Gyroscope Attitude Control with Camera Drift Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for maintaining a carrier's attitude using gyroscopes are ineffective in correcting drift errors, despite the use of secondary gyroscopes for scale-factor errors.
Innovation Solution
A device and method incorporating three primary gyroscopes, a secondary gyroscope, and a camera, where the data-processing module estimates and corrects both scale-factor and drift errors using data from the secondary gyroscope and camera images, employing a hybridizing filter like a Kalman filter to improve attitude precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a secondary gyroscope is used to correct scale-factor errors, then scale-factor error correction is improved, but drift errors remain uncorrected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a secondary gyroscope with a camera system to create a hybrid measurement system. The gyroscope provides rotation rate data while the camera captures visual information, and their data are fused through a Kalman filter to simultaneously correct both scale-factor errors and drift errors that neither sensor could correct alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera acts as an intermediary sensor that provides visual reference information to correct drift errors in the gyroscope measurements. The Kalman filter serves as a mediator that fuses data from both the gyroscope and camera to produce corrected attitude estimates, enabling drift correction without requiring additional gyroscopes.
2Measurement precision
If four gyroscopes are used to correct scale-factor errors, then device complexity increases, but drift errors remain uncorrected
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system performs multiple functions: it provides visual information for drift correction, serves as a backup measurement source, and enables the Kalman filter to estimate and correct errors in the gyroscope measurements. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for additional gyroscopes while achieving both scale-factor and drift error correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces additional mechanical gyroscopes with an optical camera system combined with computational algorithms. Instead of using more mechanical sensing elements to correct errors, the system uses visual information processing and data fusion algorithms to achieve the same correction goals with different technology.
3Device complexity
If only three primary gyroscopes are used, then device complexity is reduced, but both scale-factor and drift errors affect measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback through the Kalman filter, which continuously processes measurements from both the gyroscope and camera, estimates errors in real-time, and feeds back corrected values to improve attitude measurement accuracy. This closed-loop error correction compensates for scale-factor and drift errors without requiring additional sensing elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera creates a visual copy or representation of the carrier's orientation and motion, which is then processed to generate correction data for the gyroscope measurements. This visual copy serves as an independent measurement source that can be compared against gyroscope data to identify and correct errors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The combination of the secondary gyroscope and camera enables more precise correction of primary gyroscope measurements, effectively addressing both scale-factor and drift errors, resulting in improved attitude maintenance accuracy compared to systems with only four gyroscopes.
Implementation Method 1
three primary gyroscopes arranged to measure primary rotation speeds of a carrier around three primary axes
Implementation Method 2
a camera presenting an optical axis different to each of the primary axes
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for maintaining the attitude of a carrier, the device comprising three primary gyroscopes (1, 2, 3) that are arranged to measure primary speeds of rotation (Rbc) of a carrier about three primary axes, a secondary gyroscope (4) that is arranged to measure a secondary speed of rotation (Rhp) of the carrier about a secondary axis that is different from each of the primary axes, a video camera (5) having an optical axis that is different from each of the primary axes, and a data processing module (6) that is configured to estimate scale-factor and drill errors that corrupt the primary speeds of rotation (Rbc) using data issued from the secondary speed of rotation (Rhp) and images acquired by the video camera (5), and to correct the primary speeds of rotation with said estimated errors.