Electronic magnetic compass system and method for interpreting directions of a vehicle
First Claim
1. A vehicle electronic compass system for determining vehicle heading as a function of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said system comprising:
- magnetic sensing means for sensing the earth'"'"'s magnetic field and generating a signal in accordance therewith;
signal conditioning means for receiving said signal and for converting said signal into a corresponding degree heading value, said degree heading value being one of eight predetermined heading values describing a predetermined range of degrees of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, a first heading value corresponding to a first range of degrees indicating a North direction, a second heading value corresponding to a second range of degrees indicating a Northeast value, a third heading value corresponding to a third range of degrees indicating an East direction, a fourth heading value corresponding to a fourth range of degrees indicating a Southeast direction, a fifth heading value corresponding to a fifth range of degrees indicating a South direction, a sixth heading value corresponding to a sixth range of degrees indicating a Southwest direction, a seventh heading value corresponding to a seventh range of degrees indicating a West direction, and a eighth heading value corresponding to an eighth range of degrees indicating a Northwest direction, wherein at least one of said first, third, fifth or seventh ranges is greater than forty-five degrees;
said signal conditioning means further adapted for generating a directional heading signal in accordance with said predetermined degree range within which said degree heading value falls within; and
means for providing an indication to an occupant of said vehicle of said directional heading signal.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for interpreting magnetic directions for an electronic compass system mounted on a moving vehicle such as an automobile. The directions of North, Northeast, East, Southeast, South, Southwest, West and Northwest are each assigned predetermined degree ranges which are included in a look-up table used by a controller. The predetermined degree ranges associated with the directions of North, South, East and West are further each set at equal values, while the predetermined degree ranges of Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest are set equally at a value that is less than the values of the North, South, East and West directions. A flux-gate senses the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field and generates an analog signal in accordance therewith. The analog signal is converted into a corresponding digital signal by an analog-to-digital converter. The controller receives the corresponding digital signal and converts the digital signal into a degree heading. The controller then compares the degree heading with the eight predetermined degree ranges included in the look-up table and generates a directional heading signal in accordance with the predetermined degree range within which the degree heading falls. A directional heading signal is then output to a visual display and displayed as one of the eight directional headings associated with the eight predetermined degree ranges. The invention thus simplifies the interpretation of heading information generated by an electronic compass system and reduces the chance of driver confusion by interpreting heading information more in accordance with the major geographic directions of North, South, East and West.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A vehicle electronic compass system for determining vehicle heading as a function of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said system comprising:
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magnetic sensing means for sensing the earth'"'"'s magnetic field and generating a signal in accordance therewith; signal conditioning means for receiving said signal and for converting said signal into a corresponding degree heading value, said degree heading value being one of eight predetermined heading values describing a predetermined range of degrees of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, a first heading value corresponding to a first range of degrees indicating a North direction, a second heading value corresponding to a second range of degrees indicating a Northeast value, a third heading value corresponding to a third range of degrees indicating an East direction, a fourth heading value corresponding to a fourth range of degrees indicating a Southeast direction, a fifth heading value corresponding to a fifth range of degrees indicating a South direction, a sixth heading value corresponding to a sixth range of degrees indicating a Southwest direction, a seventh heading value corresponding to a seventh range of degrees indicating a West direction, and a eighth heading value corresponding to an eighth range of degrees indicating a Northwest direction, wherein at least one of said first, third, fifth or seventh ranges is greater than forty-five degrees; said signal conditioning means further adapted for generating a directional heading signal in accordance with said predetermined degree range within which said degree heading value falls within; and means for providing an indication to an occupant of said vehicle of said directional heading signal.
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2. A vehicle electronic compass system for determining vehicle heading as a function of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said system comprising:
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a flux gate sensor for sensing the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field and for generating an analog signal in accordance therewith; an A/D converter for receiving said analog signal and for generating a corresponding digital signal; a controller for receiving said corresponding digital signal and for converting said digital signal into a corresponding degree heading value, said degree heading value being one of eight predetermined heading values describing a predetermined range of degrees of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, a first heading value corresponding to a first range of degrees indicating a North direction, a second heading value corresponding to a second range of degrees indicating a Northeast value, a third heading value corresponding to a third range of degrees indicating an East direction, a fourth heading value corresponding to a fourth range of degrees indicating a Southeast direction, a fifth heading value corresponding to a fifth range of degrees indicating a South direction, a sixth heading value corresponding to a sixth range of degrees indicating a Southwest direction, a seventh heading value corresponding to a seventh range of degrees indicating a West direction, and a eighth heading value corresponding to an eighth range of degrees indicating a Northwest direction, wherein at least one of said first, third, fifth or seventh ranges is greater than forty-five degrees; said controller further being adapted for generating a directional heading signal in accordance with said predetermined degree range within which said degree heading value falls within; and display means for receiving said directional heading signal and for displaying a heading corresponding to said directional heading signal. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A vehicle electronic compass system for determining vehicle heading as a function of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said system comprising:
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a sensor for sensing the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field and for generating an output signal in accordance therewith; a signal conditioning circuit for receiving said output signal of said sensor and for generating a corresponding digital signal; a controller for receiving said corresponding digital signal and for converting said signal into a degree heading value, said degree heading value being one of eight predetermined heading values describing a predetermined range of degrees of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, a first heading value corresponding to a first range of degrees indicating a North direction, a second heading value corresponding to a second range of degrees indicating a Northeast value, a third heading value corresponding to a third range of degree indicating an East direction, a fourth heading value corresponding to a fourth range of degrees indicating a Southeast direction, a fifth heading value corresponding to a fifth range of degrees indicating a South direction, a sixth heading value corresponding to a sixth range of degrees indicating a Southwest direction, a seventh heading value corresponding to a seventh range of degrees indicating a West direction, and a eighth heading value corresponding to an eighth range of degrees indicating a Northwest direction, wherein said first, third, fifth and seventh ranges are greater than said second, fourth, sixth and eighth ranges; and said controller further adapted for comparing said degree heading value with said first through eighth predetermined degree ranges and further adapted for generating a heading signal corresponding to said predetermined degree range within which said degree heading value falls. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification