AN ORIENTATION SENSING APPARATUS AND A METHOD FOR DETERMINING AN ORIENTATION

摘要

An orientation sensing apparatus includes a rotatable first member defining an x-y plane perpendicular to an axis of rotation and a z-axis coincident with the axis of rotation, an orientation sensor device for generating orientation data, and a rotation sensor device for generating first member rotation data. The orientation sensor device includes first, second and third accelerometers for sensing first, second and third sensed components in first, second and third directions respectively which are substantially perpendicular to each other. The rotation sensor device includes fifth and sixth accelerometers for sensing fifth and sixth sensed components in fifth and sixth directions respectively, wherein the fifth accelerometer and the sixth accelerometer are oriented such that the fifth direction and the sixth direction are substantially within the x-y plane and substantially intersect the z-axis and such that the sixth direction is substantially opposite to the fifth direction.