US4656750A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Heading sensor
Assignee: Nortel Networks Ltd
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Filing: 1985-05-22
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Granted: 1987-04-14
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Expires: 2005-05-22
Abstract
Abstract A solid-state heading sensor is comprised by a three-axis Hall effect magnetometer and a three-axis accelerometer. The magnetometer is comprised by a cube-like structure (10) of non-magnetic material on each of three orthogonally related faces of which is located a respective Hall effect device (11, 12, 13), for example of GaAs. The three-axis accelerometer may be comprised by a three-axis module (15) disposed in a recess in the cube-like structure, or by three separate accelerometer structures (23, 24, 25), for example planar etched silicon accelerometers, each disposed on a respective one of the orthogonally related faces adjacent the Hall effect device (20, 21, 22) thereon.
Inventors
- 👤 Gilles D. Pitt
- 👤 Philip Extance
- 👤 David Wilson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 03:55
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C17/00; G01C17/02; G01C17/04; G01C17/20; G01C17/26; G01P; G01P15/00; G01P15/18; G01R; G01R33/00; G01R33/02; G01R33/0206
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A heading sensor comprising a cube-like structure of non-magnetic material on each of three orthogonally related faces of which is located a respective Hall effect device, which cube and Hall effect devices constitute a three-axis magnetometer, and comprising a three-axis accelerometer, each of the three axes of the magnetometer being aligned with a respective one of the three axes of the accelerometer, the three-axis accelerometer comprising three etched semiconductor accelerometers, one for each of the three axes of the accelerometer, wherein the three-axis accelerometer comprises a three-axis module disposed in a recess in the cube-like structure, and wherein the three-axis module comprises a further cube-like structure on each of three orthogonally related faces of which is located a respective one of said three etched semiconductor accelerometers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
A heading sensor comprising a cube-like structure of non-magnetic material on each of three orthogonally related faces of which is located a respective Hall effect device, which cube and Hall effect devices constitute a three-axis magnetometer, and comprising a three-axis accelerometer, each of the three axes of the magnetometer being aligned with a respective one of the three axes of the accelerometer, the three-axis accelerometer comprising three etched semiconductor accelerometers, one for each of the three axes of the accelerometer, wherein the three-axis accelerometer comprises a three-axis module disposed in a recess in the cube-like structure, and wherein the three-axis module comprises a further cube-like structure on each of three orthogonally related faces of which is located a respective one of said three etched semiconductor accelerometers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A heading sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the accelerometers comprise planar etched silicon accelerometers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A heading sensor as claimed in claim 1, including gallium arsenide Hall effect devices with magnetic flux concentrators.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A heading sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cube-like structure is of aluminium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
106 words
A heading sensor comprising a cube-like structure of a non-magnetic material on each of three orthogonally related faces of which is located a respective Hall effect device, which cube and Hall effect devices constitute a three-axis magnetometer, and comprising a three-axis accelerometer, each of the three axes of the magnetometer being aligned with a respective one of the three axes of the accelerometer, the three-axis accelerometer comprising three etched semiconductor accelerometers, one for each of the three axes of the accelerometer, and wherein each of the three etched semiconductor accelerometers is located on a respective one of the three orthogonally related faces of the cube-like structure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
106 words
A heading sensor comprising a cube-like structure of a non-magnetic material on each of three orthogonally related faces of which is located a respective Hall effect device, which cube and Hall effect devices constitute a three-axis magnetometer, and comprising a three-axis accelerometer, each of the three axes of the magnetometer being aligned with a respective one of the three axes of the accelerometer, the three-axis accelerometer comprising three etched semiconductor accelerometers, one for each of the three axes of the accelerometer, and wherein each of the three etched semiconductor accelerometers is located on a respective one of the three orthogonally related faces of the cube-like structure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
112 words
A heading sensor comprising a three-axis Hall effect magnetometer arranged to respond to magnetic flux in three mutually perpendicular axes for determining the relative direction of a magnetic field, a three-axis accelerometer arranged to respond to the direction of the Earth's gravitational field along said three mutually perpendicular axes, and means for operatively interconnecting said magnetometer and said accelerometer to provide a heading output signal, wherein said magnetometer comprises three Hall effect devices each corresponding to one of said magnetometer axes, wherein said accelerometer comprises three semiconductor accelerometer devices, each corresponding to one of said axes, and wherein the interconnecting means connects said Hall effect devices and semiconductor devices electrically in series.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
112 words
A heading sensor comprising a three-axis Hall effect magnetometer arranged to respond to magnetic flux in three mutually perpendicular axes for determining the relative direction of a magnetic field, a three-axis accelerometer arranged to respond to the direction of the Earth's gravitational field along said three mutually perpendicular axes, and means for operatively interconnecting said magnetometer and said accelerometer to provide a heading output signal, wherein said magnetometer comprises three Hall effect devices each corresponding to one of said magnetometer axes, wherein said accelerometer comprises three semiconductor accelerometer devices, each corresponding to one of said axes, and wherein the interconnecting means connects said Hall effect devices and semiconductor devices electrically in series.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
A heading sensor as set forth in claim 6 wherein said magnetometer and said accelerometer includes outputs corresponding to each of said axes and said means for operatively interconnecting said magnetometer and said accelerometer include means for processing said output to provide an output corresponding to the Earth's magnetic field direction with respect to the Earth's gravitational field.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A heading sensor as set forth in claim 6 further including a single constant current source connected for driving said Hall effect devices and said semiconductor device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A heading sensor as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said Hall effect devices and each of said semiconductor devices include an output and further including means for digitizing said outputs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A heading sensor as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for digitizing includes a separate analogue to digital converter connected to each output of said Hall effect devices and said semiconductor devices.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
A heading sensor as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for digitizing includes a single analogue to digital converter and multiplexing means connected to receive the outputs of said Hall effect devices and said semiconductor devices and having an output connected to an input of said analogue to digital converter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
A heading sensor as set forth in claim 6 including a cube-like structure of a non-magnetic material having three orthogonally related faces, a respective Hall effect device being located on each of the faces, each of the three axes of the Hall effect devices being aligned with a respective one of the three axes of the semiconductor devices.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A heading sensor as claimed in claim 12 wherein the three axis accelerometer comprises a three-axis module disposed in a recess in the cube-like structure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A heading sensor as claimed in claim 13, wherein the three-axis module comprises a further cube-like structure on each of the three orthogonally related faces of which is located a respective etched semiconductor accelerometer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
A heading sensor as claimed in claim 12, wherein the three-axis accelerometer is comprised of three separate etched semiconductor accelerometers, each of which is located on a respective one of the three orthogonally related faces of the cube-like structure.
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) | 1990-04-13 | 1990-10-13 | 1991-04-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-04-13 | 1994-10-13 | 1995-04-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-04-13 | 1998-10-13 | 1999-04-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |