creating at least one compensation factor for the wheel speed signal, correlating each compensation factor with a rotational position of the wheel, modifying each compensation factor individually based on variations in calculations made from the information collected according to the rotational position of the wheel, and calculating wheel speed and acceleration using the at least one compensation factor applied according to the rotational position of the wheel from which the wheel speed signal is collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventor: John Patrick Joyce
  • Publication number: 20120130667
    Abstract: Provided is a calibration apparatus, including: a holder for fixing an electronic device; a first motor for rotating the holder with a first rotation axis as a center; a second motor for rotating the holder with a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis as a center; and a stopper for restricting a rotational position of the holder about the second rotation axis to a range between a reference position and a perpendicular position reached by rotating the holder by 90 degrees from the reference position, in which the first motor rotates the holder to which the electronic device is fixed at a predetermined speed in each of states in which the rotational position of the holder about the second rotation axis falls in the reference position and in which the rotational position of the holder about the second rotation axis falls in the perpendicular position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Noriyuki FUKUSHIMA, Hiroshi Osawa
  • Patent number: 8160301
    Abstract: In a stereo-image recognition apparatus, pixel blocks having correlation with the brightness characteristics of target pixel blocks extracted from a reference image of a stereo image are specified in a comparative image so as to calculate parallaxes of the pixel blocks. Further, distance-data calculation pixel blocks whose distance data is to be calculated are extracted from the pixel blocks whose parallaxes are calculated, and parallaxes of the extracted distance-data calculation pixel blocks are calculated as distance data, thus monitoring vehicle surroundings. A brightness-determination-threshold setting unit variably sets a brightness determination threshold value on the basis of the distance distribution of the calculated distance data of the distance-data calculation pixel blocks so as to control the sensitivity to extract the distance-data calculation pixel blocks and to enhance the accuracy in monitoring vehicle surroundings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noboru Morimitsu
  • Patent number: 8150651
    Abstract: An inclinometer using a speedometer and a forward-looking accelerometer for measuring inclination angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventor: Peter Van Wyck Loomis
  • Publication number: 20120065915
    Abstract: A method executed by a computer includes applying a correction to an acceleration value of an object at an interval; calculating an initial speed of the object by assigning the corrected acceleration value in a period to a third relational expression that is obtained by transforming a first relational expression and a second relational expression so as to obtain an initial speed from the acceleration in the period and the interval, where the first relational expression is to obtain an object position from acceleration and an initial speed, and the second relational expression represents force applied to the object due to fluctuation of the center of gravity of the object as a motion equation of a spring model; and calculating coordinate values over a horizontal plane that indicates a center of gravity of the object by assigning the corrected acceleration value and the initial speed to the first relational expression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahiro HARA, Kazuho MAEDA, Yoshinori YAGINUMA
  • Publication number: 20120041702
    Abstract: To accurately calculate an attached angle of an accelerometer and accurately correct an acceleration that is obtained from the accelerometer: a frequency analyzing module of an acceleration corrector divides a sensor coordinate system acceleration into a bias frequency component, a gravity frequency component, a movement acceleration frequency component, and a noise frequency component, through a wavelet transform. The frequency analyzing module outputs a sum component of the gravity frequency component and the movement acceleration frequency component to an attached angle estimating module and a correcting operation module. The attached angle estimating module estimation-calculates the attached angle of an accelerometer and outputs it to the correcting operation module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Toda, Ken Yoshitake
  • Patent number: 8111032
    Abstract: An indicating instrument for a vehicle includes a step motor including a field winding, a pointer, a stopper device for stopping the pointer, which is rotating in a zero-reset direction, at a stopper position, a detecting device for detecting induced voltage of the field winding at each of detecting points, a control device for performing zero-reset control, whereby a drive signal is controlled to rotate the pointer in the zero-reset direction. In a state of abnormal detection in which the induced voltage larger than a predetermined set value is detected at a zero point; and the induced voltage equal to or smaller than the set value is detected at a next detecting point to the zero point, the control device assumes synchronization loss of the step motor and continues the zero-reset control until an assumptive electrical angle corresponding to a rotational position of the pointer reaches the zero point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hideyuki Nakane
  • Patent number: 8102139
    Abstract: An indicating instrument includes a step motor having a field winding, a pointer, a reduction gear mechanism having gears, a stopper device for stopping the pointer at a stopper position, a detecting device for detecting induced voltage of the winding at each of detecting points that include a zero point corresponding to the stopper position, a control device for controlling a drive signal, and an updating device for updating the zero point based on the induced voltage during zero-reset control performed by the control device. The control device performs return control, whereby the pointer rotates to a return point in an indication value increasing direction and then returns to a waiting point in a zero-reset direction to stand by at the waiting point, prior to zero-reset control, whereby the pointer rotates from the waiting point in the zero-reset direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hideyuki Nakane
  • Publication number: 20120016615
    Abstract: The method is based on a determination of the orientation of the sensor to the surface moving with respect to the sensor and then acquiring data where the lateral velocity is small and the forward velocity is large. Then, the orientation of the sensor with respect to the direction of the forward velocity is determined and the velocity data subsequently measured are corrected using the measured orientation of the sensor with respect to the reference surface and the forward velocity direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Mark Carpaij, Alexander Marc Van Der Lee, Bernd Engelbrecht, Marcel Schemmann, Carsten Heinks, Holger Moench
  • Publication number: 20110313703
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an inertial measurement device secured to a structure of a vehicle for which it is desired to measure speeds and/or accelerations, the device comprising at least one piece of moving equipment in rotation about a stationary axis of rotation Y relative to the structure, said moving equipment including at least two measurement means having respective sensitivity axes X? and Z? that are mutually orthogonal and that lie in a plane perpendicular to the stationary axis of rotation Y, a motor for driving the moving equipment in rotation, means for determining the angular position of the moving equipment, means for responding to the angular position of the moving equipment to determine the projection of the measurements taken in the rotary frame of reference axes X? and Z? by the said at least two measurement means onto a vehicle frame of reference X and Z.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER
    Inventors: Jean Paul Petillon, Antoine Carayon
  • Publication number: 20110307204
    Abstract: A velocity measuring device and a measured velocity correcting method are provided. The velocity measuring device includes: a GPS unit that receives a satellite signal from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite and generates GPS data including position coordinates and a traveling velocity; an acceleration sensor unit that includes an acceleration sensor and generates sensor data including a traveling velocity and a road slope; and a correction unit that compares the GPS data and the sensor data generated at a current time with the GPS data and the sensor data generated at a previous time and sets the traveling velocity included in the sensor data or the GPS data as a measured velocity depending on whether a variation in traveling velocity exists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventor: Sung-Yeob CHO
  • Publication number: 20110307205
    Abstract: A method for self-calibrating, while a vehicle is moving, an accelerometer mounted on a wheel of the vehicle so that its plane of maximum sensitivity is secant with the axis of rotation of the wheel. The average value and on the other hand the amplitude of the signal representative of the acceleration Acc-read delivered by the accelerometer are calculated first, for an established speed of the vehicle, based on measurements performed by the accelerometer during a time window corresponding to the time needed for the wheel to complete n rotations, with n>1, then the values of the gain C1 and of the offset C2 of the accelerometer are determined by resolving the system of two equations with two unknown values: ?2R=C1×(average value of Acc-read)+C2 2 g=C1×(amplitude of Acc-read) with: ? the speed of rotation of the wheel, R the radius of the wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventor: Youri Vassilieff
  • Publication number: 20110288805
    Abstract: A control device includes a two-dimensional inertial system configured to measure an acceleration of the control device. A control circuit is coupled to the two-dimensional inertial system where the control circuit is configured to receive acceleration information for the acceleration measured by the two-dimensional inertial system. The control circuit is further configured to integrate the acceleration information to calculate the velocity of the control device and determine if the velocity of the control device becomes zero along one or both of the two dimensions for which the two-dimensional inertial system is configured to measure acceleration. The control circuit is further configured to correct a drift in the velocity if the control circuit determines that the velocity is zero along one or both of the two dimensions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: Logitech Europe S.A.
    Inventors: Hooman Dejnabadi, Kamiar Aminian, Nicolas Chauvin
  • Patent number: 8050781
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to dynamically measuring the speed of a circuit and modifying the operating voltage of the circuit based on the measured speed, in order to minimize the power being used while still ensuring proper operation of the circuit. Consequently, circuits of higher inherent speeds may have their voltages decreased (thus decreasing their actual speeds), while circuits of lower speeds may have their voltages increased, or kept the same. Thus, the resulting speeds of all circuits may be kept within a limited range to ensure proper operation. In addition, the power dissipated of circuits of higher speeds may be decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Emulex Design & Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey Douglas Scotten
  • Publication number: 20110251816
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for three dimensional calibration of an on-board diagnostics system. In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for calibrating an on-board diagnostic system for an automobile including the steps of generating a three dimensional surface corresponding to an engine operating under a first condition, generating a three dimensional surface corresponding to the engine operating under a second condition, and generating a three dimensional threshold surface using the three dimensional surface corresponding to the engine operating under the first condition and the three dimensional surface corresponding to the engine operating under the second condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Timothy D. Tracey
  • Publication number: 20110153251
    Abstract: A method for compensating for the quadrature of a micromechanical structure, the micromechanical structure having a substrate having a main extension plane, a seismic mass that is attached by spring elements to the substrate, and first and second compensation electrodes anchored to the substrate; in response to application of a first quadrature voltage between the first compensation electrode and the seismic mass, a first compensation force being produced on the seismic mass and, in response to application of a second quadrature voltage between the second compensation electrode and the seismic mass, a second compensation force being produced on the seismic mass and, in addition, the second quadrature voltage being adjusted as a function of the first quadrature voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Christoph Gauger
  • Patent number: 7949488
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that monitor movement of a person, or of a vehicle ridden by the person, to determine speed, distance traveled and/or airtime of the person or vehicle. Accelerometer-based sensors, pressure sensors or Doppler sensors may be employed in these systems and methods. A liquid crystal display may attach to the person to display speed, distance traveled and/or airtime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Flentov, Dennis M. Darcy, Curtis A. Vock
  • Patent number: 7949487
    Abstract: An angular velocity detected by an angular velocity sensor (10) is integrated by a small angle matrix calculator (12) and a matrix adding calculator (14), and then restored as a posture angle (angular velocity posture angle) by a matrix posture angle calculator (16). A posture matrix is calculated by a tilt angle calculator (22) and an acceleration matrix calculator (24) and an acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor (20) is restored as a posture angle (acceleration posture angle) by a matrix posture angle calculator (26). Low pass filters (18, 28) each extract a low range component, the difference between the two is calculated by a differencer (30), and only the drift amount is extracted. A subtracter (32) removes the drift amount from the angular velocity posture angle and the result is output from an output device (34). In addition, a posture angle matrix calculator (36) converts the result to a posture matrix, which it feeds back to the matrix adding calculator (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho
    Inventors: Hisayoshi Sugihara, Yutaka Nonomura, Motohiro Fujiyoshi
  • Publication number: 20110119013
    Abstract: A method for verifying the speed of a vehicle having at least a front axle and a rear axle, using sensors separated by a distance. The presence of the vehicle is sensed and an image of the vehicle is recorded to enable the vehicle to be identified. The sensors are triggered to emit signals which are received by the system to enable the speed of the vehicle to be determined. The signals are also used to determine a wheel base measurement for the vehicle. The determined wheel base measurement is compared to an actual wheel base measurement of the vehicle being sensed and any discrepancy between them is taken to be indicative of potential errors in the speed of the vehicle determined by the method. In one embodiment, the a database is provided, the database containing data relating to various vehicle types associated with vehicle specifications including a validated wheel base measurement for each vehicle type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: Adrian Onea, Ricardo John Fiusco
  • Patent number: 7938004
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods of angular rate and position measurement that combine a small footprint with hardening and isolation technologies that allow it to function in acceleration, angular rate, noise and vibration environments that cause other gyroscopes to either fail or to produce erroneous outputs. An example embodiment contains a triad of accelerometers, a triad of gyroscopes, analog and digital ancillary electronics and a processor housed within a housing which is also filled with vibration reducing encapsulating compound. The disclosed systems and methods of angular rate and position measurement are capable of measuring and correcting internal errors and perturbations caused by the longitudinal and angular accelerations and temperature excursions of aerospace vehicles, isolating the gyroscope elements from the effects of acoustic noise and vibration, and accurately measuring the relatively small pitch and yaw oscillations of the vehicle in its flight path trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventors: James P. Brunsch, Jr., David A. Bittle, Julian L. Cothran, Gary T. Jimmerson, Russell S. Garner
  • Patent number: 7930147
    Abstract: A sensor response time acceleration method including the steps of reading a signal step and an operating on the signal step. The reading a signal step includes reading a signal from a sensor, the signal representative of an environmental attribute as detected by the sensor. The operation on the signal step includes operating on the signal with a function of an inverse model of the sensor and a function representative of a desired sensor model to yield an accelerated output representative of the environmental attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Taner Tuken
  • Publication number: 20110071785
    Abstract: A method of estimating and extrapolating the position of an article is provided. The article's position is detected by relatively infrequent ultrasonic ranging, and provides more frequent reports from internal accelerometers, gyroscopes and optional magnetometers. In a first instance, the method includes calculating new position, velocity and orientation vectors by linearly interpolating between the readings of the sensors at two times. In a second instance, the method includes estimating the orientation of the article by calculating the duration of a timeslice, making a rotational increment matrix and taking the product of the initial orientation and the increment matrix for the appropriate number of timeslices. In a third instance, the method includes calculating the acceleration of an article between three ultrasonically determined locations and recalibrating the accelerometers to align the measured acceleration with the calculated acceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventor: THOMAS PETER HEATH
  • Publication number: 20110029267
    Abstract: A method for determining the angular speed of a drive shaft of an internal combustion engine at each tooth event of a phonic wheel presenting a number N of teeth includes detecting the angular amplitude for each tooth; detecting the time of each tooth; and determining the raw angular speed of each tooth according to the corresponding angular amplitude and time. For each tooth a compensation value is determined which represents the difference between the actual angular amplitude of the tooth and the theoretic angular amplitude of the tooth; and determining the angular speed of each tooth by correcting the raw angular speed by means of the corresponding compensation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.P.A.
    Inventors: Gabriele Serra, Savino Luigi Lupo
  • Patent number: 7856336
    Abstract: An altitude dead reckoning system using a measured forward speed and a measured forward-looking acceleration in a dead reckoning (DR) altitude calculator to calculate an altitude change. The DR altitude calculator may also use a measured yaw angle rate to provide compensation to improve the accuracy of the altitude change calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventor: Peter Van Wyck Loomis
  • Patent number: 7840369
    Abstract: An apparatus correcting a bias of a gyroscope that is mounted on a mobile robot and that measures an angular velocity of the mobile robot. The apparatus includes: at least one encoder respectively measuring a traveling velocity of a respective at least one wheel of the mobile robot; a modeling unit calculating an angular velocity of the mobile robot by using the measured traveling velocity; a bias presuming unit determining a confidence range by using difference values between the calculated angular velocity and the measured angular velocity, and calculating a presumed bias by using a value in a confidence range among the difference values; and a bias removing unit removing the presumed bias from the measured angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyoung-ki Lee, Ki-wan Choi, Dong-yoon Kim, Seok-won Bang
  • Publication number: 20100262396
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a wheel speed detection system, comprising at least one wheel speed sensor and at least one electronic control unit. The at least one wheel speed sensor output signal is evaluated in the electronic control unit and the evaluation is adapted to a distance information item which is acquired from a traveled reference distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventor: Andreas Kircher
  • Publication number: 20100256939
    Abstract: Systems are able to reduce or remove slowly-varying drift errors, such as heading errors and rate of rotation errors, to correct the measurements from tracking devices. The systems may be used to remove the slow varying drift errors for gyroscopic tracking device sensors, or other types of sensors used for determining heading, rates of rotation, or position. The systems may be employed in personal dead reckoning systems, or other personnel tracking device, as well as in vehicle tracking devices. The system uses heuristic assumptions to correct for these drift errors, via a feedback loop control having an accumulator responsive to changes in output signals. The accumulator is able to produce a signal that over time compensates for the inherent drift errors on those output signals. In some examples, that feedback loop control can be adjusted to compensate from deviations from those heuristic assumptions, such as swaying, curving, or turning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventor: Johann Borenstein
  • Publication number: 20100250179
    Abstract: A dynamic motion and distance measuring device for estimating and measuring speed and distance covered by a subject engaged in an athletic endeavor and more particularly to measuring and estimating the speed and distance and providing a relative indication of a measured speed and distance to an optimal speed and distance and/or time including finish time of the subject engaged in an athletic event, even where the event is occurring in changing environment or terrain conditions where remote data collection and signal reception is inconsistent and variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas Mariano, Marilyn Mariano
  • Publication number: 20100198544
    Abstract: A sensor response time acceleration method including the steps of reading a signal step and an operating on the signal step. The reading a signal step includes reading a signal from a sensor, the signal representative of an environmental attribute as detected by the sensor. The operation on the signal step includes operating on the signal with a function of an inverse model of the sensor and a function representative of a desired sensor model to yield an accelerated output representative of the environmental attribute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventor: Taner Tuken
  • Publication number: 20100148761
    Abstract: A metal detector (40) used for identifying contaminants in products (23) introduced into the metal detector by a conveyor. The detector (40) includes coils (1), a search head (2) and an analog to digital converter (3) that generates a reactive signal (13) in response to the presence of a contaminant in the region of the coils. A calculation processor (32 ) receives the reactive signal (13) along with the value of the conveyor speed (9) to determine a calibration ratio R that is unique to each individual metal detector (40). The optimum frequency F for metal detector operation is equal to the conveyor speed (9) divided by the ratio R. The ratio R simplifies the selection of filter parameters (4, 8) for a speed filter (30) which correlates the conveyor speed (9) with the frequency F so as to deliver an optimized signal to the detection algorithm (10) used to determine the presence of a contaminant based on the signal (13) derived from the coils (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventor: Sergey A. Moskalenko
  • Patent number: 7734388
    Abstract: A wheel-speed-sensor-anomaly detection apparatus detects anomaly of wheel speed sensors of a vehicle. When a difference between the minimum wheel speed among detected wheel speeds and the smallest value among the remaining wheel speeds is greater than a predetermined threshold value, in principle, a wheel speed sensor of the wheel corresponding to the minimum wheel speed is determined to be anomalous. Meanwhile, when a wheel having a lowered tire air pressure (air-pressure-lowered wheel) is present and a road surface on which the vehicle is currently traveling is a low-? road surface, the operation of detecting anomaly of the wheel speed sensors is prohibited. This operation reliably prevents erroneous detection of anomaly of the wheel speed sensor of the air-pressure-lowered wheel, which erroneous detection would otherwise occur due to the locking tendency of the air-pressure-lowered wheel occurring because of decreased tire air pressure, in particular, on a low-? road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirohisa Tanaka, Yoshimasa Yamamoto, Kazuhiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20100125430
    Abstract: A sensor accuracy adjustment program for an analog angle sensor used in an AC servomotor control. A step (S3) of applying an adjustment value update processing to adjustment values in adjustment areas in an adjustment table depending on the result of the comparison of the value of a command rate with the value of the rate of an adjustment processing target by using the adjustment table in which changeable adjustment values used for adjustment calculation are arranged for each of the adjustment areas in which the range of a motor shaft rotation angle is divided for use as a unit of an adjustment processing, a step (S0) of applying the adjustment calculation to the target rate value by using the adjustment values after the update, and a step (S4) for judging the state in which the step (S4) is implemented in order to apply the step (S3) to all the adjustment areas of the adjustment table are functioned to the servo driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventor: Shouji Kanazawa
  • Patent number: 7711439
    Abstract: A method of controlling a motor speed for a fan assembly includes receiving a duty cycle value at a microcontroller. The microcontroller receives a measured fan speed from a speed sensor. An expected fan speed is determined, where the expected fan speed corresponds to the duty cycle value. The measured fan speed is compared with the expected fan speed. A duty cycle of a motor driving signal is reduced if the measured fan speed is less than a predetermined fraction of the expected fan speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Scott Frankel, Eric Hardt, Nigel D. Strike
  • Publication number: 20100106445
    Abstract: A measuring unit obtains measurement data of an object measured on the basis of a signal from a GPS satellite and angular velocity of an object output from an angular velocity sensor. An offset value computing unit estimates a running condition of the object on the basis of the measurement data and the angular velocity. The offset value computing unit sequentially derives temporary offset values while changing combination of the measurement data and the angular velocity in accordance with the estimated running condition of the object and, after that, executes statistical process on the temporary offset values, thereby deriving an offset value. An angular velocity conversion coefficient computing unit sequentially derives temporary angular velocity conversion coefficients on the basis of the measurement data and the angular velocity and, after that, executes statistical process on the temporary angular velocity conversion coefficients, thereby deriving an angular velocity conversion coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventor: Takahiro Kondoh
  • Patent number: 7693628
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for synchronous communication in a control system is disclosed. Within a first time interval, a first source task is executed to broadcast a first destination task, within a second sequential time interval, the first destination task is communicated over a channel to a first destination, and within a third sequential time interval, the first destination task is consumed. Within the first time interval, a second source task may be executed to broadcast a second destination task, within the second sequential time interval, the second destination task may be communicated over the channel to a second destination, and within the third sequential time interval, the second destination task may be consumed. The first source task is allowed to be scheduled ahead of the second source task, and the second source task is allowed to be scheduled ahead of the first source task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Fuhrman, Miroslawa A. Supal, Arnold W. Millsap
  • Patent number: 7684945
    Abstract: In a method for the calibration of a yaw rate measurement in a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle features at least one device for determining the yaw rate, a camera system which is oriented in the forward direction, and, if applicable, a steering angle sensor or a lateral acceleration sensor. At least one initial calibration is carried out at a standstill and at least one second calibration is carried out when the motor vehicle is moving. The second calibration uses image data of the camera system, which detects the environment in front of the motor vehicle, to predict the course of the roadway lane on which the vehicle is driving, from which the yaw rate is estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: ADC Automotive Distance Control Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Walter, Matthias Zobel, Johannes Hoer
  • Patent number: 7680545
    Abstract: This Invention provides for a method and system for speed measurement verification. The method comprises the step of automatically measuring the speed of a vehicle traveling on a surface which includes a fixed marker at a predetermined distance from a point where the speed of the vehicle is measured. The measured speed is automatically compared to a predetermined speed limit and if the speed limit is exceeded, the next step involves automatically calculating a time delay, which time delay is calculated according to the measured speed and the predetermined distance so as to predict when the vehicle, if traveling at the measured speed, will reach the marker. An image is then captured with a camera directed at the marker after expiration of the time delay so that, if the measured speed is accurate, the vehicle will be positioned proximate the marker so that the captured image showing the vehicle relative to the marker is able to serve as verification of the accuracy of the measured speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Inventor: Rudiger Heinz Gebert
  • Patent number: 7680620
    Abstract: A device for measuring the dynamic matrix sensitivity of an inertia sensor is provided with a motion generating machine or a vibrating table for inducing a translational or rotary motion, an acceleration measuring unit, an angular velocity measuring unit or angular acceleration measuring unit, an output device for fetching an output from the unit, one or, pre light reflectors, a displacement measuring device for seizing a multidimensional motion by using a laser interferometer radiating light from a plurality of directions to the light reflectors, a data processing unit for processing a data indicating the state of motion and obtained from the displacement measuring unit, and a displaying device to display or a transmitting device to transmit the output of the data processing unit and the output of the acceleration measuring unit, angular velocity measuring unit or angular acceleration measuring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventor: Akira Umeda
  • Patent number: 7676345
    Abstract: A method of determining the velocity (?) of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has at least one pair of a front and a rear wheel which are spaced by a wheel spacing (B). Front and rear wheel speed signals (?) are determined which are indicative of the time dependent behavior of the front and rear wheel speeds, respectively. The front and rear wheel speed signals (?) are correlated in order to determine a specific correlation feature indicative of the time delay (?) between the front wheel and rear wheel speed signals. The velocity (?) of the vehicle is determined based on the correlation feature and the wheel spacing (B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: NIRA Dynamics AB
    Inventors: Fredrik Gustavsson, Jonas Nilsson, Tony Gustavsson
  • Publication number: 20100057279
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for active heave compensation, the method, in certain aspects, including the steps of: (a) measuring with a measurement device (44) the heave of a vessel (10) and outputting a heave signal representative thereof; (b) using said heave signal to compensate for said heave by moving a connection device (20) relative to said vessel (10) as a function of said heave signal, whereby movement due to said heave of a load attached to said vessel via the connection device is reduced; said heave signal comprising errors induced by said measurement device (44) whereby accuracy of said compensation is reduced; (c) processing said heave signal so as to reduce said errors and outputting an adjusted heave signal; and (d) using said adjusted heave signal to move said connection device (20) to compensate for said heave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventor: Aage Kyllingstad
  • Publication number: 20100042350
    Abstract: A radar gun certification system providing for the certification of doppler radar guns and associated tuning forks is described. The certification system incorporates a handheld testing device for use with a mobile computer to certify the devices. The mobile computer interfaces with a server computer which performs the test and stores the test result data. The certification system provides for the certification of radar gun devices in the patrol car by law enforcement agency personnel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: CERTRITE LLC
    Inventors: Robert de Wild, Robert Badgett
  • Patent number: 7647138
    Abstract: A system, device, and corresponding method for enabling a user to accurately control, monitor, and evaluate performance of a vehicle. A portable programmable computer device that a user can readily install by plugging it into a diagnostic connector port of the vehicle. The system includes a detector for detecting the start time of first movement of the vehicle independent of the on board diagnostic system. Velocity data from the onboard diagnostic system is time stamped by a clock in the device and stored. Velocity curves are generated from the velocity data and time stamps. Wheel spin is accounted for by smoothing the velocity curve to determine a point of inflection in the velocity indicative of termination of wheel spin and creating correcting velocity and acceleration curves by solving equations from the inflection point backwards on the curve down to time zero. From the corrected curves, an accurate distance is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Hypertech Inc.
    Inventor: Mark F. Heffington