Inertial Sensor Yaw Conversion for Stable Autonomous Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autonomous navigation systems using a Kalman filter and six-axis inertial sensors face convergence issues and divergence of estimated attachment angles when the sensor's attachment angle deviates from the standard value or exceeds ±90°, hindering proper calculation of the vehicle's state.

Innovation Solution

An autonomous navigation system that includes a yaw angle range detection mechanism to convert the inertial sensor output into a virtual sensor with a yaw angle within ±90°, using a conversion function to adjust the sensor output and set initial values for the Kalman filter, ensuring rapid convergence of attachment angle estimation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the attachment angle of the inertial sensor deviates from the standard value, then the system can still operate, but the estimated attachment angle takes a long time to converge or converges to an incorrect value

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment angle estimation accuracyVSAvoidconvergence time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of the yaw angle range before initiating the Kalman filter estimation. By detecting which range the yaw angle falls into and pre-setting the appropriate initial value, the system prepares the estimation process in advance, avoiding long convergence times and incorrect convergence that would occur with standard initial values when the attachment angle deviates from standard values.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the initial value parameter of the Kalman filter based on the detected yaw angle range. Instead of using a fixed standard initial value, the system selects different initial values corresponding to different yaw angle ranges, allowing the estimation to start from a more appropriate point and converge quickly and accurately even when the sensor attachment angle deviates from standard values.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the yaw angle of the attachment angle exceeds ±90°, then the system can process the data, but the estimated attachment angle diverges without converging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment angle estimation stabilityVSAvoidyaw angle range coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the full yaw angle range into multiple sub-ranges (e.g., -180° to -90°, -90° to 0°, 0° to 90°, 90° to 180°). By detecting which segment the current yaw angle falls into and applying corresponding range-specific processing, the system prevents divergence that occurs when the angle exceeds ±90° while still maintaining the ability to handle the complete 360-degree range.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary range detection mechanism that acts as a mediator between the raw sensor data and the Kalman filter estimation. This intermediary detects the yaw angle range and transforms the input data or initial values accordingly, preventing the estimation from diverging when the yaw angle exceeds ±90° while preserving the full adaptability to handle all possible attachment angles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If a standard Kalman filter is used without range detection, then the system structure remains simple, but the state calculation is hindered when attachment angle exceeds allowable range

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestate calculation accuracyVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a preliminary detection of the yaw angle range before the main state calculation process. This preliminary action identifies which range the attachment angle falls into and prepares appropriate initial values or processing parameters, ensuring that the subsequent Kalman filter operation remains reliable even when the attachment angle exceeds the standard allowable range of ±90°.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes certain parameters (initial values, processing mode) based on the detected yaw angle range. By adapting these parameters to match the actual range conditions, the system maintains high state calculation accuracy for any attachment angle while keeping the added complexity minimal, as it only involves detecting the range and selecting corresponding pre-defined parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4339558B1Autonomous navigation system
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 ALPS ALPINE CO LTD
  • EP4339558B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4339558B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4339558B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3E

AI summary

Provided is an "autonomous navigation system" that satisfactorily estimates an attachment angle of an inertial sensor even when the yaw angle of the attachment angle of the inertial sensor is large. A sensor attachment angle detection unit (13) detects a yaw angle A3 of an approximate attachment angle of a six-axis inertial sensor (11), and a sensor output conversion unit (15) converts acceleration outputs (ax, ay, az) and angular velocity outputs (ωx, (ωy, ωz) of three axes Xs, Ys, and Zs in a coordinate system of the six-axis inertial sensor (11) into accelerations (ax', ay', az) and angular velocities (ωx', ωy', ωz) of three axes Xs', Ys', and Zs in the coordinate system having a yaw angle within ±45 according to an angle range to which the detected attachment angle A3 belongs and inputs the converted accelerations and angular velocities to a Kalman filter (16).