Vehicle Accelerometer Orientation Compensation via Multi-Location Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing navigation devices with accelerometers face challenges in accurately determining the orientation and calibration of accelerometers due to unknown installation positions and environmental changes, leading to inaccuracies in processing acceleration data.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle accelerometer system that processes data from multiple locations to compensate for ground inclinations, using a processor to determine the mean or median orientation and selecting data items based on vehicle speed, location, and environmental parameters to correct accelerometer outputs, ensuring accurate orientation calculations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If accelerometer calibration is performed manually at installation, then initial orientation can be set, but subsequent environmental changes (temperature, ground inclination) cause systematic inaccuracies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccelerometer orientation accuracyVSAvoidaccuracy under environmental variations
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system collects accelerometer data from multiple locations beforehand to establish a reference dataset representing level ground conditions. This preliminary data collection enables the system to compensate for environmental variations without requiring real-time manual intervention, thus maintaining accuracy under changing conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors accelerometer output data, compares it against the reference dataset, and automatically adjusts orientation calculations based on detected deviations. This feedback mechanism compensates for environmental changes such as temperature fluctuations and ground inclinations, maintaining measurement precision without manual recalibration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If accelerometer data is collected from multiple locations, then ground inclination errors are compensated, but data processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveorientation determination accuracyVSAvoiddata processing requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically processes multi-location accelerometer data without requiring external intervention. It independently identifies reference data, compares current measurements against the reference dataset, and adjusts orientation calculations, thereby reducing the perceived complexity for users while maintaining high measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts only the essential reference information from multi-location data during the calibration phase, storing a condensed reference dataset. This extraction reduces the complexity of ongoing data processing while preserving the ability to compensate for ground inclinations and environmental variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Measurement precision

If manual calibration is performed on level ground, then initial accuracy is achieved, but installation position unknowns and subsequent position changes cause orientation errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinitial calibration accuracyVSAvoidperformance across different installation positions
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a universal reference dataset by collecting accelerometer data from multiple locations representing various ground inclinations. This multi-functional reference dataset enables the system to accurately determine orientation regardless of the specific installation position or subsequent position changes, making the system adaptable to diverse mounting conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary data collection from multiple locations to establish a comprehensive reference dataset before actual operation begins. This preliminary action ensures that the system is pre-adapted to various installation positions and ground conditions, eliminating the need for position-specific calibration and maintaining accuracy across different locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2452156B1Accelerometer system, method and computer program product
Publication Date: 2021.09.01 WEBFLEET SOLUTIONS BV
  • EP2452156B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2452156B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2452156B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A vehicle accelerometer system comprises an accelerometer (290) for installation in a vehicle (500), a processor (210) for selection of accelerometer output data items for inclusion in an accelerometer output data set representative of measurements by the accelerometer (290) at a plurality of different vehicle locations, each accelerometer output data item being representative of a respective measurement by the accelerometer (290), and a storage device (230) for storing the accelerometer output data set, wherein the processor (210) is configured to process the accelerometer output data set to determine an orientation output representative of the orientation of the accelerometer (290) with respect to the vehicle (500).