A three-axis magnetic sensor apparatus is described that is processed together into a single chip, with high performance, low cost, as well as small size. The three-axis magnetic sensor apparatus include a substrate, a two-axis magnetic sensing structure and a single-axis sensing structure. The two-axis sensing magnetic structure consisting of two shielded Wheatstone bridge configurations in conjunction with an annular or semi annular magnetic flux-guiding structure, and the single-axis sensing structure consisting of a push-pull Wheatstone bridge in conjunction with a flux guide that is capable of generating a fringe field whose horizontal component is proportional to the vertical component of an external magnetic field. The two-axis magnetic sensing structure and the single-axis structure are processed together into a single chip, and can be used to measure respectively X, Y and Z components of external magnetic fields.

A magnetic sensor device includes a magnetic sensor detecting a detection-target magnetic field, and a soft magnetic structure near the sensor. In an orthogonal coordinate system having two orthogonal axes for representing an applied field strength and a magnetization-corresponding value, coordinates representing the applied field strength and the magnetization-corresponding value move along a minor loop not in contact with a major loop as the strength of an external magnetic field including the detection-target magnetic field varies within a variable range, where the applied field strength is a strength of a magnetic field applied to the soft magnetic structure, the magnetization-corresponding value is a value corresponding to magnetization of the soft magnetic structure, and the major loop is, among loops traced by a path of the coordinates as the applied field strength is varied, a loop that is the largest in terms of area of the region enclosed by the loop.

For triaxial magnetic detection data sequentially acquired as data points in a triaxial coordinate system, an offset calculation unit 30 calculates virtual data points P1′-P6′ by evenly parallel-translating each of data points P1-P7 so that a reference data point P7, for example, arbitrarily chosen from the data points P1-P7 coincides with an origin point O. A virtual offset point C′ for which the sum of the distances between the virtual data points P1′-P6′ and a curved surface H1 passing through the origin point O is minimized is then calculated. An offset value C for the magnetic detection data is then calculated by parallel-translating the virtual offset point C′ so as to restore the parallel-translated portion.

For triaxial magnetic detection data sequentially acquired as data points in a triaxial coordinate system, an offset calculation unit 30 calculates virtual data points P1′-P6′ by evenly parallel-translating each of data points P1-P7 so that a reference data point P7, for example, arbitrarily chosen from the data points P1-P7 coincides with an origin point O. A virtual offset point C′ for which the sum of the distances between the virtual data points P1′-P6′ and a curved surface H1 passing through the origin point O is minimized is then calculated. An offset value C for the magnetic detection data is then calculated by parallel-translating the virtual offset point C′ so as to restore the parallel-translated portion.

A system and method for calibrating rigid and non-rigid arrays of 3-axis magnetometers as disclosed. Such arrays might be used to analyze structures containing ferromagnetic material. The calibration determines scale factor and bias parameters of each magnetometer in the array, and the relative orientation and position of each magnetometer in the array. Once the parameters are determined, the actual magnetic field value at the magnetometer location can be simply related to magnetometer measurements. The method and system can be used to calibrate an array of 3-axis magnetometers in aggregate as opposed to individual magnetometers. This is critical in large arrays to increasing reproducibility of the calibration procedure and decreasing time required to complete calibration procedure.

Disclosed is a method to remove distortion from a navigation system. The navigation system may be used to perform a procedure on a subject. The procedure may be any appropriate procedure. The navigation system may be used to account for the distortive effects of various conductive objects positioned near the subject on which the procedure is performed.

A method of determining a configuration of a measurement volume, the method may include: generating, by at least one transmitter, a transmitted magnetic field within the measurement volume; measuring, by at least one receiver positioned, a total magnetic field in the measurement volume at at least one receiver position and generating at least one receiver output signal; generating, by a processing unit, a measured dataset; comparing, by the processing unit, the measured dataset with at least one of at least two reference configuration datasets each for determined for one of at least two different configurations of the measurement volume; and identifying, by the processing unit, a reference configuration dataset of the at least two reference configuration datasets that corresponds to the measured dataset.

Three bridge circuits (101, 111, 121), each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge (100) to sense a magnetic field (160) in three orthogonal directions (110, 120, 130) that are set with a single pinning material deposition and bulk wafer setting procedure. One of the three bridge circuits (121) includes a first magnetoresistive sensor (141) comprising a first sensing element (122) disposed on a pinned layer (126), the first sensing element (122) having first and second edges and first and second sides, and a first flux guide (132) disposed non-parallel to the first side of the substrate and having an end that is proximate to the first edge and on the first side of the first sensing element (122). An optional second flux guide (136) may be disposed non-parallel to the first side of the substrate and having an end that is proximate to the second edge and the second side of the first sensing element (122).

Disclosed is a localizer system. The localizer system may be incorporated into a navigation system for tracking a tracking device. Generally, the localizer may include a transmitting coil array and a field shaping assembly.

Disclosed is a localizer system. The localizer system may be incorporated into a navigation system for tracking a tracking device. Generally, the localizer may include a transmitting coil array and a field shaping assembly.