The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 20, 1999
Filed:
Oct. 06, 1997
Stanley J Domanski, Huntington, IN (US);
Donnelly Corporation, Holland, MI (US);
Abstract
An electronic compass includes at least two coil assemblies. Each coil assembly has a magnetic axis which is oriented at a known angle to that of the other coil. Each coil assembly has a pair of substantially identical coils having magnetic axes that are parallel in a reverse sense. The compass further includes an oscillator which oscillates at a frequency which is dependent upon the inductances of the coils. A current source causes current to flow in the coils and a switch alternately couples the current source to each of the coils of the coil assemblies. A processor analyzes the frequencies of oscillation of the oscillator when each of the coil assemblies is coupled to the current source in order to compute geographic orientation based upon the analysis.