Compass precalibration method
First Claim
1. A method of installing an electronic compass in a vehicle comprising the steps of:
- mounting the electronic compass in the vehicle;
coupling the electronic compass to a power source of the vehicle;
downloading precalibration data into the electronic compass after the electronic compass has been mounted in the vehicle; and
initiating a precalibration routine when the vehicle is headed in a predetermined direction.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of installing a compass system includes the steps of mounting the electronic compass in a vehicle, coupling the electronic compass to a power source of the vehicle, downloading precalibration data into the electronic compass after the electronic compass has been mounted in the vehicle, and initiating a precalibration routine in the vehicle that is headed in a predetermined direction. The method may further include the steps of identifying characteristics of the vehicle and selecting precalibration data corresponding to the identified vehicle characteristics. The precalibration data selected corresponds to a make and model of the vehicle in which the compass may be installed and further may correspond to sets of vehicle options that may affect vehicular magnetism. If the electronic compass is provided as part of a trip computer, the precalibration data is preferably downloaded at the same time that the fuel tank size is downloaded into the trip computer.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of installing an electronic compass in a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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mounting the electronic compass in the vehicle; coupling the electronic compass to a power source of the vehicle; downloading precalibration data into the electronic compass after the electronic compass has been mounted in the vehicle; and initiating a precalibration routine when the vehicle is headed in a predetermined direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of installing a trip computer in a vehicle, the trip computer including electronic compass sensors and a processor coupled to the compass sensors and having a serial communication port, the method comprising the steps of:
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mounting the trip computer in the vehicle; coupling the trip computer to a power source of the vehicle; downloading the vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank size and compass precalibration data into the trip computer after the trip computer has been mounted in the vehicle; and initiating a compass precalibration routine when the vehicle is headed in a predetermined direction. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An electronic compass for a vehicle comprising:
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a magnetic field sensor for detecting the earth'"'"'s magnetic field and for providing electrical signals representing the direction of the vehicle in relation to the earth'"'"'s magnetic field; a heading indicator for indicating vehicle headings in response to received vehicle heading signals; data receiving means for receiving precalibration data from an external source after the compass has been installed in the vehicle; and a processor coupled to said magnetic field sensor for receiving said electrical signals, coupled to said heading indicator for supplying the vehicle heading signals to said heading indicator, and coupled to said data receiving means for receiving the precalibration data, said processor calculates vehicle headings in response to said received electrical signals using the precalibration data to compensate for vehicular magnetism. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. In a combination of a vehicle-installed electronic compass system and an assembly line computer system used to download precalibration data into the electronic compass system, the electronic compass system subcombination comprising:
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a magnetic field sensor for detecting the earth'"'"'s magnetic field and for providing electrical signals representing the direction of the vehicle in relation to the earth'"'"'s magnetic field; a heading indicator for indicating vehicle headings in response to received vehicle heading signals; data receiving means for receiving the precalibration data from the assembly line computer system after the electronic compass system has been installed in the vehicle; and a processor coupled to said magnetic field sensor for receiving said electrical signals, coupled to said heading indicator for supplying the vehicle heading signals to said heading indicator, and coupled to said data receiving means for receiving the precalibration data, said processor calculates vehicle headings in response to said received electrical signals using the precalibration data to compensate for vehicular magnetism. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification