Vehicle Global Inclination Determination Using Accelerometer Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining the inclination of a motor vehicle relative to a reference point are expensive, complex, and require significant space, making them inefficient for precise and automatic correction of light beam paths to prevent glare.
Innovation Solution
An automatic method using at least two accelerometers on the vehicle's chassis to measure longitudinal and vertical accelerations, which are linked by an affine function, allowing for precise calculation of global inclination through iterative linear regression and quality estimation, with additional steps for filtering and data selection to improve accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional inclination sensors with articulated arms are used to determine vehicle inclination, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and installation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical articulated arm inclination sensor with an electronic solution using accelerometers and computational algorithms. The mechanical system (articulated arms with calculating elements) is substituted by electronic accelerometers measuring longitudinal and vertical accelerations, combined with software processing (linear regression, affine function calculations) to determine inclination. This eliminates the mechanical complexity while maintaining measurement capability.
2Measurement precision
If complex data processing methods are used to account for suspension and vibration parameters, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the vehicle's existing acceleration sensors (designed for other purposes like stability control) to gather raw data, then applies self-contained mathematical processing (linear regression between longitudinal and vertical accelerations, affine function with proportionality coefficient) to extract inclination information. The method serves itself by utilizing available data and simple computational relationships rather than requiring external complex processing systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the approach by changing from directly measuring inclination angles to measuring accelerations and deriving inclination through mathematical relationships. It uses the affine function relationship between longitudinal and vertical accelerations, where the proportionality coefficient encodes suspension characteristics, thereby converting a complex mechanical measurement problem into a simpler data processing problem using existing sensor data.
3Device complexity
If simple acceleration-based methods are used to determine inclination, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to suspension and vibration effects
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously processes acceleration data and uses the derived inclination information to control the headlight positioning. The feedback loop takes raw acceleration measurements, processes them through linear regression and affine relationships to determine inclination, and uses this information to adjust headlight aim in real-time, compensating for vehicle movements and maintaining accurate beam positioning despite suspension effects.
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
Enables precise and rapid determination of motor vehicle inclination, reducing costs and complexity while effectively correcting light beam angles to prevent glare, even in challenging conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a measuring step performed by means of at least two accelerometers arranged on the chassis, the two accelerometers being configured to measure over time respectively a so-called longitudinal acceleration and a so-called vertical acceleration of the motor vehicle
Data Source
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AI summary
- The autonomous method for determining a so-called global inclination of a motor vehicle (2) while driving along a trajectory on a road (S), said global inclination (α) illustrating the angle between a longitudinal axis of the chassis (X2) of the motor vehicle (2) and a longitudinal axis of the road (X1) of the motor vehicle (2), comprises a measuring step performed by means of at least two accelerometers arranged on the chassis and configured for measuring a longitudinal acceleration and a vertical acceleration of the motor vehicle (2), and a calculating step consisting of calculating the global inclination (α) of the vehicle (2) exclusively by means of pairs of measurements measured in the measuring step, said calculating step taking into consideration that the vertical acceleration and longitudinal acceleration are linked by an affine function of which a coefficient of proportionality depends on a point-inclination for a constant slope (P) of the road (S).