US3825823A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for detecting the direction of a magnetic field relative to a marker direction by sequentially scanning plural stationary sensors
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-01-21
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Granted: 1974-07-23
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Expires: 1992-01-21
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus to detect the direction of an external magnetic field is disclosed incorporating a flux gate magnetometer having a plurality of sensing coil arrays. A scanner sequentially connects each sensing array to a detector to determine the sensing coil system which is in orthogonal alignment with the external magnetic field. A marker device is incorporated into the apparatus to produce an output to the detector when the scanning sequence is in alignment with a marker direction. The apparatus can incorporate a numerical readout to indicate the direction of external magnetic field relative to the marker direction.
Inventors
- 👤 L Rovner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:38
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R33/00; G01R33/02; G01R33/04; G01C; G01C17/00; G01C17/02; G01C17/28; G01C17/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus to determine a marker direction relative to the direction of an external magnetic flux, comprising in combination, core means within the external magnetic flux, means establishing a magnetic flux in said core means, a plurality of sensing means, means magnetically coupling each of said sensing means to said core means to have a sensing output in response to the flux in said core means, detector means, scanner means for sequentially connecting each of saiD sensing outputs to said detector means, marker means cooperating with said scanner means to have a change in marker means output corresponding to the marker direction, and means for applying said marker means output to said detector means to determine the marker direction relative to the external flux.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus to determine a marker direction relative to the direction of an external magnetic flux, comprising in combination, core means within the external magnetic flux, means establishing a magnetic flux in said core means, a plurality of sensing means, means magnetically coupling each of said sensing means to said core means to have a sensing output in response to the flux in said core means, detector means, scanner means for sequentially connecting each of saiD sensing outputs to said detector means, marker means cooperating with said scanner means to have a change in marker means output corresponding to the marker direction, and means for applying said marker means output to said detector means to determine the marker direction relative to the external flux.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including indicator means indicating the marker direction relative to the direction of the external magnetic flux.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said indicator means includes digital indicator means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, including averaging means connected between said sensing means and said indicator means to control the response of said indicator means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including averaging means to time average the output of said detector means.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
144 words
An apparatus to determine a marker direction relative to the direction of an external magnetic flux, comprising in combination, core means within the external magnetic flux, means establishing a varying magnetic flux in said core means, a plurality of sensing coil means, means magnetically coupling each of said sensing means to said core means to have a sensing output in response to the flux in said core means, detector means including input means and counter means, scanner means sequentially connecting each of said sensing coil means to said input means, means connecting said input means to said counter means to commence counting the sequence of connection of said scanner means in response to a sensing output of one of said sesing coil means, and marker means connected to said counter means to terminate counting when the sequence of connection corresponds to the marker direction.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
144 words
An apparatus to determine a marker direction relative to the direction of an external magnetic flux, comprising in combination, core means within the external magnetic flux, means establishing a varying magnetic flux in said core means, a plurality of sensing coil means, means magnetically coupling each of said sensing means to said core means to have a sensing output in response to the flux in said core means, detector means including input means and counter means, scanner means sequentially connecting each of said sensing coil means to said input means, means connecting said input means to said counter means to commence counting the sequence of connection of said scanner means in response to a sensing output of one of said sesing coil means, and marker means connected to said counter means to terminate counting when the sequence of connection corresponds to the marker direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said means connecting said input means to said counter means includes means responsive to the rate of change of said sensing outputs of said sensing coil means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said means connecting said input means to said counter means includes differentiator means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said sensing coil means includes first and second coil portion means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
102 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein each of said first and second coil portion means has a first and a second terminal, and said scanner means interconnects one of said terminals of each of said first and second coil portion means and connects the other of said terminals of each of said first and second coil portion means to said input means and subsequently interconnects said other terminals of each of said first and second coil portion means and connects said one of said terminals of each of said first and second coil portions means to said input means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the apparatus has a number of sensing coil means equal to one half the number of unique directions to be scanned.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said scanner means first connects said sensing coil means to said input means and secondly connects said sensing coil means to said input means to have an opposite electrical polarity relative to said first connection.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
117 words
An apparatus to determine a marker direction relative to the direction of an external magnetic flux, comprising in combination, a plurality of sensing means each having a sensing output in response to the direction of the external magnetic flux, detector means, scanner means sequentially connecting each of said outputs of said sensing means to said detector means, marker means having a change in marker output corresponding to the scanning of the one of said sensing means in the marker direction, and means for connecting said marker means to said detector means to determine the angular difference between the marker direction and the direction of the exteRnal magnetic flux in accordance with said connection sequence between these directions.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
117 words
An apparatus to determine a marker direction relative to the direction of an external magnetic flux, comprising in combination, a plurality of sensing means each having a sensing output in response to the direction of the external magnetic flux, detector means, scanner means sequentially connecting each of said outputs of said sensing means to said detector means, marker means having a change in marker output corresponding to the scanning of the one of said sensing means in the marker direction, and means for connecting said marker means to said detector means to determine the angular difference between the marker direction and the direction of the exteRnal magnetic flux in accordance with said connection sequence between these directions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said external magnetic field is an ambient magnetic field.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-22 | 1978-01-21 | 1978-07-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-22 | 1982-01-21 | 1982-07-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-22 | 1986-01-21 | 1986-07-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |