Dynamically self-adjusting magnetometer

• US 8,768,639 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mis Security, LLC.
• Original Assignee: Broadband Discovery Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Stephanson, Cory James
• Primary Examiner(s): TSAI, CAROL S W
• Application Number:
  US14/027,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20140032155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: 702/85, 702/94, 702/153, 324/240, 324/230, 324/227, 324/207.17, 324/237, 324/233, 324/239, 324/251, 324/529, 324/260, 324/261, 324/262, 324/247, 324/207.15, 324/346, 324/202, 324/207.2, 324/235, 333/19, 333/55.R
• US Class Current: 702/85
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0035 Calibration of single magnetic sensors, e.g. integrated calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/028 Electrodynamic magnetometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/005 Calibrating; Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden" references G01R33/0035, G01R35/002 take precedence

Abstract

A dynamically self-adjusting magnetometer is disclosed. In one embodiment, a first sample module periodically generates an electronic signal related to at least one magnetic field characteristic of a monitored environment. A second sample module periodically generates an electronic signal related to at least one magnetic field characteristic of a monitored environment. A summing module sums the absolute value of the electronic signal from the first sample module and the electronic signal from the second sample module. A delta comparator module receives the electronic signals from each of the first sample module, the second sample module and the summing module and compares each of the electronic signals with a previously received set of electronic signals to establish a change, wherein an output is generated if the change is greater than or equal to a threshold.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring an environment with a dynamically adjustable magnetometer, said method comprising:

periodically generating a first channel electronic signal representing a magnetic field of a monitored environment;

periodically generating at least a second channel electronic signal representing said magnetic field of said monitored environment;

calculating a delta change between the total value for a first period and the total value for a second period;

summing an absolute value of said first channel electronic signal and an absolute value of said at least a second channel electronic signal over a period to generate a total value for a first period and the total value for a second period;

generating an output if said total value is greater than a pre-defined threshold;

utilizing an average total value for more than two periods to repeatedly generate a second floating average;

calculating an average delta change between two different period second floating averages; and

generating said output if the average delta change is greater than a pre-defined threshold.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said periodically generating a first channel electronic signal is performed by a magnetic field sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a fluxgate sensor, a magneto inductive sensor, a magneto resistive sensor, a Cesium vapor, and a skinning induction-effect sensor.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing an oscillation frequency over a period of time to periodically generate said first channel electronic signal and said second channel electronic signal.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

converting said first channel electronic signal and at least said second channel electronic signal from an analog signal to a digital signal.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing the average total value for at least two of the latest periods to repeatedly generate a floating average;

calculating an average delta change between a first period floating average and a second period floating average; and

generating said output if the average delta change is greater than a pre-defined threshold.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the output is selected from the group consisting of:

a printout, a visual signal, an audio signal, and an output to a graphical user interface (GUI).

7. Instructions on a non-transitory computer-usable medium wherein the instructions when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for monitoring an environment with a dynamically adjustable sensor, said method comprising:

periodically generating a first channel electronic signal representing a magnetic field of a monitored environment;

periodically generating a first channel average electronic signal representing an average of two or more of said periodically generated first channel electronic signals;

calculating a delta change between two of said electronic signals wherein said two of said electronic signals utilized when calculating said delta change are selected from the group consisting of;

a first channel electronic signal from a first period and a first channel electronic signal from a second period,

said first channel electronic signal from said first period and a first channel average electronic signal from a first period,

said first channel electronic signal from said first period and a first channel average electronic signal from a second period, and

said first channel average electronic signal from a first period and a first channel average electronic signal from a second period; and

generating an output if said delta change is greater than or equal to a pre-defined threshold.

8. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 7 further comprising:

periodically generating at least a second channel electronic signal representing said magnetic field of said monitored environment;

calculating a delta change between the total value for a first period and the total value for a second different period;

summing an absolute value of said first channel electronic signal and an absolute value of said at least a second channel electronic signal for each period to generate a total value for each said period; and

generating an output if said delta change is greater than a pre-defined threshold.

9. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 8 further comprising:

utilizing the average total oscillation value for at least two periods to repeatedly generate a floating average;

calculating an average delta change between a first period floating average and a second different period floating average; and

generating said output if the average delta change is greater than a pre-defined threshold.

10. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 9 further comprising:

utilizing an average total value for more than two periods to repeatedly generate a second floating average;

calculating an average delta change between a first period second floating average and a second different period second floating average; and

generating said output if the average delta change is greater than a pre-defined threshold.