Means for reducing interference among magnetometer array elements
First Claim
1. An apparatus for measuring the magnetic heading of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of fluxgate sensors for respectively measuring components of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said sensors being disposed relative to one another so that as each sensor is operated to measure the corresponding component of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field the other of said sensors tend to create a magnetic dipole which interferes with said operating sensor; and
means for substantially cancelling any magnetic cross coupling between said operating sensor and the remaining of said sensors due to said magnetic dipoles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved fluxgate instrument for measuring heading as well and pitch and roll angles is disclosed. A plurality of fluxgate sensors are continuously energized with a DC feedback signal derived from the reading of each sensor so as to minimize magnetic cross-coupling between the sensors. In addition while two sensors are gimbally mounted to sense the horizontal components of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, the vertical field is sensed by two sensors strapped down relative to the instrument casing for sensing the earth'"'"'s vertical magnetic field in order to compensate for latitude. Finally, sine and cosine coils surround the gimbally mounted sensors and generate AC fields which are sensed by the gimbally mounted sensors and are used to calculate the pitch and roll angles.
39 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring the magnetic heading of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of fluxgate sensors for respectively measuring components of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said sensors being disposed relative to one another so that as each sensor is operated to measure the corresponding component of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field the other of said sensors tend to create a magnetic dipole which interferes with said operating sensor; and means for substantially cancelling any magnetic cross coupling between said operating sensor and the remaining of said sensors due to said magnetic dipoles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for measuring the magnetic heading of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said apparatus comprising:
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a casing; a plurality of fluxgate sensors for respectively measuring components of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field; gimbal support means, disposed within said casing, for pivotally supporting at least two of said fluxgate sensors about two mutually perpendicular axes; and means, fixed relative to said casing, for determining the pitch and roll angles of said casing relative to the earth'"'"'s magnetic field and including at least two coils fixed to said casing, each of said coils being disposed in a plane and oriented so that the plane of the coils are mutually orthogonal to one another, means for generating a magnetic field through each of said coils, wherein said gimbaled fluxgate sensors sense the magnetic field components of said generated magnetic fields and said sensed magnetic field components are used to determine the pitch and roll angles. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification