Self-locating compass
AssigneeArchaius Inc.
InventorFrederick Vosburgh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for a self-locating compass for use in navigation are disclosed. The self-locating compass is operable to provide position and/or velocity without information from a global positioning system (GPS) device. The self-locating compass includes a direction finder and a Lorentz force detector. The method includes determining orientation with respect to Earth's magnetic field, measuring a Lorentz force proportional to rate of change of location with respect to the field, determining a change in location, and updating location.
Claims20
A self-locating compass comprising:
- at least one processor;
- a direction finder operable to determine an orientation with respect to Earth's magnetic field lines;
- and
- a force sensor including at least one sensing unit operable to detect a potential induced by coupling of the Earth's magnetic field with charges in the force sensor;
- wherein the at least one sensing unit includes at least one measurement circuit and at least one sensing element;
- and
- wherein the at least one processor is operable to determine a velocity, a speed, and/or a change in position.
A self-locating compass comprising:
- at least one processor;
- a direction finder operable to determine an orientation with respect to Earth's magnetic field lines;
- a force sensor including at least one sensing unit operable to detect a potential induced by coupling of the Earth's magnetic field with charges in the force sensor;
- and
- a magnetometer operable to determine magnetic field intensity;
- wherein the force sensor is operable to measure the potential over a period of time;
- wherein the at least one processor is operable to integrate the measured potential over the period of time;
- and
- wherein the at least one processor is operable to normalize the integrated measured potential to determine a velocity and/or a change in position.
A self-locating compass comprising:
- at least one processor;
- a direction finder operable to determine an orientation with respect to Earth's magnetic field lines;
- a force sensor including at least one sensing unit operable to detect a potential induced by coupling of the Earth's magnetic field with charges in the force sensor;
- and
- at least one inertial measurement unit (IMU) and/or at least one inertial navigation system (INS);
- wherein the at least one IMU and/or the at least one INS is operable to provide magnetometer and attitude signals;
- wherein the at least one processor is operable to determine a velocity and/or a change in position;
- and
- wherein the magnetometer and attitude signals are operable to be fused with the velocity to reset errors of the at least one IMU and/or the at least one INS.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.