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:
Feb. 04, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2000
Kenneth L. Schierbeek, Zeeland, MI (US);
Eric J. Hoekstra, Holland, MI (US);
Rodney K. Blank, Zeeland, MI (US);
Merdad Veiseh, Grand Haven, MI (US);
Gregory H. DeVette, West Olive, MI (US);
Kenneth Schofield, Holland, MI (US);
Donnelly Corporation, Holland, MI (US);
Abstract
A compass compensation system is provided for automatically continuously calibrating an electronic compass for a vehicle, without requiring an initial manual calibration or preset of the vehicle magnetic signature. The system initially adjusts a two axis sensor of the compass in response to a sampling of at least one initial data point. The system further calibrates the compass by sampling data points that are substantially opposite to one another on a plot of a magnetic field and averaging an ordinate of the data points to determine a respective zero value for the Earth magnetic field. The system also identifies a change in magnetic signature and adjusts the sensor assembly.