Electronic flux gate compass calibration technique
US5165269A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 29, 1990 |
| Grant date | Nov 24, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 29, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01C17/38
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An electronic flux gate compass calibration method and apparatus. An electronic flux gate compass mounted on a terrestrial vehicle is first rotated 360 degrees by driving the vehicle in a circle to determine four reference points where the locus of points representing the orthogonal outputs of the compass crosses over the X and Y axes of a reference Cartesian coordinate system. These four reference points are employed to calibrate the orthogonal outputs of the compass and compute a calibrated compass heading. Thereafter, as the vehicle moves from place to place, the output of the compass is monitored. If the output is within a predetermined region around one of the reference points, the reference point is modified to be closer to that output point. When the vehicle has moved through a closed loop, i.e., rotated a net 360 degrees, the compass is recalibrated.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.