Samsung Electro-mechanics Co., Ltd.

Han Chul Jo

Chang Hyun Kim

Won Tae Choi

Oh Jo Kwon

Jin Yong Kang

Ha Woong Jeong

A method of finding a dip angle in a tilt-compensated electronic compass includes the steps of a) setting a predetermined azimuth angle indicative of a horizontal status of a geomagnetic sensor to a reference azimuth angle; b) if the compass is slightly tilted, stepwise-increasing a dip angle within a predetermined dip angle search range, and calculating azimuth angles associated with individual dip angles; c) comparing the calculated azimuth angles with the reference azimuth angle, and finding one azimuth angle, which is closest to the reference azimuth angle, among the calculated azimuth angles; and d) setting the dip angle applied to the closest azimuth angle to a specific dip angle associated with a corresponding azimuth angle, such that a more accurate azimuth angle can be detected by the on the basis of the calculated dip angle.

Method for searching for dip angle using tilt-compensated electronic compass

In a signal processor for use in an electronic compass for controlling an offset voltage generated in an analog signal process and automatically controlling an amplification gain, an analog signal processoramplifies signals Sx and Sy, and controls an offset voltage and amplitude A generated during an amplification process. An analog/digital (AD) converterconverts analog signals Vadcx and Vadcy from the analog signal processorinto a digital signal. A digital signal processormeasures a maximum value Vand a minimum value Vassociated with the digital signal from the AD converterand outputs, to the analog signal processoran offset control signal Soc and a gain control signal Sgc based on the maximum value Vand minimum value V. The signal processor can maintain levels of signals, to be inputted into the AD converter, to be within a reference voltage range.

Signal processor for use in electronic compass

An automatic calibration method for use in an electronic compass. Using the automatic calibration method, the electronic compass automatically calculates and corrects offset and scale values of a geomagnetic signal by detecting one rotation of a geomagnetic axis during a predetermined period of time. The electronic compass calculates an azimuth angle upon receiving geomagnetic data from the geomagnetic sensor, and finds maximum and minimum values of sensor signals of individual axes of the geomagnetic sensor using the received geomagnetic data such that it can correct or calibrate deviation of the azimuth angle. When a time consumed for calibration is the same or shorter than a maximum calibration effective time, the electronic compass determines whether a current state of the detected entry signal indicates a predetermined steady-state flow. If the current state indicates the steady-state flow, at the same time a signal indicative of one rotation of the geomagnetic sensor is received, and the time consumed for calibration is longer than a predetermined minimum calibration effective time, the electronic compass calculates offset and scale values using the maximum and minimum values and stores the calculated offset and scale values.

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Kyungki-do, South Korea

Han Chul Jo