Patent · US Active

Magnetometer test arrangement and method

US8963538B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
4References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 22, 2011
Grant dateFeb 24, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 27, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49004
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Manufacturing of magnetometer units (20′) employs a test socket (41) having a substantially rigid body (43) with a cavity (42) therein holding an untested unit (20) in a predetermined position (48) proximate electrical connection (50) thereto, wherein one or more magnetic field sources (281, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336) fixed in the body (43) provide known magnetic fields at the position (48) so that the response of each unit (20) is measured and compared to stored expected values. Based thereon, each unit (20) can be calibrated or trimmed by feeding corrective electrical signals back to the unit (20) through the test socket (41) until the actual and expected responses match or the unit (200) is discarded as uncorrectable. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetic field sources (281, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336) are substantially orthogonal coil pairs (332, 333, 334) arranged so that their centerlines (332-1, 333-1, 334-1) coincide at a common point (46) within the predetermined position (48). Because the test-socket (41) is especially rugged and compact, other functions (e.g., accelerometers) included in the unit (20) can also be easily tested and trimmed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.