System and method for calibrating accelerometer over low (ocean wave) frequencies

摘要

An accelerometer calibration system calibrates an accelerometer for use in, for example, an ocean wave environment in which the accelerometer will undergo generally oscillatory acceleration. The accelerometer calibration system includes an simple harmonic motion ("SHM")-derived accelerator and a processor. The SHM-derived accelerator applies an SHM acceleration to the accelerometer. The accelerometer generates an output signal having an amplitude related to the acceleration applied thereto. The processor controls the SHM-derived accelerator to apply selected accelerations to the accelerometer, receives the output signal from the accelerometer and generates a profile relating the accelerations applied by the sinusoidal acceleration means to the amplitude of the output signal. The SHM-derived accelerator applies the SHM acceleration by rotating the accelerometer around a center of rotation, so that the acceleration applied to the accelerometer is a function of the distance of the accelerometer from the center of rotation and the period of rotation. This enables the acceleration to be determined without any need for a reference or control instrument.