Apparatus and method for calibrating tilt sensor and compass of sensor device for magnetic orientation

A calibration method for field calibration of a module having at least one of a compass or a tilt sensor, the calibration method comprising:

• rotatably coupling a first longitudinal member to a longitudinal support to be rotatable around a longitudinal support axis of the longitudinal support;
• connecting a second longitudinal member to the first longitudinal member to be rotatable around a second longitudinal member axis relative to the first longitudinal member, and to be rotatable with the first longitudinal member around the longitudinal support axis relative to the longitudinal support, the second longitudinal member axis being perpendicular to the longitudinal support axis;
• rotatably coupling a third longitudinal member to the second longitudinal member to be rotatable around a third longitudinal member axis relative to the second longitudinal member, to be rotatable with the second longitudinal member relative to the first longitudinal member, and to be rotatable with the first longitudinal member around the longitudinal support axis relative to the longitudinal support, the third longitudinal axis being perpendicular to the second longitudinal member axis;
• connecting the module to the third longitudinal member to be rotatable with the third longitudinal member around the third longitudinal member axis relative to the second longitudinal member, to be rotatable with the second longitudinal member relative to the first longitudinal member, and to rotatable with the first longitudinal member around the longitudinal support axis relative to the longitudinal support;
• connecting a support to the longitudinal support to provide planar support to the longitudinal support on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal support axis;
• coupling a plurality of leveling adjustment members, which are spaced apart from one another to the support to adjust the support for leveling of the longitudinal support relative to the plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal support axis and parallel to the second longitudinal member axis;
• leveling the second longitudinal member;
• coupling communicatively the module to a computer to provide calibration data to the computer executing a computer calibration software;
• and
• generating the calibration data by:
• rotating the first longitudinal member around the longitudinal support axis while keeping the second longitudinal member fixed relative to the first longitudinal member and keeping the third longitudinal member fixed relative to the second longitudinal member at a first orientation;
• rotating the second longitudinal member around the second longitudinal member axis while keeping the first longitudinal member fixed relative to the longitudinal support and keeping the third longitudinal member fixed relative to the second longitudinal member;
• and
• turning the third longitudinal member around the third longitudinal member axis from the first orientation by 90° to a second orientation and rotating the second longitudinal member around the second longitudinal member axis while keeping the first longitudinal member fixed relative to the longitudinal support and keeping the third longitudinal member fixed relative to the second longitudinal member at the second orientation.