Automatic identification of sensors

1. A method for mapping a plurality of network identifiers to a plurality of sensor modules, wherein each particular sensor module in the plurality of sensor modules measures a three-dimensional action vector, wherein each particular sensor module in the plurality of sensor modules is sensitive to orientation in three-dimensional space, wherein each particular sensor module in the plurality of sensor modules outputs measurements identified with a particular network identifier in the plurality of network identifiers, and wherein no two particular network identifiers in the plurality of network identifiers are the same, the method comprising the steps of:

mounting each particular sensor module in the plurality of sensor modules to a corresponding particular position in a plurality of positions on a machine, wherein:

each particular sensor module has a corresponding particular orientation in a plurality of orientations;

no two particular positions in the plurality of positions are the same; and

no two particular orientations in the plurality of orientations are the same;

placing the machine in a stationary state, wherein the machine is acted upon by a static impact vector;

generating a first set of static action vectors in response to the static impact vector, wherein each particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors corresponds to an expected static action vector to be measured by a particular sensor module in the plurality of sensor modules;

receiving a plurality of sets of measurements from the plurality of sensor modules, wherein each particular set of measurements in the plurality of sets of measurements has a corresponding particular network identifier in the plurality of network identifiers;

generating a second set of static action vectors in response to the static impact vector, wherein each particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors corresponds to an actual static action vector determined from a particular set of measurements in the plurality of sets of measurements;

correlating each particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors with at least one particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors; and

for each particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors:

determining whether the particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors corresponds to one and only one particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors; and

upon determining that the particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors corresponds to one and only one particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors, mapping the particular network identifier corresponding to the particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors to the one and only one particular sensor module having the particular position corresponding to the particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the static impact vector comprises a gravity vector, an Earth angular velocity vector, or an Earth magnetic-field vector.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the machine comprises a dozer comprising:

a dozer body; and

a dozer blade operably coupled to the dozer body; and

the plurality of sensor modules comprises a first inertial measurement unit mounted on the dozer body and a second inertial measurement unit mounted on the dozer blade, wherein:

the first inertial measurement unit comprises a first accelerometer, a second accelerometer, and a third accelerometer, wherein the first accelerometer, the second accelerometer, and the third accelerometer are orthogonally mounted; and

the second inertial measurement unit comprises a fourth accelerometer, a fifth accelerometer, and a sixth accelerometer, wherein the fourth accelerometer, the fifth accelerometer, and the sixth accelerometer are orthogonally mounted.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:

the first inertial measurement unit further comprises a first gyro, a second gyro, and a third gyro, wherein the first gyro, the second gyro, and the third gyro are orthogonally mounted; and

the second inertial measurement unit further comprises a fourth gyro, a fifth gyro, and a sixth gyro, wherein the fourth gyro, the fifth gyro, and the sixth gyro are orthogonally mounted.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sets of measurements comprises a first plurality of sets of measurements, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether every particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors corresponds to one and only one particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors; and

upon determining that every particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors does not correspond to one and only one particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors:

sorting the plurality of sensor modules into a first group of sensor modules and a second group of sensor modules, wherein:

the first group of sensor modules comprises one or more sensor modules, wherein, for each particular sensor module in the first group of sensor modules, a particular network identifier has been mapped to one and only one particular sensor module; and

the second group of sensor modules comprises two or more sensor modules, wherein, for each particular sensor module in the second group of sensor modules, a particular network identifier has not been mapped to one and only one particular sensor module;

selecting a particular sensor module in the first group of sensor modules as a reference sensor module;

placing the machine in a dynamic state, wherein the machine is acted upon by a total impact vector comprising a dynamic impact vector and the static impact vector;

receiving measurements from the reference sensor module;

determining, based on the measurements received from the reference sensor module, a reference total action vector in response to the total impact vector;

determining a reference dynamic action vector in response to the dynamic impact vector by subtracting the static action vector from the reference total action vector;

generating a first set of dynamic action vectors in response to the dynamic impact vector, wherein:

each particular dynamic action vector in the first set of dynamic action vectors corresponds to an expected dynamic action vector to be measured by a particular sensor module in the second group of sensor modules; and

each particular dynamic action vector in the first set of dynamic action vectors is based on the reference dynamic action vector;

receiving a second plurality of sets of measurements from the sensor modules in the second group of sensor modules, wherein each particular set of measurements in the second plurality of sets of measurements has a corresponding particular network identifier in the plurality of network identifiers;

generating a set of total action vectors in response to the total impact vector, wherein each particular total action vector in the set of total action vectors corresponds to a total action vector determined from a particular set of measurements in the second plurality of sets of measurements;

generating a second set of dynamic action vectors in response to the dynamic impact vector, wherein each particular dynamic action vector in the second set of dynamic action vectors is determined by subtracting the static action vector from a particular total action vector in the set of total action vectors;

correlating each particular dynamic action vector in the second set of dynamic action vectors with one and only one dynamic action vector in the first set of dynamic action vectors; and

mapping the particular network identifier corresponding to the particular dynamic action vector in the second set of dynamic action vectors to the one and only one particular sensor module having the particular position corresponding to the particular dynamic action vector in the first set of dynamic action vectors.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:

the machine comprises a dozer comprising:

a dozer body;

a dozer blade; and

a support arm operably coupling the dozer blade to the dozer body; and

the plurality of sensor modules comprises a first inertial measurement unit mounted on the dozer body, a second inertial measurement unit mounted on the dozer blade, and a third inertial measurement unit mounted on the support arm, wherein:

the first inertial measurement unit comprises a first accelerometer, a second accelerometer, and a third accelerometer, wherein the first accelerometer, the second accelerometer, and the third accelerometer are orthogonally mounted;

the second inertial measurement unit comprises a fourth accelerometer, a fifth accelerometer, and a sixth accelerometer, wherein the fourth accelerometer, the fifth accelerometer, and the sixth accelerometer are orthogonally mounted; and

the third inertial measurement unit comprises a seventh accelerometer, an eighth accelerometer, and a ninth accelerometer, wherein the seventh accelerometer, the eighth accelerometer, and the ninth accelerometer are orthogonally mounted.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the static impact vector comprises a gravity vector and the dynamic impact vector comprises an accelerating force vector applied to the dozer body.

8. A measurement system comprising:

a plurality of sensor modules, wherein each particular sensor module in the plurality of sensor modules is:

configured to measure a three-dimensional action vector;

configured to be sensitive to orientation in three-dimensional space;

configured to output measurements identified with a particular network identifier in a plurality of network identifiers, wherein no two particular network identifiers in the plurality of network identifiers are the same;

mounted to a corresponding particular position in a plurality of positions on a machine and mounted with a corresponding particular orientation in a plurality of orientations, wherein:

no two particular positions in the plurality of positions are the same; and

no two particular orientations in the plurality of orientations are the same; and

a data processing system comprising:

a processor;

memory operably coupled to the processor; and

a data storage device operably coupled to the processor, wherein the data storage device stores computer program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the method comprising the steps of:

in response to the machine being placed in a stationary state and in response to the machine being acted upon by a static impact vector:

generating a first set of static action vectors in response to the static impact vector, wherein each particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors corresponds to an expected static action vector to be measured by a particular sensor module in the plurality of sensor modules;

receiving a plurality of sets of measurements from the plurality of sensor modules, wherein each particular set of measurements in the plurality of sets of measurements has a corresponding particular network identifier in the plurality of network identifiers;

generating a second set of static action vectors in response to the static impact vector, wherein each particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors corresponds to an actual static action vector determined from a particular set of measurements in the plurality of sets of measurements;

correlating each particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors with at least one particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors; and

for each particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors:

determining whether the particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors corresponds to one and only one particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors; and

upon determining that the particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors corresponds to one and only one particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors, mapping the particular network identifier corresponding to the particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors to the one and only one particular sensor module having the particular position corresponding to the particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors.

9. The measurement system of claim 8 , wherein the static impact vector comprises a gravity vector, an Earth angular velocity vector, or an Earth magnetic-field vector.

10. The measurement system of claim 8 , wherein:

the machine comprises a dozer comprising:

a dozer body; and

a dozer blade operably coupled to the dozer body; and

the plurality of sensor modules comprises a first inertial measurement unit mounted on the dozer body and a second inertial measurement unit mounted on the dozer blade, wherein:

the first inertial measurement unit comprises a first accelerometer, a second accelerometer, and a third accelerometer, wherein the first accelerometer, the second accelerometer, and the third accelerometer are orthogonally mounted; and

the second inertial measurement unit comprises a fourth accelerometer, a fifth accelerometer, and a sixth accelerometer, wherein the fourth accelerometer, the fifth accelerometer, and the sixth accelerometer are orthogonally mounted.

11. The measurement system of claim 10 , wherein:

the first inertial measurement unit further comprises a first gyro, a second gyro, and a third gyro, wherein the first gyro, the second gyro, and the third gyro are orthogonally mounted; and

the second inertial measurement unit further comprises a fourth gyro, a fifth gyro, and a sixth gyro, wherein the fourth gyro, the fifth gyro, and the sixth gyro are orthogonally mounted.

12. The measurement system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sets of measurements comprises a first plurality of sets of measurements, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether every particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors corresponds to one and only one particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors; and

upon determining that every particular static action vector in the second set of static action vectors does not correspond to one and only one particular static action vector in the first set of static action vectors:

sorting the plurality of sensor modules into a first group of sensor modules and a second group of sensor modules, wherein:

the first group of sensor modules comprises one or more sensor modules, wherein, for each particular sensor module in the first group of sensor modules, a particular network identifier has been mapped to one and only one particular sensor module; and

the second group of sensor modules comprises two or more sensor modules, wherein, for each particular sensor module in the second group of sensor modules, a particular network identifier has not been mapped to one and only one particular sensor module;

selecting a particular sensor module in the first group of sensor modules as a reference sensor module;

in response to the machine being placed in a dynamic state and in response to the machine being acted upon by a total impact vector comprising a dynamic impact vector and the static impact vector:

receiving measurements from the reference sensor module;

determining, based on the measurements received from the reference sensor module, a reference total action vector in response to the total impact vector;

determining a reference dynamic action vector in response to the dynamic impact vector by subtracting the static action vector from the reference total action vector;

generating a first set of dynamic action vectors in response to the dynamic impact vector, wherein:

each particular dynamic action vector in the first set of dynamic action vectors corresponds to an expected dynamic action vector to be measured by a particular sensor module in the second group of sensor modules; and

each particular dynamic action vector in the first set of dynamic action vectors is based on the reference dynamic action vector;

receiving a second plurality of sets of measurements from the sensor modules in the second group of sensor modules, wherein each particular set of measurements in the second plurality of sets of measurements has a corresponding particular network identifier in the plurality of network identifiers;

generating a set of total action vectors in response to the total impact vector, wherein each particular total action vector in the set of total action vectors corresponds to a total action vector determined from a particular set of measurements in the second plurality of sets of measurements;

generating a second set of dynamic action vectors in response to the dynamic impact vector, wherein each particular dynamic action vector in the second set of dynamic action vectors is determined by subtracting the static action vector from a particular total action vector in the set of total action vectors;

correlating each particular dynamic action vector in the second set of dynamic action vectors with one and only one dynamic action vector in the first set of dynamic action vectors; and

mapping the particular network identifier corresponding to the particular dynamic action vector in the second set of dynamic action vectors to the one and only one particular sensor module having the particular position corresponding to the particular dynamic action vector in the first set of dynamic action vectors.

13. The measurement system of claim 12 , wherein:

the machine comprises a dozer comprising:

a dozer body;

a dozer blade; and

a support arm operably coupling the dozer blade to the dozer body; and

the plurality of sensor modules comprises a first inertial measurement unit mounted on the dozer body, a second inertial measurement unit mounted on the dozer blade, and a third inertial measurement unit mounted on the support arm, wherein:

the first inertial measurement unit comprises a first accelerometer, a second accelerometer, and a third accelerometer, wherein the first accelerometer, the second accelerometer, and the third accelerometer are orthogonally mounted;

the second inertial measurement unit comprises a fourth accelerometer, a fifth accelerometer, and a sixth accelerometer, wherein the fourth accelerometer, the fifth accelerometer, and the sixth accelerometer are orthogonally mounted; and

the third inertial measurement unit comprises a seventh accelerometer, an eighth accelerometer, and a ninth accelerometer, wherein the seventh accelerometer, the eighth accelerometer, and the ninth accelerometer are orthogonally mounted.

14. The measurement system of claim 13 , wherein the static impact vector comprises a gravity vector and the dynamic impact vector comprises an accelerating force vector applied to the dozer body.