Absolute acceleration sensor for use within moving vehicles

1. A method of determining and using data describing absolute acceleration along various axes relative to a desired movement vector while moving relative to a gravity source employed within a vehicle, comprising:

a. detecting deceleration of the vehicle;

b. detecting an inclination of the vehicle relative to a gravitational acceleration within a same plane; and

c. determining an absolute deceleration from the detected deceleration of the vehicle and the detected inclination of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deceleration is detected by a deceleration detector.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deceleration detector comprises an accelerometer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inclination is detected by a gyroscope.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising re-referencing the gyroscope.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising utilizing the absolute deceleration in inertial navigation within a GPS based navigation system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the absolute deceleration comprises determining an absolute lateral deceleration.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the deceleration is detected by a deceleration detector.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the deceleration detector comprises an accelerometer.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the inclination is detected by a gyroscope.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising re-referencing the gyroscope.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising utilizing the absolute deceleration in inertial navigation within a GPS based navigation system.

13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

a. determining a heading of the vehicle;

b. computing changes in the heading from a desired movement vector in a plane orthogonal to gravitational acceleration and to output a heading signal or rate of change of the heading signal;

c. producing a speed signal by summing the absolute longitudinal acceleration over time to determine a speed; and

d. processing the speed signal and the heading signal to produce a velocity output signal indicating speed, heading and position of the vehicle.

14. A method of determining and using data describing absolute acceleration along various axes relative to a desired movement vector while moving relative to a gravity source employed within a vehicle, comprising:

a. adding a control module to the vehicle, the control module comprising:

i. a deceleration detector, wherein the deceleration detector detects any deceleration of the vehicle;

ii. a gyroscope, wherein the gyroscope detects an inclination of the vehicle relative to a gravitational acceleration within a same plane;

iii. a logic circuit configured to determine an absolute deceleration from the deceleration of the vehicle and the inclination of the vehicle; and

iv. a control device coupled to the deceleration detector and the gyroscope, wherein the control device provides the absolute deceleration of the vehicle to a control system of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the control system comprises a GPS based navigation system and further wherein the absolute deceleration is used in inertial navigation.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising re-referencing the gyroscope.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the absolute deceleration comprises an absolute lateral deceleration.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the deceleration detector comprises an accelerometer.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the control system comprises a GPS based navigation system and further wherein the absolute deceleration is used in inertial navigation.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising re-referencing the gyroscope.

21. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

a. determining a heading of the vehicle;

b. computing changes in the heading from a desired movement vector in a plane orthogonal to gravitational acceleration and to output a heading signal or rate of change of the heading signal;

c. producing a speed signal by summing the absolute longitudinal acceleration over time to determine a speed; and

d. processing the speed signal and the heading signal to produce a velocity output signal indicating speed, heading and position of the vehicle.

22. A control unit for a vehicle, comprising:

a. a deceleration detector, wherein the deceleration detector detects any deceleration of the vehicle;

b. a gyroscope, wherein the gyroscope detects an inclination of the vehicle relative to a gravitational acceleration within a same plane;

c. a logic circuit configured to determine an absolute deceleration from the deceleration of the vehicle and the inclination of the vehicle; and

d. a control device coupled to the deceleration detector and the gyroscope, wherein the control device provides the absolute deceleration of the vehicle to a control system of the vehicle.

23. The control unit of claim 22 , wherein the control system comprises a GPS based navigation system and further wherein the absolute deceleration is used in inertial navigation.

24. The control unit of claim 22 , wherein the gyroscope is periodically re-referenced.

25. The control unit of claim 22 , wherein the deceleration detector comprises an accelerometer.

26. The control unit of claim 22 , wherein the absolute deceleration comprises an absolute lateral deceleration.

27. The control unit of claim 26 , wherein the control system comprises a GPS based navigation system and further wherein the absolute deceleration is used in inertial navigation.

28. The control unit of claim 26 , wherein a heading of the vehicle is determined, changes in the heading are computed from a desired movement vector in a plane orthogonal to gravitational acceleration and to output a heading signal or rate of change of the heading signal, a speed signal is produced by summing the absolute longitudinal acceleration over time to determine a speed and the speed signal and the heading signal are produced to produce a velocity output signal indicating speed, heading and position of the vehicle.

29. The control unit of claim 26 , wherein the gyroscope is periodically re-referenced.

30. A method of determining and using data describing absolute acceleration along various axes relative to a desired movement vector while moving relative to a gravity source employed within a vehicle, comprising:

a. detecting deceleration of the vehicle;

b. detecting an inclination of the vehicle relative to a gravitational acceleration within a same plane, the inclination detected with a gyroscope;

c. determining an absolute deceleration from the detected deceleration of the vehicle and the detected inclination of the vehicle; and

d. periodically re-referencing the gyroscope.

31. A method of determining and using data describing absolute acceleration along various axes relative to a desired movement vector while moving relative to a gravity source employed within a vehicle, comprising:

a. detecting deceleration of the vehicle;

b. detecting rotation about a Z axis utilizing a gyroscope;

c. calculating theoretical acceleration of the vehicle utilizing the rotation about the Z axis; and

d. determining an absolute deceleration from the detected deceleration of the vehicle and the calculated theoretical acceleration of the vehicle.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein determining the absolute deceleration comprises determining an absolute lateral deceleration.

33. The method of claim 32 , further comprising:

a. determining a heading of the vehicle;

b. computing changes in the heading from a desired movement vector in a plane orthogonal to gravitational acceleration and to output a heading signal or rate of change of the heading signal;

c. producing a speed signal by summing the absolute longitudinal acceleration over time to determine a speed; and

d. processing the speed signal and the heading signal to produce a velocity output signal indicating speed, heading and position of the vehicle.