1090 results about "Inclinometer" patented technology

A virtual racecourse is mapped by uniting digital pictures with GPS and inclinometer data, stored in a recorded course file, presented in distance increments of the racecourse, and accessed for individual and group competition over the internet.

The drilling system includes a work string supporting a bottom hole assembly. The work string including lengths of pipe having a non-metallic portion. The work string preferably includes a composite coiled tubing having a fluid impermeable liner, multiple load carrying layers, and a wear layer. Multiple electrical conductors and data transmission conductors may be embedded in the load carrying layers for carrying current or transmitting data between the bottom hole assembly and the surface. The bottom hole assembly includes a bit, a gamma ray and inclinometer instrument package, a steerable assembly, an electronics section, a transmission, and a power section for rotating the bit. It may or may not include a propulsion system. The drilling system may be a gravity based drilling system that does include a propulsion system. Various motive means may be provided such as gravity, to apply weight on the bit.

A virtual racecourse is mapped by uniting digital pictures with GPS and inclinometer data, stored in a recorded course file, presented in distance increments of the racecourse, and accessed for individual and group competition over the internet.

The drilling system includes a work string supporting a bottom hole assembly. The work string including lengths of pipe having a non-metallic portion. The work string preferably includes a composite coiled tubing having a fluid impermeable liner, multiple load carrying layers, and a wear layer. Multiple electrical conductors and data transmission conductors may be embedded in the load carrying layers for carrying current or transmitting data between the bottom hole assembly and the surface. The bottom hole assembly includes a bit, a gamma ray and inclinometer instrument package, a steerable assembly, an electronics section, a transmission, and a power section for rotating the bit. It may or may not include a propulsion system. The drilling system may be a gravity based drilling system that does include a propulsion system. Various motive means may be provided, such as gravity, to apply weight on the bit.

The invention relates to a system for three-dimensionally modeling and restitution a subject, the system comprising a housing suitable for being carried in the hand by an operator, the housing having an optical unit with stereoscopic digital video cameras co-operating with an inertial navigation unit having a trihedron of optical fiber gyros and a trihedron of accelerometers for generating position and displacement signals in a frame of reference. The housing may also include, in particular, a telemeter laser, an infrared video camera, a GPS unit, inclinometers, and tri-flux magnetometers. A second subassembly connected to the housing by an optical and / or electrical connection cable contains an electrical power supply, electronic circuits, and a microcomputer for processing signals delivered by the housing and for generating a three-dimensional model of the subject, implementing a photogrammetric technique.

An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. In a first set of preferred embodiments three relatively large aperture telescopes are rigidly mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane with each telescope being directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Embodiments in this first set tend to be relatively large and heavy, such as about one cubic meter and about 60 pounds. In a second set of preferred embodiments one or more smaller aperture telescopes are pivotably mounted on a movable platform such as a ship, airplane or missile so that the telescope or telescopes can be pivoted to point toward specific regions of the sky. Embodiments of this second set are mechanically more complicated than those of the first set, but are much smaller and lighter and are especially useful for guidance of aircraft and missiles. Telescope optics focus (on to a pixel array of a sensor) H-band or K-band light from one or more stars in the field of view of each telescope. Each system also includes an inclinometer, an accurate timing device and a computer processor having access to catalogued infrared star charts. The processor for each system is programmed with special algorithms to use image data from the infrared sensors, inclination information from the inclinometer, time information from the timing device and the catalogued star charts information to determine positions of the platform. Direction information from two stars is needed for locating the platform with respect to the celestial sphere. The computer is also preferably programmed to use this celestial position information to calculate latitude and longitude which may be displayed on a display device such as a monitor or used by a guidance control system. These embodiments are jam proof and insensitive to radio frequency interference. These systems provide efficient alternatives to GPS when GPS is unavailable and can be used for periodic augmentation of inertial navigation systems.

An apparatus and a method for aligning a vertical shaft or multiple axially coupled vertical shafts in a hydroelectric turbine generator or a similar vertical-shaft system, and for providing precise plumb inclination alignment of a vertical rotating shaft. Precision inclinometers attached to the vertical shaft measure plumb inclination. Proximity probe displacement devices mounted externally of the vertical shaft measure radial movement, throw, or run out at various shaft elevations as the shaft is rotated relative to a fixed point. Data acquisition devices and communication devices accumulate and transmit alignment data to a micro-computer which receives and processes such data. Methods of defining shaft plumb inclination in a static single rotational position and defining plumb inclination of the virtual centerline of a shaft's rotational throw position. A method of swinging, tilting, or adjusting a vertical shaft to a corrected or different plumb position relative to the earth's gravity.

The novel miniaturized inclinometer for angle measurement with accurate measurement indicator is designed to monitor the angular motion of limbs. The device contains at least one inclinometer with signal conditioning electronics, including a microprocessor, placed within a miniature housing. A number of different sensors can be used and positioned in their housings so that their outputs vary as a function of their angle with respect to the gravity sector. The microprocessor controls a multiplexer, which controls the activities of the sensors; performs analog to digital conversions and measures the output curves from the sensor pairs to perform a conversion which results in a three hundred and sixty degree range with respect to gravity. Calibration data is stored in a read only memory and the microprocessor corrects variables to ensure accuracy and measures the difference in angle between the pairs of sensors.

A system is disclosed for using camera attitude sensors with a camera. A camera assembly includes a tripod base, a tripod head interface mounted on the tripod base, a tripod head mounted on the tripod head interface and a camera mounted on the tripod head. The tripod head enables the camera to pan and tilt. The system also includes a first optical encoder for detecting the amount that the camera has been panned and a second optical encoder for detecting the amount that the camera has been tilted. Two inclinometers are mounted on the tripod head interface to measure attitude of the tripod head. Two gyroscopes (“gyros”) are mounted on the camera assembly. Data from the encoders, gyros and inclinometers are packaged and sent to graphics production equipment to be used for enhancing video captured by the camera.

An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. A preferred embodiment uses three telescopes with each of the three telescopes rigidly mounted with respect to each other and rigidly mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane with each telescope being directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Telescope optics focuses, onto the pixel array of a sensor, H-band or K-band light from stars in the field of view of each telescope. The system also includes an inclinometer, an accurate timing device and a computer processor having access to cataloged infrared star charts.

An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. In a first set of preferred embodiments three relatively large aperture telescopes are rigidly mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane with each telescope being directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Embodiments in this first set tend to be relatively large and heavy, such as about one cubic meter and about 60 pounds. In a second set of preferred embodiments one or more smaller aperture telescopes are pivotably mounted on a movable platform such as a ship, airplane or missile so that the telescope or telescopes can be pivoted to point toward specific regions of the sky. Embodiments of this second set are mechanically more complicated than those of the first set, but are much smaller and lighter and are especially useful for guidance of aircraft and missiles. Telescope optics focus (on to a pixel array of a sensor) H-band or K-band light from one or more stars in the field of view of each telescope. Each system also includes an inclinometer, an accurate timing device and a computer processor having access to catalogued infrared star charts. The processor for each system is programmed with special algorithms to use image data from the infrared sensors, inclination information from the inclinometer, time information from the timing device and the catalogued star charts information to determine positions of the platform. Direction information from two stars is needed for locating the platform with respect to the celestial sphere. The computer is also preferably programmed to use this celestial position information to calculate latitude and longitude which may be displayed on a display device such as a monitor or used by a guidance control system. These embodiments are jam proof and insensitive to radio frequency interference. These systems provide efficient alternatives to GPS when GPS is unavailable and can be used for periodic augmentation of inertial navigation systems.

A three-dimensional and a two-dimensional GPS unit periodically provide coordinate positions of points on the work machine and are combined with a Kalman filter to produce a point of reference on a work machine. The point of reference is improved by combining the position with an inertial position derived from accelerometer data in another Kalman filter. Additionally, the two-dimensional GPS unit provides a heading that is combined with an inertial orientation derived by the angular rate from a gyroscope in another Kalman filter to produce a precise orientation estimate. Inclinometers provide pitch and roll of the work machine. With the point of reference, orientation estimate, pitch, roll and known geometry of the work machine, the GPS unit calculates the location and orientation of machine components and continuously tracks its movement throughout the mine. Additionally, the accelerometers and gyroscope provide position and orientation when the GPS units are inoperable.

The invention relates to a method and a system for monitoring and warning pipeline landslide depth displacement and a method for constructing the system. The monitoring is divided into three parts including landslide depth displacement monitoring, monitoring of thrust of landslide on a pipeline and pipeline strain monitoring, and comprises the steps of: inserting an inclinometer pipe (1) pasted with a fiber Bragg grating sensor into the landslide (13), penetrating all potential sliding surfaces (15), extending the inclinometer pipe to a drilling hole 3 to 5m deep under a bedrock surface, and measuring the maximum tension strain born by the inclinometer pipe (1); measuring the front thrust of the landslide (13) on the pipeline by using a packaged earth pressure cell fiber Bragg grating sensor (4) fixed on the pipeline (14); and uniformly arranging pipeline (14) monitoring sections on edges on two sides of the landslide and the pipeline (14) in the center of the landslide (13), and uniformly arranging three pipe strain fiber Bragg grating sensors (3) on each monitoring section to monitor the axial strain of the pipeline (14).

An electronic inclinometer and a centrally controlled network of inclinometers are disclosed. A resistive or capacitive inclinometer sensor measures inclination in two orthogonal axes. Measuring electrodes can be provided on the exterior of a dielectric sensor cell isolated from a sensor fluid. In another embodiment, measuring electrodes comprise pins partially immersed in a cell fluid contained in a metal housing and reference electrodes are provided to compensate for temperature and electrochemical changes in the sensor. Sensor signals are converted to frequency signals that are processed by a microprocessor having a unique logical address and preferably having an external solid state memory. A plurality of inclinometers can be arranged in multiple logical branches to be centrally controlled. The controller operates the network in real time or in a programmable timed autonomous mode. Network data can be presented in a graphical 3D format using software provided on the controller.

A collision avoidance system for reducing false alerts by estimating the elevation of a target, includes short and long range single-dimensional scanning radar sensors having differing ranges and beam angles of inclination, and a digital fusion processor, and preferably includes a locator device, an inclinometer, and a memory storage device cooperatively configured to further perform trend analysis, and target tracking.

The invention discloses a method and a system for monitoring paving thickness of a high-level highway pavement in real time, belonging to the field of road construction quality control. The method comprises the following steps: erecting an automatic tracking total station nearby a paving site, determining the position of an erection point through a resection survey method according to the known point coordinate, positioning and tracking a 360-degree prism according to enough short time interval by utilizing the automatic tracking total station, measuring the inclination angles of a transverse beam and a longitudinal beam of a platform trolley in the device by adopting an inclinometer, and measuring the distance from the transverse beam to the paved pavement by adopting a laser distance measuring sensor arranged on the transverse beam; calculating three-dimensional coordinates (x, y, z) of the position points of the paved pavement measured by each laser distance measuring sensor according to a spatial geometrical relation between each laser distance measuring sensor and the prism; projecting to obtain elevation z0 of the position point on a datum plane before paving; solving the difference between elevations z and elevation z0 to obtain the paving thickness; and judging whether the paving thickness at the position point accords with the control standard, otherwise, transmitting alarm information. The method is mainly applied to road construction quality control.

Inclinometer and directional field sensor readings can have gain, offset, and non-orthogonality errors, as well as reference alignment rotation errors. When a series of readings are taken by a three axis sensor with a variety of different orientations, the resulting dataset looks like a perfect hypothetical sphere in the absence of any errors; with errors as mentioned above the dataset looks like an offset, rotated, ellipsoidal quadratic surface. This invention provides a simple method of removing the above errors from a tilt reference device. A disclosed algorithm is divided into two distinct components: the ellipsoidal quadratic surface component, which covers gain, offset, and axis misalignment; and the rotation component, which covers rotation relative to a set of reference axes. The solution presented here addresses both components combined, or separated and for inclinometers, magnetometers and rate sensors.

The invention provides a monitoring device mainly for sensing ground displacement, including the fiber Bragg grating sensored deflectometer and the signal interrogator / computer system. The device uses a segmented design that consists of a flexible tube (referred to as the flexible segment) and two rigid segments and thus referred to as the FBG segmented deflectometer (FBG-SD). For field installation, multiple FBG-SD units are connected together to form a string as it is inserted into a grouted-in-place inclinometer casing. The distortion of the inclinometer casing induced by ground movement causes relative rotation of the inserted FBG-SD. All of the FBG-SD units are connected to an FBG interrogator / computer system situated on ground surface. The FBG signals are recorded and analyzed by the interrogator / computer system.

A robot for cleaning and inspecting conduits has a synchronizing mechanism, which extends all driving units simultaneously and with a constant normal force applied to the conduit wall. The robot may be equipped with adapters for conduits with rectangular cross section, and with extension bars for conduits with large diameters. Further, the robot may be equipped with sensors monitoring the robot status, these include a sensor of the synchronizing mechanism position, inclinometer and gyroscope. Data from these sensors may be displayed on a monitor. The movement of the robot inside the conduit and therefore the speed of individual tracks is controlled by the operator by three control elements: direction of turning, diameter of bend and speed of motion. The robot is also able to travel backwards inside the conduit automatically based on stored information about forward movement.

The invention is directed to mainpulator assembly (2) for holding and manipulating a surgical instrument (14) in a telerobotic system. The assembly comprises a base (6) fixable by passive or power driven positioning devices to a surface, such as an operating table, and an instrument holder (4) movably mounted on the base. The instrument holder comprises a chassis (6) and an instrument support (70) movably mounted on the body and having an interface engageable with the surgical instrument to releasably mount the instrument to the instrument holder. A drive assembly (7) is operatively coupled to the instrument holder for providing the instrument with at least two degrees of freedom. The instrument holder is separable from the base and the drive assembly so that the holder can be sterilized. The assembly further includes a force sensing element (52) mounted distal to the holder and the drive assembly for detecting forces exerted on the surgical instrument and providing feedback to the surgeon. The assembly is attached to a remote center positioner (300) for constraining the instrument to rotate a point coincident with the entry incision and an inclinometer (350) for preventing gravitational forces acting on the system's mechanisms from being felt by the surgeon.

A collision avoidance system for reducing false alerts by estimating the elevation of a target, includes short and long range single-dimensional scanning radar sensors having differing ranges and beam angles of inclination, and a digital fusion processor, and preferably includes a locator device, an inclinometer, and a memory storage device cooperatively configured to further perform trend analysis, and target tracking.

A motor grader has a control system in which the manner of controlling the blade position differs depending upon whether the blade is to be moved vertically or is to be maintained at a generally constant level and cross slope. First and second hydraulic valves control the flow of hydraulic fluid to the first and second hydraulic cylinders which raise and lower respective ends of the blade. An inclinometer provides an inclinometer output indicating the inclination of the blade along its length with respect to horizontal. The control system includes a first hydraulic cylinder position sensor for determining the extension of the first hydraulic cylinder. The control system further includes a control that is responsive to a control input specifying the desired height and cross slope of the blade, to the first hydraulic cylinder position sensor, and to the inclinometer output. The control provides valve control signals to the first and second hydraulic valves. The control provides a first valve control signal to the first hydraulic valve in dependence upon a desired height specified by the control input, and the control provides a second valve control signal to the second hydraulic valve in dependence upon the inclinometer output and upon the cross slope specified by the control input. However, when the blade is to be moved upward or downward with the retraction or extension of the first cylinder, the control provides the second valve control signal to the second hydraulic valve in dependence upon the first hydraulic cylinder position sensor such that the second hydraulic cylinder retracts and extends with the first hydraulic cylinder, maintaining the cross slope angle of the blade as a constant.

An inclinometer using a speedometer and a forward-looking accelerometer for measuring inclination angle.

A device comprises a rangefinder, memory, display, and processor. The rangefinder can measure a distance between a user and a target on a course. The memory stores data concerning a plurality of clubs including a hitting distance for each of the golf clubs. The processor, which is connected to the rangefinder, memory, and display, is configured to select, based on the measured distance, a recommended golf club and to determine a recommended swing speed for a golfer to hit a golf ball with the recommended golf club. The processor is further configured to cause the display to indicate the recommended golf club and swing speed. The device may alternatively or additionally comprise an inclinometer and calculate an adjusted distance based on tilt and the distance, and select the recommended golf club based on the adjusted distance.

A bow sight automatically corrects and compensates for various dynamically changing aiming, shooting, and / or environmental conditions. The bow sight can perform situation-specific aim evaluations and corrections to correct or compensate for situation-specific shooting and environmental factors, at a given time and on a per-shot basis. The bow sight includes integrated sensor-type devices, such as a range finder, an inclinometer, and an anemometer, which detects values of situation-specific shooting and environmental factors and communicates such detected values with a processor or other control device. The processor uses the situational specific data, as well as bow and arrow performance data, and data from shot calibrations, to calculate precise vertical and horizontal aim compensations required to accurately hit the desired target point. The bow sight displays a new crosshair, dot, or multiple dot set, to direct the archer to a situation-specific aiming point for the most accurate shot under those particular circumstances.

A drilling system includes a work string supporting a bottom hole assembly. The work string including lengths of pipe having a non-metallic portion. The work string preferably includes a composite umbilical having a fluid impermeable liner, multiple load carrying layers, and a wear layer. Multiple electrical conductors and data transmission conductors are embedded in the load carrying layers for carrying current or transmitting data between the bottom hole assembly and the surface. The bottom hole assembly includes a bit, a gamma ray and inclinometer instrument package, a propulsion system with resistivity antenna and steerable assembly, an electronics section, a transmission, and a power section for rotating the bit. The electrical conductors in the composite umbilical provide power to the electronics section and may provide power to the power section. The data transmission conduits in the composite umbilical transmit the data from the downhole sensors to the surface where the data is processed. The propulsion system includes two or more traction modules connected by rams disposed in cylinders for walking the bottom hole assembly up and down the borehole. The propulsion system includes a steerable assembly, controlled from the surface, for changing the trajectory of the borehole.

A positioning and calibration system are provided for use in calibrating a single or multi axis sensitive instrument, such as an inclinometer. The positioning system includes a positioner that defines six planes of tangential contact. A mounting region within the six planes is adapted to have an inclinometer coupled thereto. The positioning system also includes means for defining first and second flat surfaces that are approximately perpendicular to one another with the first surface adapted to be oriented relative to a local or induced reference field of interest to the instrument being calibrated, such as a gravitational vector. The positioner is positioned such that one of its six planes tangentially rests on the first flat surface and another of its six planes tangentially contacts the second flat surface. A calibration system is formed when the positioning system is used with a data collector and processor.