Magnetic type azimuth/position measurement device

A magnetic type azimuth/position measurement device, comprising:

• a plurality of coils driven by circuitry, the circuitry and coils configured to sequentially generate a uniform magnetic field and an inclined magnetic field along an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis in a three-dimensional space;
• a uniaxial magnetic field sensor configured to measure a strength of the uniform magnetic field and the inclined magnetic field;
• and
• arithmetic operation circuitry configured to calculate an azimuth vector of the uniaxial magnetic field sensor in the three-dimensional space, direction cosines for the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis and position of the uniaxial magnetic field sensor using signals received from the uniaxial magnetic field sensor that represent a strength of the uniform magnetic field and the inclined magnetic field in each of the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis.

A method, using circuitry, of measuring azimuth and position comprising:

• selectively generating, by the circuitry and a plurality of coils driven by the circuitry, a uniform magnetic field and an inclined magnetic field in a three-dimensional space;
• measuring, by a uniaxial magnetic field sensor, a strength of a magnetic field formed by the plurality of coils driven by the circuitry at a location of the uniaxial magnetic field sensor;
• receiving from the uniaxial magnetic field sensor, by the circuitry, signals representative of the strength of the magnetic field;
• and
• calculating, by the circuitry, a position and an azimuth of the uniaxial magnetic field sensor in the three-dimensional space.