Apparatus and method for detecting the cessation of motion of a body

Claim 1

An apparatus for detecting when a moving body assumes a substantially motionless state comprising: rate of turn sensor means attached to said body for generating a rate of turn signal exhibiting an amplitude which is proportional to the rate of turn of said body; differentiator means, electrically coupled to said sensor means, for differentiating said rate of turn signal to generate a differentiated signal; absolute value circuit means, electrically coupled to said differentiator means, for generating an absolute value signal equal to the absolute value of said differentiated signal; limiter means, electrically coupled to said absolute value circuit means, for limiting the amplitude of said absolute value signal to a predetermined signal level, thereby generating a limited signal; filtering means, electrically coupled to said limiter means, for filtering said limited signal, thereby generating an filtered signal, and comparator means, electrically coupled to said filter means, for generating a first signal when said filtered signal is less than a predetermined voltage level to indicate that said body is substantially motionless.

Claim 2

An apparatus for detecting when a moving body assumes a substantially motionless state comprising: rate of turn sensor means attached to said body for generating a rate of turn signal exhibiting an amplitude which is proportional to the rate of turn of said body; differentiator means, electrically coupled to said sensor means, for differentiating said rate of turn signal to generate a differentiated signal; absolute value circuit means, electrically coupled to said differentiator means, for generating an absolute value signal equal to the absolute value of said differentiated signal; limiter means, electrically coupled to said absolute value circuit means, for limiting the amplitude of said absolute value signal to a predetermined signal level, thereby generating a limited signal; filtering means, electrically coupled to said limiter means, for filtering said limited signal, thereby generating an filtered signal, and comparator means, electrically coupled to said filter means, for generating a first signal when said filtered signal is less than a predetermined voltage level to indicate that said body is substantially motionless.

Claim 6

A method of detecting when a moving body assumes a substantially motionless state comprising the steps of; A. sensing the rate of turn of said body to generate a rate of turn signal exhibiting an amplitude which is proportional to the rate of turn of said body; B. differentiating said rate of turn signal to generate a differentiated signal; C. generating an absolute value signal equal to the absolute value of said differentiated signal; D. limiting the amplitude of said absolute value signal to a predetermined signal level to generate a limited signal; E. filtering said limited signal to generate an filtered signal, and F. comparing said filtered signal to a predetermined voltage level to generate a first signal when said filtered signal is less than said predetermined voltage level to indicate that said body is substantially motionless.

Claim 7

A method of detecting when a moving body assumes a substantially motionless state comprising the steps of; A. sensing the rate of turn of said body to generate a rate of turn signal exhibiting an amplitude which is proportional to the rate of turn of said body; B. differentiating said rate of turn signal to generate a differentiated signal; C. generating an absolute value signal equal to the absolute value of said differentiated signal; D. limiting the amplitude of said absolute value signal to a predetermined signal level to generate a limited signal; E. filtering said limited signal to generate an filtered signal, and F. comparing said filtered signal to a predetermined voltage level to generate a first signal when said filtered signal is less than said predetermined voltage level to indicate that said body is substantially motionless.