Compass calibration

US9885574B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Apple Inc. · US

Inventors

• Christopher D. Moore · San Francisco, US
• Sarah G. Barbour · San Francisco, US
• Joshua C. Weinberg · San Jose, US
• Alessandro Francesco Sabatelli · San Francisco, US
• Brian Andrew Schmitt · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 15, 2013
• Grant date: Feb 6, 2018
• Expiry date: Nov 2, 2035

Classification

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

Abstract

A method that performs a series of interactive operations to calibrate a compass in a mobile device. The method requires a user to move the device to a variety of different orientations. In order to ensure that the device moves to a sufficient number and variety of orientations, the method instructs the user to rotate the device in a series of interactive operations. The interactive operations provide feedback to inform the user how well the user is performing the interactive operations. In some embodiments, the feedback is tactile (e.g., a vibration). In some embodiments the feedback is audible (e.g., a beep or buzz). In some embodiments, the feedback is visual (e.g., an image or images on a video display of the device). The feedback in some embodiments is continuous (e.g., a changing visual display) and in some embodiments is discrete (e.g., the device beeps after taking a good reading).