Miniaturized Inertial Measurement Unit and Associated Methods

Abstract

An inertial measurement unit includes a base having a plurality of physically distinct sectors, upon which are positioned thereon groups of orthogonally oriented angle rate sensors, each group positioned on a different sector of the base. High-G and Low-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers are also positioned on the base. A processor is positioned on the base having software resident thereon for receiving signals from the angle rate sensors and the accelerometers. Software is also resident on the processor for calculating from the received signals one or more of the following: a change in attitude, a change in position, a change in angular rate, a change in velocity, and a change in acceleration of the unit over a plurality of finite time increments.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inertial measurement unit comprising:
 a base comprising a plurality of physically distinct sectors;   orthogonally oriented angle rate sensors positioned on preselected sectors of the base;   a plurality of high-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers positioned on the base;   a plurality of low-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers positioned on the base; and   a processor positioned on the base, wherein the processor receives signals from the angle rate sensors and the high-G and low-G accelerometers for calculating therefrom at least one of a change in attitude, a change in position, a change in angular rate, a change in velocity, and a change in acceleration of the unit over a plurality of finite time increments.   
     
     
         2 . A method of making an inertial measurement unit comprising:
 providing a base having a plurality of sectors defined thereon;   positioning orthogonally oriented angle rate sensors on a different sector of the base;   positioning high-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers on the base;   positioning low-G orthogonally oriented accelerometers on the base;   positioning a processor on the base;   receiving signals from the angle rate sensors and the high-G and three low-G accelerometers into the processor; and   calculating from the received signals at least one of a change in attitude, a change in position, a change in angular rate, a change in velocity, and a change in acceleration of the unit over a plurality of finite time increments.