Method for calibrating magnetometers of an object

1. Method for calibrating magnetometers of an object moving in an ambient magnetic field, the method comprising:

(a) acquiring

by the magnetometers, at least three measured components of the magnetic field around the magnetometers, and

by inertial measurement means which are secured to the object, an angular velocity of the object;

(c) determining, by data processing means, values of at least one calibration parameter of the magnetometers minimising an expression defined by estimated components of the magnetic field and at least one magnetic equation relating to the angular velocity of the object,

the estimated components of the magnetic field being a function of the measured components of the magnetic field as well as of calibration parameters of the magnetometers, and

the at least one magnetic equation assuming that the magnetic field is uniform and stationary around the magnetic measurement means;

wherein the magnetic equation is of the form M+−ω×M, where M is the vector of the components of the magnetic field, and ω the angular velocity, said expression being a function of M (estimation) +ω gyro (estimation) ×M (estimation) .

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the estimated components M (estimation) of the magnetic field are linked to the measured components M (measurement) by a model M (measurement) =A·M (estimation) +b magneto , where A and b magneto are the calibration parameters of the magnetometers.

3. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step (b) of estimating a parameter representative of an error on the calibration parameters, the step (c) being implemented if said parameter representative of an error is greater than a predetermined threshold.

4. Method according to claim 3 , further comprising a step (d) of a new estimation of said parameter representative of an error on the calibration parameters in such a way as to distinguish an external magnetic disturbance from a change in the magnetic properties of the object.

5. Method according to claim 4 , further comprising, if at the end of step (d) said parameter representative of an error is less than a predetermined threshold, a step (e) of determining an attitude subset of the object for which the calibration is pertinent.

6. Method according to claim 3 , wherein said parameter representative of an error on the calibration parameters is either mean of |M (estimation) +ω gyro (estimation) ×M (estimation) ↑ 2 over a given time interval, or a spatial gradient of said components of the magnetic field.

7. Method according to claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises the implementation of a recursive filter or of an optimisation.

8. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the inertial measurement means are a gyrometer, the angular velocity of the object acquired in step (a) being a measured angular velocity, and that used by the magnetic equation or equations is an estimated angular velocity according to the measured angular velocity and calibration parameters of the gyrometer, step (c) also comprising the determination of values of at least one calibration parameter of the gyrometer.

9. Method according to claim 8 , wherein the estimated angular velocity ω gyro (estimation) of the object ( 1 ) is linked to the measured angular velocity ω gyro (measurement) by a model ω gyro (estimation) =D·(ω gyro (measurement) +b gyro ), where D and b gyro are the calibration parameters of the gyrometer.

10. Method according to claim 1 , comprising a step (f) of estimating, by the data processing means, the movement of said object according to the angular velocity of the object, measured components of the magnetic field, and values of the calibration parameters.

11. Object moving in an ambient magnetic field, comprising inertial measurement means configured to acquire an angular velocity of the object, magnetometers configured to acquire at least three components of the magnetic field, the object further comprising data processing means configured to:

determine the values of at least one calibration parameter of the magnetometers minimising an expression defined by estimated components of the magnetic field and at least one magnetic equation relating to the angular velocity of the object,

the estimated components of the magnetic field being a function of the measured components of the magnetic field as well as of calibration parameters of the magnetometers, and

the at least one magnetic equation assuming that the magnetic field is uniform and stationary around the magnetic measurement means;

wherein the magnetic equation is of the form M=−ω·M, where M is the vector of the components of the magnetic field, and ω the angular velocity, said expression being a function of M (estimation) +ω gyro (estimation) ·M (estimation) .

12. Computer program product comprising code instructions for the execution of a method for calibrating magnetometers according to claims 1 , when said program is executed on a computer.

13. Storage means readable by a piece of computer equipment whereon a computer program product comprises code instructions for the execution of a method for calibrating magnetometers according to claim 1 .