Estimating attitude using angular velocity, acceleration and magnetic flux sensors

摘要

Disclosed is an apparatus for estimating attitude in 3 dimensions. The apparatus comprises an angular velocity sensor (51), an acceleration sensor (52), a magnetic flux sensor (53) and a processor (54). These sensors determine sets of data representing the current states of their respective sensed variables. The processor (54) is configured to estimate a set of attitude angle data according to the current set of angular velocity data, a set of historic attitude angles and a motion model. The processor (54) is further configured to calculate a disturbance parameter according to the set of current magnetic flux data and a set of historical magnetic flux data. When the processor (54) determines that the disturbance parameter exceeds a disturbance threshold, the set of data representing the estimated attitude angle is updated using the set of current acceleration data without using the current magnetic flux data. When the disturbance parameter does not exceed the disturbance threshold the set of data representing the estimated attitude angle is updated using both the current acceleration data and the current magnetic flux data.