Boots – shoes – and leggings
Patent
1986-05-05
1989-04-11
Lall, Parshotam S.
Boots, shoes, and leggings
235105, 377 242, 340669, 340689, 73505, 73509, G01P 1508, G01C 2200
Patent
active
048212180
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining the acceleration, the velocity and/or distance covered of a moved or moving body, for instance in respect to a running or jogging person. The apparatus, to the invention may also be used for determining a change of an angle of inclination of a sensor applied to a moved body, for instance, to an automobile.
2. State of the Art
(a) Inertia navigation systems have become known which calculate the distance covered by integration of determined acceleration values. These systems use cardanly (freely movable) suspended platforms maintained stable by gyros in their position with respect to a horizontal plane. Pendulums may be used as acceleration transducers, as disclosed in the Germon Offenlegungsschrift No. 29 20 44 3. In particular, a pendulum provided with an inertia mass is maintained in its zero position by an electromagnetically generated torque. Exciting current necessary to generate this torque serves as a measure of the acceleration acting upon the inertia mass.
(b) Furthermore, so-called strap down navigation apparatus have become known which are provided with acceleration transducers secured to a moved body. The apparatus uses the determined acceleration values and displacement information of a gyro to compute, in combination with a co-ordinate transformation computer, the velocity and covered distance values.
(c) Also, acceleration sensors have become known operating according to the principle of linear displacement of an inertia mass and a coil provided with a resetting spring and arranged within a magnetic field (see German Offenlegungsschrift No. 23 03 104). The voltage induced in the coil upon the linear displacement is, after integration, a measure of the acceleration of the coil.
The inertia navigation systems mentioned under (a), as well as the navigation systems of (b), are of complex and expensive mechanical deisgn and require extensive and complex calculations, regulations and controls.
The apparatus explained under (c) is subject to relatively large friction forces in view of the mechanical guidance of the linearly moved inertia mass. It is, therefore, not adapted for measuring low non-periodic accelerations. Furthermore, such an apparatus is susceptible to considerable errors if the acceleration sensors are not secured to the moved body in an exactly horizontal manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for measuring and determining the acceleration, the velocity and/or the distance covered in respect to a body moved essentially linearly and for directly displaying the determined values.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus which are particularly adapted for moving sportsmen and which determine and display acceleration, velocity and/or covered distance.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for measurements having a high sensivity at low acceleration.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus having a compact, shock-insensitive design and low weight such that the complete apparatus is adapted to be attached to, and carried by, a sportsman without affecting his or her movement.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus having at least one vector of direction where any influence of a non-horizontal attachment to the body of the sportsman is compensated.
A still further object of the invention is a cost-effective implementation.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by an apparatus for determining at least one characteristic value of movement (acceleration, velocity, distance covered) of a body comprising: suspended for free deflection in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the body; electrical signals in response to the deflection of the pendulum; solving the differential equation of oscillation of that pendulum on the basis of the electrical signals, and for calculating the at least
REFERENCES:
patent: 4094199 (1978-06-01), Holdren et al.
patent: 4460823 (1984-07-01), Ruehlemann
patent: 4560861 (1985-12-01), Kato et al.
patent: 4627011 (1986-12-01), Spencer et al.
patent: 4741001 (1988-04-01), Ma
Lall Parshotam S.
Mattson Brian M.
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for determining at least one characteristic does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for determining at least one characteristic, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for determining at least one characteristic will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-671503