Patent ID: 6865455
Filing Date: 2005-03-08
Classification: G05D

Abstract:
1. A magnetic anomaly guidance system for use on a non-magnetic support having a steering system coupled thereto that is responsive to steering control commands used to control said support's direction of movement when said support is moved on a surface, said magnetic anomaly guidance system comprising: at least two triaxial magnetometer (TM) sensors coupled to said support for movement therewith, each of said TM sensors having X,Y,Z magnetic sensing axes with corresponding ones of said X,Y,Z magnetic sensing axes being parallel to one another, wherein each of said TM sensors outputs X,Y,Z components (B each of said TM sensors being positioned at vertices of an arrangement of said TM sensors, wherein an axis of said arrangement is defined between each pair of said vertices; said arrangement being positioned on said support such that one of said X,Y,Z magnetic sensing axes for each of said TM sensors defines a forward direction of movement of said support; said arrangement having an axis of symmetry that is fixed with respect to said forward direction of movement; and means, coupled to said TM sensors and to said steering system of said support, for processing said X,Y,Z components (B