Patent ID: 6513252
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
A vehicular electronic compass system comprising:a magneto-responsive sensor assembly for sensing a magnetic field including an earth magnetic field and a deviating magnetic field; an electronic circuit responsive to said sensor assembly for determining at least one of a magnitude and direction of the Earth magnetic field, said electronic circuit collecting a plurality of data points along the earth magnetic field relative to a coordinate system associated with the vehicle, each of said data points having at least two components relative to said coordinate system, said electronic circuit averaging at least one component of at least two of said data points to determine an estimated value of the Earth magnetic field along at least one axis of said coordinate system, thereby calculating an estimated offset of the Earth magnetic field due to the deviating magnetic field, said electronic circuit adjusting a directional heading output to account for the offset; and an electronic display coupled with said electronic circuit for displaying a direction of the Earth magnetic field; wherein said at least two data points are located at intersect points where said line segments intersect at said coordinate system at a value equal to a portion of the Earth magnetic field magnitude.