Vehicle compass system with variable resolution
US5878370A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 1, 1995 |
| Grant date | Mar 2, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 1, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01C17/28
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A vehicle compass system including a magnetic field sensor from which the earth's magnetic field can be detected in two channels of measurement. The sensor is coupled to a processing circuit which samples the sensor data and determines the maximum and minimum signal levels in each channel of measurement during movement of the vehicle through a 360.degree. path of travel. Based on the spans between the maximum and minimum signal levels, adjustment signals are generated for adjusting the resolution of the compass system and the maximum and minimum signal levels of subsequent sensor data so that the system's sensitivity resolution may be adjusted and accurate heading information can be calculated and displayed regardless of the strength of the earth's magnetic field.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.