Vehicle Tilt Angle Determination Using Acceleration Magnitude Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining a vehicle's tilt angle, such as those using gravity-referenced sensors, suffer from errors due to coupling with acceleration effects, leading to inaccurate readings, especially during dynamic movements like acceleration and turning, and require complex computations or GPS data for reliable pitch and roll determination.
Innovation Solution
A method that measures accelerations along the X, Y, and Z axes, calculates a current tilt angle, and uses a compensation factor to adjust the tilt angle based on the magnitude of the acceleration vector, relying on past sensor data when current data is inaccurate, and incorporates a gyroscope for improved tracking, allowing for dynamic compensation without complex computations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If gravity-referenced tilt sensors (accelerometers) are used to measure vehicle tilt angle, then the sensor provides real-time tilt information, but the measured tilt angle contains errors due to coupling with vehicle acceleration effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by continuously monitoring the magnitude of the acceleration vector and using this information to dynamically adjust the tilt angle calculation. When the acceleration magnitude deviates from gravitational acceleration (indicating dynamic vehicle movement), the system feedbacks this information to compensate for the coupling errors in real-time, thereby maintaining measurement precision while preserving fast response speed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter used for tilt angle calculation based on the acceleration magnitude. When acceleration magnitude is close to gravitational acceleration (static condition), the system uses direct accelerometer data. When acceleration magnitude deviates significantly (dynamic condition), the system switches to using the magnitude information to compensate for dynamic effects, thus adapting the calculation parameter to the current vehicle state to maintain accuracy
2Measurement precision
If dynamic compensation is achieved through slow response in mechanical sensors, then measurement accuracy is improved, but the response speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical slow-response dynamic compensation mechanism with an electronic/software-based solution. Instead of relying on the physical inertia of mechanical components to filter out dynamic effects, the system uses digital signal processing to calculate acceleration magnitude and apply compensation algorithms, achieving both fast response speed and high measurement precision simultaneously
3Measurement precision
If tilt sensors with dynamic compensation using gyroscopic sensors and computational algorithms are used, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes only the magnitude information from the acceleration vector for dynamic compensation, rather than implementing a full gyroscopic system. By taking out just the essential component (acceleration magnitude) needed for compensation and using simple computational algorithms based on this extracted parameter, the system achieves dynamic compensation with reduced device complexity compared to traditional gyroscopic solutions
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
This method provides stable and accurate tilt angle information resistant to dynamic disturbances, suitable for low-cost embedded applications, and enhances tracking behavior by compensating for inaccurate sensor data, ensuring reliable roll and pitch angle determination in real-time.
Implementation Method 1
providing acceleration measurement values by measuring accelerations of a vehicle in directions along an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis, the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis being substantially perpendicular with respect to one another
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining a tilt angle of a vehicle includes measuring accelerations of a vehicle in directions along a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, and a vertical axis of the vehicle. A current tilt angle of the vehicle is calculated as a function of the measured accelerations. A magnitude-compensated tilt angle is calculated as a function of the current tilt angle, of a preceding tilt angle, and of the magnitude of the vector sum of the measured accelerations. A gyroscopically stabilized magnitude-compensated tilt angle is calculated as a function of the current tilt angle, of a preceding tilt angle, of the magnitude of the vector sum of the measured accelerations, and of a change in the tilt angle over a given time period calculated from angular rate data provided by a gyroscope.