Apparatus and method for determining the range and bearing in a plane of an object characterized by an electric or magnetic dipole

Claim 1

A method of determining with a device for measuring magnetic field perturbations the bearing θ in a plane of a ferromagnetic material located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction within said region, where θ is the angle between a line from said measuring device to the location of said ferromagnetic material and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at the location of said ferromagnetic material, comprising: determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along said first direction; determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along a second direction in. said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; and utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 2

A method of determining with a device for measuring magnetic field perturbations the bearing θ in a plane of a ferromagnetic material located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction within said region, where θ is the angle between a line from said measuring device to the location of said ferromagnetic material and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at the location of said ferromagnetic material, comprising: determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along said first direction; determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along a second direction in. said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; and utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 3

A method of determining with a device for measuring magnetic field perturbations the bearing θ in a plane of an electric current distribution located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction within said region where θ is the angle between a line from said measuring device to the location of said electric current distribution and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at the location of said electric current distribution, comprising: determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along said first direction; determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; and utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 4

A method of determining with a device for measuring magnetic field perturbations the bearing θ in a plane of an electric current distribution located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction within said region where θ is the angle between a line from said measuring device to the location of said electric current distribution and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at the location of said electric current distribution, comprising: determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along said first direction; determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; and utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 5

A method of determining with a device for measuring electric field perturbations the bearing θ in a plane of an electric charge distribution located in a region subject to an external electric field of known strength and direction within said region, where θ is the angle between a line from said measuring device to the location of said charge distribution and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external electric field in said plane at the location of said charge distribution, comprising: determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external electric field at said the site of said measuring device along said first direction; determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external electric field at the site of said measuring device along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 6

A method of determining with a device for measuring electric field perturbations the bearing θ in a plane of an electric charge distribution located in a region subject to an external electric field of known strength and direction within said region, where θ is the angle between a line from said measuring device to the location of said charge distribution and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external electric field in said plane at the location of said charge distribution, comprising: determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external electric field at said the site of said measuring device along said first direction; determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external electric field at the site of said measuring device along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 7

An apparatus for determining the bearing θ in a plane of a ferromagnetic material located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction within said region, where θ is, the angle between a line from a point in said plane to the location of said ferromagnetic material and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at the location of said ferromagnetic material, comprising: means for determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along said first direction; means for determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; means for forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); means for forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); means for forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; means for utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 8

An apparatus for determining the bearing θ in a plane of a ferromagnetic material located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction within said region, where θ is, the angle between a line from a point in said plane to the location of said ferromagnetic material and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at the location of said ferromagnetic material, comprising: means for determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along said first direction; means for determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; means for forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); means for forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); means for forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; means for utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 9

An apparatus for determining the bearing θ in a plane of an electric current distribution located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction with in said region, where θ is the angle between a line from a point in said plane to the location of said electric current distribution and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at the location of said electric current distribution, comprising: means for determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along said first direction; means for determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; means for forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); means for forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); means for forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; means for utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 10

An apparatus for determining the bearing θ in a plane of an electric current distribution located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction with in said region, where θ is the angle between a line from a point in said plane to the location of said electric current distribution and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at the location of said electric current distribution, comprising: means for determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along said first direction; means for determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; means for forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); means for forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); means for forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; means for utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 11

An apparatus for determining the bearing θ in a plane of an electric charge distribution located in a region subject to an external electric field of known strength and direction within said region, where θ is the angle between a line from a point in said plane to the location of said charge distribution and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external electric field in said plane at the location of said charge distribution, comprising: means for determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external electric field at said point along said first direction; means for determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external electric field at said point along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; means for forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); means for forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); means for forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; means for utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 12

An apparatus for determining the bearing θ in a plane of an electric charge distribution located in a region subject to an external electric field of known strength and direction within said region, where θ is the angle between a line from a point in said plane to the location of said charge distribution and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external electric field in said plane at the location of said charge distribution, comprising: means for determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external electric field at said point along said first direction; means for determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external electric field at said point along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; means for forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); means for forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); means for forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; means for utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 13

A method of determining with a device for measuring magnetic field perturbations the bearing θ in a plane of an object located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction within said region and characterized by a magnetic dipole moment, where θ is the angle between a line from said measuring device to the center of said dipole moment and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at said center, comprising: determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along said first direction; determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; and utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 14

A method of determining with a device for measuring magnetic field perturbations the bearing θ in a plane of an object located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction within said region and characterized by a magnetic dipole moment, where θ is the angle between a line from said measuring device to the center of said dipole moment and a first direction, said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at said center, comprising: determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along said first direction; determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at the site of said measuring device along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; and utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 15

An apparatus for determining the bearing θ in a plane of an object located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction within said region and characterized by a magnetic dipole moment, where θ is the angle between a line from a point in said plane to the center of said dipole moment and a first direction; said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at said center, comprising: means for determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along said first direction; means for determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; means for forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); means for forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); means for forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; means for utilizing said third equation to determine θ.

Claim 16

An apparatus for determining the bearing θ in a plane of an object located in a region subject to an external magnetic field of known strength and direction within said region and characterized by a magnetic dipole moment, where θ is the angle between a line from a point in said plane to the center of said dipole moment and a first direction; said first direction being the direction of said external magnetic field in said plane at said center, comprising: means for determining a first component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along said first direction; means for determining a second component in said plane of the perturbation of said external magnetic field at said point along a second direction in said plane, wherein said second direction is orthogonal to said first direction; means for forming a first equation by setting said first component proportional to (3 cos 2 θ-1); means for forming a second equation by setting said second component proportional to (3 sin θ cos θ); means for forming a ratio of said first and second equations thereby yielding a third equation; means for utilizing said third equation to determine θ.