OPTICAL DISTANCE MEASUREMENT BY TRIANGULATION OF AN ACTIVE TRANSPONDER
First Claim
1. A device for calculating a position of a movable device, comprising:
- two light detectors, the light detectors each receiving light from the movable device and each generating electrical signals in response to the light from the movable device;
a light source to transmit light to the movable device;
a controller communicatively coupled to the light detectors to calculate a position of the movable device from the electrical signals generated by the two light detectors and from a roundtrip time representing a time for the device to receive a reply at each of the two light detectors from the movable device in response to the light transmitted to the movable device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices for calculating the position of a movable device are disclosed. A console and movable device may include light detector(s) and light sources. A light source of the console may emit light that is detected by light detector(s) of the movable device. The moveable device may respond by emitting light synchronous with the received light. The console may calculate the position of the movable device by calculating the time for the light emitted from the movable device to strike the light detector(s) of the console. The rotation of the movable device may be calculated using multiple light sources and/or multiple light detector(s). The movable device may calculate its position and transmit it to a console. Multiple light sources may be distinguished using encoding or modulation of time and/or frequency. The roles of the light detectors(s) and light sources may be switched.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A device for calculating a position of a movable device, comprising:
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two light detectors, the light detectors each receiving light from the movable device and each generating electrical signals in response to the light from the movable device; a light source to transmit light to the movable device; a controller communicatively coupled to the light detectors to calculate a position of the movable device from the electrical signals generated by the two light detectors and from a roundtrip time representing a time for the device to receive a reply at each of the two light detectors from the movable device in response to the light transmitted to the movable device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A movable device for calculating a spatial position of the movable device relative to a console, comprising:
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two light detectors, the light detectors each receiving light from the console and each generating electrical signals in response to the received light; a light source to transmit light to the console; a controller communicatively coupled to the light detectors to calculate a position of the movable device from the electrical signals generated by the two light detectors and from a roundtrip time representing a time for the movable device to receive a reply at each of the two light detectors from the console in response to the light transmitted to the console. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A device for calculating the rotation of a movable device, comprising:
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an light detector; a controller communicatively coupled to the light detector, configured to calculate rotational information of a movable device based on data generated by the light detector from receiving light from at least two light sources of the movable device.
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27. A device for calculating a position of a movable device, comprising:
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two light detectors, the light detectors each receiving reflected light from the movable device and each generating electrical signals in response to the reflected light from the movable device; a light source to transmit light to the movable device; a controller communicatively coupled to the light detectors to calculate a position of the movable device from the electrical signals generated by the two light detectors and from a roundtrip time representing a time for the device to receive the reflected light at each of the two light detectors from a reflective surface of the movable device due to the light transmitted to the movable device.
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28. A method for calculating a position of a movable device, comprising:
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responsive to incident light received from the movable device at multiple locations, generating differential signals at each location, the differential signals of each location representing a location of light incidence on a light receiving surface, transmitting an outbound signal to the movable device; receiving a signal from the movable device representing a reply to the outbound signal; and based on a transmission latency between the output signal and the reply signal and based also on the differential signal, calculating the position of the movable device.
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Specification