Patent ID: 8032326
Filing Date: 2011-10-04
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
1. A magnetic data processing device for detecting a vertical direction using a three-dimensional magnetic sensor, comprising: an input part that sequentially inputs magnetic data samples each of which is three-dimensional vector data represented by a linear combination of fundamental vectors, the magnetic data samples being outputted from the three-dimensional magnetic sensor; and a vertical direction deducing part that defines a statistical population, the statistical population including a plurality of the magnetic data samples sequentially inputted by the input part, the statistical population signifying a rotation of the three-dimensional magnetic sensor of a predetermined range, the vertical direction deducing part operating when a distribution of the magnetic data samples of the statistical population is flat, the vertical direction deducing part deducing vertical-direction data representing the vertical direction, the vertical direction being a direction perpendicular to a plane, the plane approximating the flat distribution of the statistical population, wherein the vertical direction deducing part calculates a minimum principal value of the distribution of the magnetic data samples of the statistical population and deduces as the vertical-direction data a direction of an eigenvector corresponding to the minimum principal value.