A magnetic sensor for rolling missiles

Sensor Review

ISSN: 0260-2288

Article publication date: 1 March 2002

89

Keywords

Citation

Rigelsford, J. (2002), "A magnetic sensor for rolling missiles", Sensor Review, Vol. 22 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.2002.08722aad.015

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2002, MCB UP Limited


A magnetic sensor for rolling missiles

A magnetic sensor for rolling missiles

Keywords: Magnetic, Sensors

Applicant: Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, USA Patent number: US6,208,936 Publication date: 27 March 2001 Title: Utilization of a Magnetic Sensor to Compensate a MEMS-IMU/GPS and De-Spin Strapdown on Rolling Missiles

The present invention relates to the field of navigation systems, and particularly to navigation systems for projectiles.

The invention utilizes measurements from a magneto-resistance ratio (MR) sensor to compensate the navigation solution of a MEMS-IMU/GPS navigation system to effectively keep the roll attitude error in check, resulting in a stable navigation solution. The MR sensor measures the angle of the sensor's sensitive axis relative to a local magnetic field (i.e. the earth's natural magnetic field). The MR sensor is mounted on a body axis of the vehicle perpendicular the spin axis of the vehicle. As the vehicle spins, the MR sensor provides an analog output voltage that varies sinusoidally with vehicle roll with the zero crossings occurring when the sensor's sensitive axis is perpendicular to the local magnetic field. The MR sensor measurements combined with a priori knowledge of the local magnetic field relative to the local level reference is used to correct the navigation solution's roll error.

Related articles