INERTIALLY REFERENCED SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHOD
An inertially referenced motion sensor that may be rigidly coupled to a relative motion sensor. Signals from the relative motion sensor and inertially referenced motion sensor may be combined to produce an inertially referenced relative signal.
1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a relative motion sensor configured to sense a motion relationship between itself and an object;
an inertially referenced motion sensor rigidly coupled to the relative motion sensor and configured to sense a motion relationship between itself and an inertial reference frame; and
a combiner configured to combine output signals from the relative and inertially referenced motion sensors to produce a signal representative of a motion relationship between the object and an inertial reference frame.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the relative motion sensor is selected from a group consisting of displacement, velocity, acceleration and jerk sensors, or a fractional combination of said sensors.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inertially referenced motion sensor is selected from a group consisting of displacement, velocity, acceleration and jerk sensors, or a fractional combination of said sensors.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the relative motion sensor is a non-contact optical displacement sensor.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the inertially referenced motion sensor is an accelerometer.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , and further comprising:
a differentiator configured to differentiate an output of the displacement sensor; and
an integrator configured to integrate an output of the accelerometer.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the combiner is a differencer configured to difference the output of the integrator and the output of the differentiator.
8 . An apparatus, comprising:
a non-contact optical displacement sensor;
an accelerometer rigidly coupled to the displacement sensor;
a differentiator configured to differentiate an output signal from the displacement sensor;
an integrator configured to integrate an output signal from the accelerometer; and
a differencer configured to difference an integrated output signal from the integrator and a differentiated output signal from the differentiator.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the displacement sensor is a laser triangulation displacement sensor.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the accelerometer is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer.
11 . An apparatus, comprising:
a sensor support structure; and
an inertially referenced motion sensor mounted on the support structure, said inertially referenced motion sensor including:
a relative motion sensor configured to sense a motion relationship between itself and an object;
an inertially referenced motion sensor rigidly coupled to the relative motion sensor and configured to sense a motion relationship between itself and an inertial reference frame; and
a combiner configured to combine output signals from the relative and inertially referenced motion sensors to produce a signal representative of a motion relationship between the object and an inertial reference frame.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , and further comprising:
a processor configured to receive a signal from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to analyze a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to analyze vibrational characteristics of an object based on a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to analyze modal vibration characteristics of an object based on a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to analyze modal vibration characteristics of an airframe based on a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
17 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to analyze the vibrational characteristics of an engine.
18 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to measure a dimensional attribute of a workpiece based on a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to measure the thickness of a workpiece based on a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
20 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to measure the width of a workpiece based on a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
21 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to measure a contour of a workpiece based on a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
22 . An apparatus, comprising:
a processor configured to control a process; and
an inertially referenced motion sensor configured to supply a signal to the processor representative of a motion relationship between the sensor and an object involved in the process, the sensor including:
a relative motion sensor configured to sense a motion relationship between itself and an object;
an inertially referenced motion sensor rigidly coupled to the relative motion sensor and configured to sense a motion relationship between itself and an inertial reference frame; and
a combiner configured to combine output signals from the relative and inertially referenced motion sensors to produce a signal representative of a motion relationship between the object and an inertial reference frame.
23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the sensor is stationary.
24 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the process being controlled is a manufacturing process.
25 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the sensor is non-stationary.
26 . A method, comprising:
a relative motion sensor sensing a motion relationship between itself and an object;
an inertially referenced motion sensor rigidly coupled to the relative motion sensor sensing a motion relationship between itself and an inertial reference frame; and
a combiner combining output signals from the relative and inertially referenced motion sensors to produce a signal representative of a motion relationship between the object and an inertial reference frame.
27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the relative motion sensor is selected from a group consisting of displacement, velocity, acceleration, and jerk sensors, or a fractional combination of said sensors.
28 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the inertially referenced motion sensor is selected from a group consisting of displacement, velocity, acceleration, or jerk sensors, or a fractional combination of said sensors.
29 . A method, comprising:
an optical displacement sensor sensing a motion relationship between itself and an object;
an accelerometer rigidly coupled to the displacement sensor sensing its motion relative to an inertial reference frame;
a differentiator differentiating an output from the displacement sensor;
an integrator integrating an output from the accelerometer; and
a differencer differencing an integrated output from the integrator and a differentiated output from the differentiator.
30 . A method, comprising:
supporting an inertially referenced motion sensor on a support structure; and
producing a signal representative of a motion relationship between the sensor and an object proximate said sensor, said inertially referenced motion sensor including:
a relative motion sensor configured to sense a motion relationship between itself and an object;
an inertially referenced motion sensor rigidly coupled to the relative motion sensor and configured to sense a motion relationship between itself and an inertial reference frame; and
a combiner configured to combine output signals from the relative and inertially referenced motion sensors to produce a signal representative of a motion relationship between the object and an inertial reference frame.
31 . The method of claim 30 , and further comprising:
a processor receiving a signal from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the processor analyzes a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the processor analyzes vibrational characteristics of an object based on a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the processor analyzes modal vibration characteristics of an object based on a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the processor analyzes modal vibration characteristics of an airframe based on a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
36 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the processor analyzes vibrational characteristics of an engine.
37 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the processor measures a dimensional attribute of a workpiece based on a signal received from the inertially referenced motion sensor.
38 . A method, comprising:
a relative motion sensor sensing a motion relationship between itself and an object;
an inertially referenced motion sensor rigidly coupled to the relative motion sensor sensing a motion relationship between itself and an inertial reference frame;
a combiner combining output signals from the relative and inertially referenced motion sensors to produce a signal representative of a motion relationship between the object and an inertial reference frame;
a processor receiving a signal from the combiner; and
the processor controlling a process based on the signal from the combiner.