Method for establishing the driving direction of a vehicle with an electronic compass

US4738031A · kind A · utility

Inventors

• Gunter Alberter · Wendelstein, DE
• Harald Bauer · Ehningen, DE
• Reinhard Helldorfer · Schwabach, DE
• Peter Ittner · Wendelstein, DE
• Hans Rauch · West Palm Beach, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 17, 1986
• Grant date: Apr 19, 1988
• Expiry date: Nov 17, 2006

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01P13/02
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for establishing the driving direction of a motor vehicle is suggested with an electronic compass which is provided with a magnetometer having two probes being turned by 90.degree. with respect to each other and an evaluation circuit. For establishing the ground field (He) and its angle (.phi.') in a vector diagram (X,Y) at first the measuring points (M1 . . . M4) with the maximum and minimum values (x,y) of the elliptical polar frequency (O) of the magnetic field (H) measured on the magnotemeter by turning the vehicle are picked up and from this the vector of a fixed interference field (Hs) with the coordinates of the center point (P) is established as a parameter of the polar frequency (O). Thereafter, the measuring points (M5 . . . M8) of the magnetic field (H) with the maximum and minimum distances of the points on the polar frequency (O) with respect to its center point (P) are picked up and from this the length of the semiaxis (a,b) are established as parameters of the polar frequency (O). The rotating angle (.alpha.) of the polar frequency (O) is established as a parameter from the measuring values of one of these measuring points and the center point (P). Finally, …