System and method for operating a mobile device having a magnetometer using error indicators

• US 8,928,309 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Oliver, Robert George, Almalki, Nazih
• Primary Examiner(s): PATIDAR, JAY M
• Application Number:
  US13/484,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20130320965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 324/202, 324/225, 324/244
• US Class Current: 324/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0035 Calibration of single magnetic sensors, e.g. integrated calibration

Abstract

A method and system are provided for operating a mobile device having a magnetometer. The method includes obtaining a plurality of error indicators associated with the magnetometer. At least two of the plurality of error indicators have different criteria for error. The method also includes determining an instruction for operating the mobile device using the plurality of error indicators.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile device having a magnetometer, the method comprising:

obtaining a first plurality of error indicators associated with the magnetometer, the first plurality of error indicators comprising a respective error indicator for each of;

a degree of variation in a magnetometer calibration parameter, an accuracy to an expected magnetic field, and an ability to track magnetic interference;

comparing the first plurality of error indicators with one another; and

determining an instruction for operating the mobile device based on the comparison of the first plurality of error indicators.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of error indicators is associated with the magnetometer calibrated with a first magnetometer calibration, and the method further comprising:

obtaining a second plurality of error indicators associated with the magnetometer calibrated with a second magnetometer calibration, each of the second plurality of error indicators corresponding to a respective one of the first plurality of error indicators.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising comparing each of the second plurality of error indicators to the respective one of the first plurality of error indicators, and wherein the instruction comprises selecting one of the first magnetometer calibration and the second magnetometer calibration based on the comparison of each of the second plurality of error indicators to the respective one of the first plurality of error indicators.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of error indicators further comprises an error indicator for an accuracy to an angular position of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction comprises instructing a user to move the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction comprises calibrating the magnetometer.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for operating a mobile device having a magnetometer, the computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a first plurality of error indicators associated with the magnetometer, the first plurality of error indicators comprising a respective error indicator for each of;

a degree of variation in a magnetometer calibration parameter, an accuracy to an expected magnetic field, and an ability to track magnetic interference;

comparing the first plurality of error indicators with one another; and

determining an instruction for operating the mobile device based on the comparison of the first plurality of error indicators.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the first plurality of error indicators is associated with the a magnetometer calibrated with a first magnetometer calibration, and the computer readable storage medium further comprising computer executable instructions for:

obtaining a second plurality of error indicators associated with the magnetometer calibrated with a second magnetometer calibration, each of the second plurality of error indicators corresponding to a respective one of the first plurality of error indicators.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising computer executable instructions for comparing each of the second plurality of error indicators to the respective one of the first plurality of error indicators, and wherein the instruction comprises selecting one of the first magnetometer calibration and the second magnetometer calibration based on the comparison of each of the second plurality of error indicators to the respective one of the first plurality of error indicators.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the first plurality of error indicators further comprises an error indicator for an accuracy to an angular position of the mobile device.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the instruction comprises instructing a user to move the mobile device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the instruction comprises calibrating the magnetometer.

13. A mobile device comprising a processor coupled to a non-transitory memory and a magnetometer, the memory comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

obtaining a first plurality of error indicators associated with the magnetometer, the first plurality of error indicators comprising a respective error indicator for each of;

a degree of variation in a magnetometer calibration parameter, an accuracy to an expected magnetic field, and an ability to track magnetic interference;

comparing the first plurality of error indicators with one another; and

determining an instruction for operating the mobile device based on the comparison of the first plurality of error indicators.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the first plurality of error indicators is associated with the magnetometer calibrated with a first magnetometer calibration and the memory further comprises computer executable instructions for:

obtaining a second plurality of error indicators associated with the magnetometer calibrated with a second magnetometer calibration, each of the second plurality of error indicators corresponding to a respective one of the first plurality of error indicators.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the memory further comprises computer executable instructions for comparing each of the second plurality of error indicators to the respective one of the first plurality of error indicators, and wherein the instruction comprises selecting one of the first magnetometer calibration and the second magnetometer calibration based on the comparison of each of the second plurality of error indicators to the respective one of the first plurality of error indicators.

16. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the instruction comprises instructing a user to move the mobile device.

17. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the first plurality of error indicators further comprises an error indicator for an accuracy to an angular position of the mobile device.

18. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the instruction comprises calibrating the magnetometer.