This Non-provisional application claims a Priority Date of Sep. 29, 2007 benefited from a Provisional Patent Applications 60/997,063 filed by an Applicant as one of the Inventors of this Application. The disclosures made in Patent Application 60/997,063 are hereby incorporated by reference in this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a method for calibrating and operating an accelerometer device. More particularly, this invention relates to methods of improving the processes and accuracy of measurements and calibration of accelerometer parameters.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Conventional techniques for carrying out accelerometer measurements and calibrations still have technical difficulties and limitations. The accelerometers generally generate three types of output signals. The first type of output signal is an analog signal such as an output voltage. The second type of output signal is a digital pulse width modulation (PWM) signal. The PWM signal has time duration with a length that represent the duty cycle corresponding to the voltage of the analog signal. The third type of output signal is a sequence of binary digital pulse that represents the voltage of the analog signal. For the purpose of simplifying the explanations, the following discussions of calibration of accelerometers use examples of analog signals while the technical principles and descriptions are applicable to all three types of output signal.

An output voltage V_outputis generated from an accelerometer when an acceleration represented by a parameter â€œaâ€ is detected along the axes of the accelerometer. The acceleration â€œaâ€ can be calculated from output voltage V_outputas:

$\begin{matrix} Acceleration î¢ž î¢ž a = (\frac{V_{output} - V_{offset}}{V_{sensitivity}}) Â\cdot g & (1) \end{matrix}$

There are two important accelerometer parameters, namely V_offsetand V_sensitivityemployed to compute the acceleration â€œaâ€ according to Equation (1). The parameter V_offsetrepresenting an output voltage when there is no acceleration, i.e., when acceleration â€œaâ€ =0. The parameter â€œgâ€ in Equation (1) represents the gravity acceleration and in the following equations, Vg represents the voltage output when the acceleration value of the accelerometer has a value of â€œgâ€ . As discussed above, the output signal from an accelerometer can also be a duty cycle of a pulse according to a pulse width modulation process for output signal generation or a pulse stream representing the voltage of the analog signal. In the above Equation (1):

V_sensitivity=V_gâˆ’V_offsetâ€ƒâ€ƒ(2)

Initially, a manufacturer of the accelerometer provides the values of these two parameters V_offsetand V_sensitivityand the user of the accelerometer then applies the values of these two parameters and Equations (1) and (2) to measure and determine the accelerations according to the output voltages or the duty of the pulse width. However, the values of these two parameters V_offsetand V_sensitivitydrift gradually and become inaccurate for acceleration computations. Inaccuracies of acceleration measurements are generated due to the value drifts of these two parameters. More particularly, the general practice of the manufacturers now is to measure the values of V_offsetand V_sensitivityof the accelerometer based on the output voltages of an accelerometer along either a horizontal or a vertical direction. A user of the accelerometer is however unable to repeat such measurements in order to recalibrate the values of V_offsetand V_sensitivity. With such limitation, the user of an accelerometer has limited option but to continue to use an accelerometer with the built in values of the V_offsetand V_sensitivitythat continues to drift with time thus seriously affecting the accuracy and usefulness of the accelerometers.

Therefore, a need still exists in the art of accelerometer measurements, calibrations and operation to provide new and improved methods and processes to overcome the above-discussed difficulties and limitations.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Therefore, one aspect of this invention is to provide new and improved methods and device configurations for measuring and calibrating the values of V_offsetand V_sensitivitysuch that the above-discussed problems and limitation encountered in the conventional accelerometers can be resolved.

Another aspect of this invention is to provide new and improved methods of measurements and calibration to measure and calibrate these operational parameters either with measurement and calibration equipment available in a manufacturer's factory or by using directly measurements of an accelerometer without such specific measurement and calibration equipment.

In the descriptions of embodiments provided below, the accelerometers are described in applications for level measurements. However, the methods can be applied and suitable for different kind applications as well. The descriptions of the exemplary embodiments assume measurements of acceleration along one axis, but the same principles and methods would also be suitable and applicable for applications of acceleration measurement along axes for two or three dimensional acceleration measurements.

In an exemplary embodiment, this invention discloses a method for calibrating an offset V_offsetand sensitivity V_sensitivityfor an accelerometer implemented in a level gauge having a known value of an offset angle Î¸_Î” and a known value of a relative angle between top-and-bottom surface Î¸_s. The method includes a step of placing the level gauge implemented with the accelerometer on a table-top surface having a tilt angle Î¸1 and measuring a tilt angle Î¸_Ffrom the level gauge and an output voltage V_Ffrom the accelerometer, then rotating the level gauge 180 degrees on the table-top surface along a perpendicular axis relative to the table top surface and measuring a tilt angle Î¸_Bfrom the level gauge and measuring an output voltage V_Bfrom the accelerometer. The method further includes a step of flipping the level gauge upside down on the table-top surface and measuring a tilt angle Î¸_Rfrom the level gauge and an output voltage V_Rfrom the accelerometer for calculating a tilt angle Î¸₁of the table-top surface and the offset V_offsetand sensitivity V_sensitivityof the accelerometer. In an exemplary embodiment, the step of calculating the tilt angle Î¸₁of the table-top surface and the offset V_offsetand sensitivity V_sensitivityof the accelerometer further comprising a step of applying and solving following equations:

Î¸_F=Î¸1+Î¸_Î”.

V_F=V_sensitivityÂ·sin(Î¸1+Î¸_Î”)+V_offset

V_B=V_sensitivityÂ·sin(Î¸_Î”âˆ’Î¸1)+V_offset

Î¸_R=180Â°âˆ’Î¸_s+Î¸_Î”+Î¸1

V_R=V_sensitivityÂ·sin(180Â°âˆ’Î¸_s+Î¸_Î”+Î¸1)+V_offset

And, by applying a known value of the known value of the offset angle Î¸_Î” and the known value of the relative angle between top-and-bottom surface Î¸_s. In another exemplary embodiment, the method further includes a step of measuring and calculating the offset V_sensitivityand sensitivity V_offseton two of the table-top surfaces having substantially different tilt angles for comparing values of the offset V_sensitivityand sensitivity V_offsetand sending the accelerometer to a repair shop if a difference between the values of the offset V_sensitivityand sensitivity V_offsetmeasured and calculated with two of the table-top surfaces exceeding a threshold value.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of an accelerometer for the level measurements implemented in this present invention for carrying out a calibration.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a support structure to provide three surfaces P1, P2, and P3 for carrying out calibration.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are side views of the top surface of a table functioning as surface P1 and structural frames functioning as P2 and P3 placed on the top surface of the table.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are side views of an accelerometer rotated along a vertical axis with the front surface and back surface facing the front respectively.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for showing the angle Î¸_simplemented for calibration operation of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of an accelerometer when the front surface of the accelerometer facing a user while the accelerometer is turned upside down.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 for a functional block diagram showing the major functional blocks for a level gauge implemented with an accelerometer 100. The accelerometer 100 generates analog output signals for inputting to an analog to digital (A/D) converter 110 to generate digital signals. The digital signals are inputted into a microprocessor 120 connected to a display device 130 equipped with a keyboard 140 for a user to input instruction and data to the microprocessor 120. The microprocessor 120 receives periodically from the A/D converter 110 the output signals generated from the accelerometer 100. According to Equation (1) the acceleration â€œaâ€ is represented as:

$a = \frac{(V_{output} - V_{offset})}{V_{sensitivity}} Â\cdot g$

When the axis of the accelerometer 100 is parallel to the bottom surface of the level gauge while the level gauge is tilted along an angle Î¸ relative to the surface of the absolute horizontal level, the accelerometer detects an acceleration as:

a=gÂ·sin Î¸â€ƒâ€ƒ(3)

Therefore,

$\begin{matrix} \sin î¢ž î¢ž Î¸ = \frac{(V_{output î¢ž -} î¢ž V_{offset})}{V_{sensitivyit î¢ž}} & (4) \end{matrix}$

Or

$\begin{matrix} Î¸ = \sin^{- 1} î¢ (\frac{V_{output} - V_{offset}}{V_{sensitivyit}}) & (5) \end{matrix}$

The microprocessor 120 receives the output signal V_outputis able to compute the tilt angle Î¸ and display the value of the tilt angle Î¸ on the LCD display 130. In these processes, an assumption is made that the axis of the accelerometer is parallel to the level gauge. However, in the manufacturing processes, the accelerometer 100 is packaged onto a printed circuit board (PCB) and the PCB is then packaged and assembled to a level gauge. There is an offset angle between the axis of the accelerometer and the level gauge. The offset angle is represented as Î¸_Î”. Therefore, the following equation represents the functional relationship between the angle and the output voltage V_outputgenerated from the accelerometer 100.

$\begin{matrix} Î¸ + {Î¸}_{Î”} = \sin^{- 1} î¢ (\frac{V_{output} - V_{offset}}{V_{sensitivyit}}) & (6) \end{matrix}$

The value of the offset angle Î¸_Î” is unknown right after the level gauge is assembled. The following steps are carried out to measure the V_offsetand V_sensitivity. In order to carry out the steps, three surfaces P1, P2 and P3 are prepared and these three surfaces are along three angular positions represented by Î¸1, Î¸2 and Î¸3 and

Î¸2=Î¸1+90Â°

Î¸3=Î¸1+180Â°

Three voltages represented by V1, V2 and V3 are generated from the accelerometer 100 when the level gauge is placed on these three surfaces P1, P2, P3, then the following functional relationships exist.

$\begin{matrix} Î¸1 + {Î¸}_{Î”} = \sin^{- 1} î¢ (\frac{V î¢ž î¢ž 1 - V_{offset}}{V_{sensitivyit}}) & (7) \end{matrix}$
Or, V1=V_sensitivityÂ·sin(Î¸1+Î¸_Î”)+V_offsetâ€ƒâ€ƒ(8)

Furthermore:

$\begin{matrix} \begin{matrix} V î¢ž î¢ž 2 = î¢ž V_{sensitivity} Â\cdot \sin î¢ (Î¸ î¢ž î¢ž 2 + {Î¸}_{Î”}) + V_{offset} \\ = î¢ž V_{sensitivity} Â\cdot \sin î¢ (Î¸ î¢ž î¢ž 1 + {Î¸}_{Î”} + 90 î¢ž Â°) + V_{offset} \\ = î¢ž V_{sensitvity} Â\cdot (\sin î¢ (Î¸ î¢ž î¢ž 1 + {Î¸}_{Î”}) î¢ž \cos î¢ž î¢ž 90 î¢ž Â° + \sin î¢ž î¢ž 90 î¢ž Â° î¢ž î¢ž \cos î¢ (Î¸ î¢ž î¢ž 1 + {Î¸}_{Î”})) + V_{offset} \\ = î¢ž V_{sensitivity} Â\cdot \cos î¢ (Î¸ î¢ž î¢ž 1 + {Î¸}_{Î”}) + V_{offset} \end{matrix} & (9) \\ \begin{matrix} V î¢ž î¢ž 3 = î¢ž V_{sensitivity} Â\cdot \sin î¢ ({Î¸}_{3} + {Î¸}_{Î”}) + V_{offset} \\ = î¢ž V_{sensitivity} Â\cdot \sin î¢ (Î¸ î¢ž î¢ž 1 + {Î¸}_{Î”} + 180 î¢ž Â°) + V_{offset} \\ = î¢ž V_{sensitivity} Â\cdot (\sin î¢ (Î¸ î¢ž î¢ž 1 + {Î¸}_{Î”}) î¢ž \cos î¢ž î¢ž 180 î¢ž Â° + \cos î¢ (Î¸ î¢ž î¢ž 1 + {Î¸}_{Î”}) î¢ž \sin î¢ž î¢ž 180 î¢ž Â°) + V_{offset} \\ = î¢ž V_{sensitivity} Â\cdot (- 1) î¢ž \sin î¢ (Î¸ î¢ž î¢ž 1 + {Î¸}_{Î”}) + V_{offset} \end{matrix} & (10) \end{matrix}$

Accordingly:

V_offset=(V1+V3)/2â€ƒâ€ƒ(11)

V_sensitivity=âˆš{square root over ((V1âˆ’V_offset)²+(V2âˆ’V_offset)²)}{square root over ((V1âˆ’V_offset)²+(V2âˆ’V_offset)²)}â€ƒâ€ƒ(12)

There are different ways to prepare the three surfaces. In one exemplary embodiment, an accurately controllable motor is applied to turn a platform to different angular position. FIG. 2 shows another exemplary embodiment, in which a platform includes two perpendicular surfaces to function as P1, P2 and P3 with relative angles represented by Î¸1, Î¸2, Î¸3, where:

Î¸2=Î¸1+90Â°

Î¸3=Î¸1+180Â°

Actually, the relative angles can be further arranged as:

Î¸2=Î¸1+Î”Î¸12

Î¸3=Î¸1+Î”Î¸13

Where Î”Î¸12 is not necessarily equal to 90Â° and Î”Î¸13 is not necessarily equal to 180Â° so long as these two angles Î”Î¸12 and Î”Î¸13 are two known values.

$â€ƒ \begin{matrix} {\begin{matrix} V î¢ž î¢ž 1 = V_{sensitivity} Â\cdot \sin î¢ (Î¸1 + {Î¸}_{Î”}) + V_{offset} & (13) \\ V2 = V_{sensitivity} Â\cdot \sin î¢ (Î¸1 + {Î¸}_{Î”} + Î” î¢ž î¢ž Î¸12) + V_{offset} & (14) \\ V3 = V_{sensitivity} Â\cdot \sin î¢ (Î¸1 + {Î¸}_{Î”} + Î”Î¸13) + V_{offset} & (15) \end{matrix} \end{matrix}$

Since the values of V1, V2, V3, Î”Î¸13, Î”Î¸13 are known, the value of (Î¸1+Î¸_Î”) is an unknown value. A program to compute the value of (Î¸1+Î¸_Î”) can be implemented in the microprocessor 120 to obtain the value of (Î¸1+Î¸_Î”), V_sensitivityand V_offset.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3A represents a surface P1, and FIG. 3B shows three surfaces P1, P2, and P3. These three surfaces can be applied with fixed Î”Î¸12 and Î”Î¸13 to carry out the voltage measurements to read three values of V1, V2 and V3 and to carry out the above analyses and computations to obtain the values. Since the values of V_offsetand V_sensitivitywill change with time, it is desirable to perform a recalibration to obtain accurate values of these parameters.

The calibration (or recalibration) processes of the level gauges can also be carried out without the three surfaces P1, P2, and P3 with fixed relative angular directions as described above. A user of the level gauge can carry out a calibration without requiring the structural platforms as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The method of calibration starts with a known value of Î¸_Î” provided by a manufacturer. The following description shows the processes a manufacturer employs to obtain Î¸_Î”. The processes start with a level gauge placed on a top surface of a table as plan P1 with tilt angle Î¸1. An output voltage V_Fis generated from the accelerometer. Accordingly taking into consideration of the tilt angle Î¸_Î” of the accelerometer relative to the level gauge, the accelerometer will tilt an angle Î¸_F:

Î¸_F=Î¸1+Î¸_Î”, and

V_F=V_sensitivityÂ·sin(Î¸1+Î¸_Î”)+V_offsetâ€ƒâ€ƒ(16)

By rotating the level gauge along a vertical axis on the top surface of the table according to what is shown in FIG. 4B, the voltage generated by the accelerometer is V_Band the tilt angle of the accelerometer is Î¸_B.

Î¸_B=Î¸_Î”âˆ’Î¸1

V_B=V_sensitivityÂ·sin(Î¸_Î”âˆ’Î¸1)+V_offsetâ€ƒâ€ƒ(17)

The value of Î¸_Î” can be computed from Equations (16) and (17) with known values of V_sensitivity, V_offset, V_F, V_Band Î¸1. The value of Î¸_Î” is then stored in the microprocessor.

According to FIGS. 2 to 4, this invention discloses a method for calibrating an offset and sensitivity for an accelerometer. The method includes a step of placing the accelerometer on three flat surfaces with fixed relative angles among the three flat surfaces. The method further includes a step of measuring three output voltages of the accelerometer when the accelerometer is placed on each of the three flat surfaces to calculate and calibrate the offset and sensitivity for the accelerometer. In another exemplary embodiment, the method further includes a step of inputting the three output voltages of the accelerometer and the relative angles among the three flat surfaces to a microprocessor for calculating and calibrating the offset and sensitivity for the accelerometer. In another exemplary embodiment, the step of placing the accelerometer on three flat surfaces further comprising a step of placing a Y-shaped frame on a table top and placing the accelerometer on the table top as the first flat surface, placing the accelerometer on a first branch of the Y-shaped frame as the second flat surface, and placing the accelerometer on a second branch of the Y-shaped frame as the third flat surface wherein the first branch and second branch of the Y-shaped frame is maintained at fixed angles relative to the table top. In another exemplary embodiment, the step of step of placing the accelerometer on three flat surfaces further comprises a step of placing the Y-shaped frame on the tabletop with the second branch of the Y-shaped frame perpendicular to the first branch of the Y-shaped frame. In another exemplary embodiment, the step of placing the accelerometer on three flat surfaces further comprising a step of placing a triangular frame with a bottom side on a table top and placing the accelerometer on the table top as the first flat surface, placing the accelerometer on a first side of the triangular frame as the second flat surface, and placing the accelerometer on a second side of the triangular frame as the third flat surface wherein the first side and second side of the triangular frame is maintained at fixed angles relative to the table top. In another exemplary embodiment, the step of placing the accelerometer on three flat surfaces further comprises a step of placing the triangular frame with the bottom side on the tabletop with the second side of the triangular frame perpendicular to the first side of the triangular frame. In another exemplary embodiment, the method further includes a step of calibrating an offset angle Î¸_Î” of a level gauge implemented with the accelerometer by placing the level gauge implemented with the accelerometer on a table-top surface having a tilt angle Î¸1 and measuring a tilt angle Î¸_Ffrom the level gauge and an output voltage V_Ffrom the accelerometer, then rotating the level gauge 180 degrees on the table-top surface along a perpendicular axis relative to the table top surface and measuring a tilt angle Î¸_Bfrom the level gauge and measuring an output voltage V_Bfrom the accelerometer for calculating the offset angle Î¸_Î” of the level gauge. In another exemplary embodiment, the step of calculating the offset angle Î¸_Î” of the level gauge further comprising a step of applying and solving following equations:

Î¸_F=Î¸1+Î¸_Î”, and

V_F=V_sensitivityÂ·sin(Î¸1+Î¸_Î”)+V_offset, and

Î¸_B=Î¸_Î”âˆ’Î¸1

V_B=V_sensitivityÂ·sin(Î¸_Î”âˆ’Î¸1)+V_offset

to compute the offset angle Î¸_Î” of the level gauge.

Furthermore, the device implemented with the accelerometer such as a level gauge usually is enclosed in a housing structure that has a bottom surface and a top surface. As shown in FIG. 5, there may be an angle between the top surface and the bottom surface represented by angle Î¸_s. This angle may be zero degree when the top surface and the bottom surface are in parallel or having a small non-zero value. FIG. 5 shows that the top surface and the bottom surface of the apparatus, such as a level gauge may be a flat surface or a curved surface. Either way, there is a relative angle Î¸_sbetween the top and the bottom surface. The value of the relative angle Î¸_sbetween the top and the bottom surface is provided by a device manufacturer, and this value may be stored in the microprocessor 120.

To start a calibration process, a user of the level gauge places the level gauge on a flat top surface of the table as plan P1 and the output voltage from the accelerometer is V_Fwith a tilted angle Î¸_F=Î¸1+Î¸_Î”.

V_F=V_sensitivityÂ·sin(Î¸1+Î¸_Î”)+V_offsetâ€ƒâ€ƒ(18)

Then the level gauge is rotated 180Â° horizontally along a vertical axis on the top surface of the table as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

V_B=V_sensitivityÂ·sin(Î¸_Î”âˆ’Î¸1)+V_offsetâ€ƒâ€ƒ(19)

Then the device is flipped upside down as shown in FIG. 6. The output voltage of the accelerometer is V_Rand the angular direction of the accelerometer is Î¸_R:

Î¸_R=180Â°âˆ’Î¸_s+Î¸_Î”+Î¸1

V_R=V_sensitivityÂ·sin(180Â°âˆ’Î¸_s+Î¸_Î”+Î¸1)+V_offsetâ€ƒâ€ƒ(20)

According to Equations (18), (19), and (20), and the known values of Î¸_sand Î¸_Î”, the microprocessor 120 is able to solve the Equations (18) to (20) to compute three parameters of unknown values for Î¸1, V_sensitivity, Voffset.

According to the above descriptions, the values of V_sensitivityand V_offsetare obtained without requiring special calibration equipment as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The calibration processes is carried out for a level gauge without significant deformed package-shape caused by external impacts. So long as the values of Î¸_s, Î¸_Î” are substantially unchanged from the original manufacturer's values, then the parameters that include V_sensitivityand V_offsetcan be obtained according to the above processes.

In order to determine whether the package housing structure has significant impacted and deformed from the original shape, two tables with tabletop surface having significant different tilt angles are needed. The above-described processing steps can be applied to calculate the values of V_sensitivityor V_offset. When there are significant differences between the values obtained from these two table top-surfaces that exceed the-threshold value, then it is determined that an enclosing housing structure has been deformed and the original values of Î¸_s, Î¸_Î” are significantly changed. The deformed level gauge must be repaired to fix the problems such that accurate calibration and angle measurements of the level gauge implemented with the accelerometer can be properly calibrated and operated without significant errors.

Three surfaces are applied for parameter calibration by placing the level gauge on the table along three different orientations. When the external shape of a device is not convenient for parameter calibration as described above, then the measurements and calibration can be arranged to have the voltage output generated when a device is placed on a side surface. The same principles and computational equations as shown above may be flexibly applied to resolve the operation difficulties by placing the level gauge on three different planes along three different angles.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of the presently preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that such disclosure is not to be interpreted as limiting. Various alternations and modifications will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the above disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering all alternations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.