Combining redundant inertial sensors to create a virtual sensor output

摘要

Included are embodiments for determining an inertial quantity. One embodiment of a method includes combining readings from a plurality of inertial sensors to produce an estimate of the value of an inertial quantity in a manner that is fault-tolerant, more accurate than traditional sensor arrangements, and able to handle non-linear and non-Gaussian systems. Embodiments of a method also include utilizing a Monte Carlo estimation-based inference system to adaptively combine the inertial sensor outputs into a fault-tolerant highly-accurate inertial quantity estimate, an axis-reversed-paired physical arrangement of inertial sensors to minimize effects of environmental and process noise, and cross-associating sensors to ensure good sensor associations and reduce the effects of sample impoverishment.

主权项

1. A method of determining an inertial quantity of a single physical system with linear, non-linear, Gaussian, or non-Gaussian characteristics or combinations thereof, the method comprising:
associating a plurality of angular rate sensor devices with a substrate of the single physical system; acquiring inertial sensor data from the plurality of angular rate sensor devices; utilizing a computing device for processing the inertial sensor data by application of a Monte Carlo estimation-based inference system configured to produce estimates in systems with linear, non-linear, Gaussian, and non-Gaussian characteristics, wherein the computing device produces a virtual connection between at least two of the plurality of angular rate sensor devices, resulting in a virtual sensor output value, the virtual sensor output value being of a degree of accuracy exceeding that which would otherwise be attributable to one of the single angular rate sensor devices, and wherein the Monte Carlo estimation-based inference system is selected dynamically from a set of Monte Carlo estimation-based inference systems based on a set of operating and performance characteristic criteria including algorithmic execution time or accuracy; and utilizing the virtual sensor output value as at least part of a tangible indication of the inertial quantity.