Electrical control system

A digital compass system for a vehicle comprising:

• a magnetic field sensor;
• a sensor circuit coupled to said sensor for providing output signals representative of the orientation of said sensor with respect to a magnetic field;
• a microprocessor and interface circuit means coupling said microprocessor to said sensor circuit for providing display output signals representative of the magnetic direction of orientation of said sensor;
• display means coupled to said microprocessor for displaying said magnetic direction;
• and
• compensation circuit means including operator actuated switch means coupled to said microprocessor for supplying signals applied to said sensor to compensate for local magnetic field interference which otherwise causes said sensor to provide output signals which deviate from the actual magnetic orientation of said sensor with respect to the earth's magnetic field such that the actual magnetic orientation of said sensor will be displayed.

A digital electrical compass system for a vehicle comprising:

• an electrical magnetic field sensor for mounting to a vehicle;
• a microprocessor coupled to said sensor and including memory circuit means programmed to respond to signals from said sensor to provide display output signals therefrom;
• a compass calibration switch coupled to said microprocessor for providing a calibration command thereto when actuated to cause said microprocessor to supply a sensor correction signal applied to said sensor to provide a predetermined display output signal in response thereto when the vehicle is aligned in a predetermined magnetic position;
• and
• display means coupled to said microprocessor for displaying the vehicle's heading.

A digital control and display module for a vehicle comprising:

• a housing for central mounting to a vehicle roof near the windshield and including a digital display means for providing temperature and compass heading information;
• temperature and compass control switches mounted to said housing;
• and
• an electrical circuit including temperature sensing means and magnetic field sensing means, said circuit coupled to said switch means and to said display means and mounted within said housing for selectively displaying to a vehicle operator temperature and compass heading information.

A digital electrical compass system for a vehicle comprising:

• an electrical magnetic field sensor for mounting to a vehicle;
• circuit means coupled to said sensor and responsive to signals from said sensor to provide display output signals representative of the position of said sensor with respect to a magnetic field;
• said circuit means including means for providing a sensor correction signal applied to said sensor to provide a predetermined display output signal in response thereto when the vehicle is aligned in a predetermined position with respect to the earth's magnetic field;
• and means for providing a variation correction signal when said sensor is aligned in a known true direction, said variation correction signals employed to modify direction information signals from said sensor to provide said display output signals which represent the true heading of the vehicle;
• and
• display means coupled to said circuit means and responsive to said display output signals for displaying the vehicle's true heading.

A digital compass system for a vehicle comprising:

• a magnetic field sensor;
• circuit means coupled to said sensor for providing output signals repesentative of the orientation of said sensor with respect to a magnetic field, said circuit means including operator actuated switch means to effect operation of said compass system;
• and
• display means coupled to said circuit means for displaying the detected magnetic direction, said display mens also providing operator prompting information in response to the actuation of said operator actuated switch means.