Method and apparatus for an increased gyroscopic rate sensor

Abstract

A sensor module includes multiple accelerometers mounted in a non-collinear arrangement onto a printed circuit board. A processor obtains linear acceleration vectors from each of the accelerometers and through the constraint imposed by the the non-collinear arrangement of the accelerometers onto the printed circuit board, the angular velocity vector of the sensor may be derived by the processor from the linear acceleration vectors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of configuring a sensor, comprising:
 disposing a plurality of accelerometers into a geometric arrangement within the sensor;   measuring a linear acceleration of the sensor using each of the plurality of accelerometers; and   using the linear acceleration measurements from each of the plurality of accelerometers to estimate an angular velocity of the sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of accelerometers includes first, second and third accelerometers. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a first displacement vector extending between the first and second accelerometers is non-collinear with respect to a second displacement vector extending between the first and third accelerometers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first displacement vector forms a right angle with respect to the second displacement vector. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of accelerometers are disposed in relation to a printed circuit board within the sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of accelerometers are coplanar with the printed circuit board. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the angular velocity estimate is formed by constraining the linear acceleration measurements from each of the plurality of accelerometers to the geometric arrangement. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein angular velocities of the sensor may be estimated up to 8000 degrees per second. 
     
     
         9 . A sensor, comprising:
 a printed circuit board;   a plurality of accelerometers disposed into a geometric arrangement onto the printed circuit board; and   a processor coupled to the plurality of accelerometers, the processor being configured to estimate an angular velocity of the sensor using acceleration measurements from each of the plurality of accelerometers.   
     
     
         10 . The sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the acceleration measurements include linear acceleration measurements. 
     
     
         11 . The sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of accelerometers includes first, second and third accelerometers. 
     
     
         12 . The sensor of  claim 11 , wherein a first displacement vector extending between the first and second accelerometers is non-collinear with respect to a second displacement vector extending between the first and third accelerometers. 
     
     
         13 . The sensor of  claim 12 , wherein the first displacement vector forms a right angle with respect to the second displacement vector. 
     
     
         14 . The sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of accelerometers are coplanar with the printed circuit board. 
     
     
         15 . The sensor of  claim 10 , wherein the angular velocity estimate is formed by constraining the linear acceleration measurements from each of the plurality of accelerometers to the geometric arrangement. 
     
     
         16 . The sensor of  claim 9 , wherein angular velocities of the sensor may be estimated up to 8000 degrees per second. 
     
     
         17 . A sensor, comprising:
 a printed circuit board;   first, second and third accelerometers disposed onto to the printed circuit board, wherein a first displacement vector extending between the first and second accelerometers is non-collinear with respect to a second displacement vector extending between the first and third accelerometers; and   a processor coupled to the first, second and third accelerometers, the processor being configured to estimate an angular velocity of the sensor using acceleration measurements from each of the three accelerometers.   
     
     
         18 . The sensor of  claim 17 , wherein the acceleration measurements include linear acceleration measurements. 
     
     
         19 . The sensor of  claim 17 , wherein the first displacement vector forms a right angle with respect to the second displacement vector. 
     
     
         20 . The sensor of  claim 17 , wherein angular velocities of the sensor may be estimated up to 8000 degrees per second.