Method of determining the location of a navigational magnetic field sensor in a vehicle

US4782453A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Harald Bauer · Ehningen, DE
• Reinhard Helldorfer · Schwabach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 20, 1986
• Grant date: Nov 1, 1988
• Expiry date: Aug 20, 2006

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01C17/38
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

To determine the optimal location for a magnetic field sensor in a navigational system in a vehicle, the field sensor is preliminarily and releasably secured at a first location in the vehicle, and then the vehicle is rotated by 360.degree., for example by moving it in a circular course. An evaluation circuit is connected to the field sensor which determines the maximum or minimum value of the entire field vector (H.sub.x, H.sub.y). The level of the disturbance field (Hs.sub.x, Hs.sub.y) is determined by carrying out the calculation by adding half of the respective maximum and minimum values in the respective vectorial directions. The steps are then repeated with a different location of the sensor and, when a minimum disturbance field is determined, the sensor can be secured to the vehicle. If the vehicle contains electrical equipment or appliances generating electromagnetic fields, for example electric motors, rear window defroster windings or the like, the testing steps should be repeated with the appliance energized so that any stray field generated thereby will not disturb the field sensor. Preferably, the disturbance field should be not over half of the saturation field of the…