In-motion initialization of accelerometer for accurate vehicle positioning

Abstract

Techniques provided herein are directed toward addressing these and other issues by providing robust means for initializing an accelerometer that can take place even while a vehicle is in motion. Specifically, linear acceleration and velocity data can be estimated from wheel speeds, and angular velocity can be estimated with a gyroscope. The vehicle's acceleration can then be computed from these estimates, and subtracted from a total acceleration measured by the accelerometer to determine gravitational acceleration, which can then be accounted for in subsequent measurements taken by the accelerometer. A vehicle velocity may also be determined based on the vehicle's estimated angular velocity and linear velocity. Embodiments may also employ techniques for translating measurements taken in one coordinate frame to another coordinate frame for estimate determination and/or outlier compensation.