Locator for a moving body

• US 5,122,960 A
• Filed: 10/10/1989
• Issued: 06/16/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Ooka, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/418,863
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 364/443, 364/449, 364/454, 364/457, 364/453, 33/356, 33/357, 73/178 R
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments

Abstract

In a locator for location and direction detections of moving bodies which employs, in the direction detection, a magnetic direction sensor for outputting direction data and a gyro for outputting angular speed data, the locator for location and direction detections of moving bodies comprising a normal judgement function for the magnetic direction sensor which compares a direction variation quantity within an assigned time which is obtained from the difference of the direction data of the magnetic direction sensor, and an angle variation quantity within the assigned time which is obtained from an integral value of the angular speed data of the gyro, and in the case that the difference between the compared quantities is over a first predetermined value, judges that an error has occurred in the direction data of the magnetic direction sensor. After judgement of an occurrence of the error and when the difference between the direction variation quantity and the angle variation quantity is below a second predetermined value, it is judged that the direction data of the magnetic direction sensor has returned to normalcy.

Claims

1. A locator for location and direction detections of moving bodies comprising:

a magnetic direction sensor for outputting direction data;

a gyro for outputting angular speed data;

a direction variation computing means for computing a direction variation quantity within an assigned time from a difference of said direction data of said magnetic direction sensor;

an angular speed integrating means for computing an angle variation quantity within said assigned time from an integral value of said angular speed data of said gyro; and

a normal judgement means for said magnetic direction sensor which compares said direction variation quantity within said assigned time with said angle variation quantity within said assigned time, and in the case that a difference between the compared quantities is over a first predetermined value, judges that an error has occurred in said direction data of said magnetic direction sensor, and after judgement of an occurrence of said error and when said difference between said direction variation quantity and said angle variation quantity is below a second predetermined value, judges that said direction data of said magnetic direction sensor has returned to normalcy.

2. A locator for location and direction detections of moving bodies as set forth in claim 1, wherein, when an absolute value of said angular speed data of said gyro within said assigned time exceeds a predetermined constant value, said normal judgement means judges whether said direction data of said magnetic direction sensor has returned to normalcy or not.

3. A locator for location and direction detections of moving bodies as set forth in claim 1, wherein, when an absolute value of said angle variation quantity within said assigned time exceeds a predetermined constant value and also said assigned time is below a predetermined time, said normal judgement means judges whether said direction data of said magnetic direction sensor has returned to normalcy or not.

4. A locator for location and direction detections of moving bodies as set forth in claim 2, wherein said assigned time comprises first and second periods wherein absolute values of said angular speed data of said gyro are below a first reference value, and a third period between said first and second periods wherein an absolute value of said angular speed data of said gyro is above a second reference value greater than said first reference value.

5. A locator for location and direction detections of moving bodies as set forth in claim 3, wherein said assigned time comprises first and second periods wherein absolute values of said angular speed data of said gyro are below a first reference value, and a third period between said first and second periods wherein an absolute value of said angular speed data of said gyro is above a second reference value greater than said first reference value.

6. A locator for location and direction detections of moving bodies as set forth in claim 4, wherein instead of said direction variation quantity within said assigned time, the difference between an average value of said direction data of said magnetic direction sensor during said first period and an average value of said direction data of said magnetic direction sensor during said second period is compared with said angle variation quantity within said assigned time.

7. A locator for location and direction detections of moving bodies as set forth in claim 5, wherein instead of said direction variation quantity within said assigned time, the difference between an average value of said direction data of said magnetic direction sensor during said first period and an average value of said direction data of said magnetic direction sensor during said second period is compared with said angle variation quantity within said assigned time.