Patent ID: 6496779
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
A device for measuring a velocity and/or position of a body, comprising:a magnetometer configured to sense a magnetic flux to which the body is exposed, wherein the magnetic flux being substantially constant is indicative of the body being at rest; and a measurement unit including a sensor sensing one of an acceleration and a velocity of the body, and a processor coupled to the magnetometer and to the sensor and configured to determine one of a velocity value and a position value for the body based on the sensed magnetic flux and based on the one of the sensed acceleration and the sensed velocity of the body; wherein the sensor is configured to sense as the acceleration a linear acceleration of the body, wherein the processor is configured to one of calculate as the velocity value a linear velocity value based on the sensed linear acceleration, and wherein the processor is configured to set the linear velocity value at zero if the sensed magnetic flux is substantially constant, and calculate as the position value a spatial position value based on the sensed linear acceleration, and wherein the processor is configured to maintain the spatial position value at a present value if the sensed magnetic flux is substantially constant.