Remote position and orientation detection employing magnetic flux linkage
First Claim
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1. The process for determining the location and orientation in space of a magnetic field responsive sensor having an output signal in the presence of a magnetic flux linkage comprising the steps of:
- defining a plane within which are established first and second intersecting reference axes for deriving the position of said sensor with respect to said axes;
providing a magnetic field source movable with respect to said plane to derive alternating magnetic flux fields;
effectively moving said magnetic field source parallel to said first reference axis and determining, from said sensor output signal, locations representing a first null point of substantially no said flux linkage, those first and second locations on each side of said first null point representing maximum said flux linkage and the magnitudes of said sensor output signal values at said first and second locations;
effectively moving said magnetic field source parallel to said second reference axis and determining, from said sensor output signal, locations representing a second null point of substantially no said flux linkage, those third and fourth locations on each side of said second null point representing maximum said flux linkage and the magnitudes of said sensor output signal values at said third and fourth locations;
determining said sensor position geometrically most proximate said first axis as a function of said first null point location and the magnitude of the output difference between said sensor output signal values at said first and second locations;
determining said sensor position geometrically most proximate said second axis as a function of said second null point location and the magnitude of the output difference between said sensor output signal values at said third and fourth locations; and
determining the geometrically most proximate distance of said sensor from said plane as a function of the location of one of said null points, an adjacent location of maximum said flux linkage and a corresponding said difference between said magnitudes of said sensor output values associated with a given one of said first or second axes.
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Abstract
The process and system for locating the position and orientation of an implement in space wherein a varying magnetic field responsive component (14) such as a coil is positioned upon the implement. A magnetic field source (12) excitable from an a.c. source derives alternating flux fields which are moved along or parallel to coordinate axes established at a reference plane. The coordinate position of the sensor is derived by determining the positions of minima and maxima flux linkage during magnetic field source movement.
463 Citations
32 Claims
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1. The process for determining the location and orientation in space of a magnetic field responsive sensor having an output signal in the presence of a magnetic flux linkage comprising the steps of:
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defining a plane within which are established first and second intersecting reference axes for deriving the position of said sensor with respect to said axes; providing a magnetic field source movable with respect to said plane to derive alternating magnetic flux fields; effectively moving said magnetic field source parallel to said first reference axis and determining, from said sensor output signal, locations representing a first null point of substantially no said flux linkage, those first and second locations on each side of said first null point representing maximum said flux linkage and the magnitudes of said sensor output signal values at said first and second locations; effectively moving said magnetic field source parallel to said second reference axis and determining, from said sensor output signal, locations representing a second null point of substantially no said flux linkage, those third and fourth locations on each side of said second null point representing maximum said flux linkage and the magnitudes of said sensor output signal values at said third and fourth locations; determining said sensor position geometrically most proximate said first axis as a function of said first null point location and the magnitude of the output difference between said sensor output signal values at said first and second locations; determining said sensor position geometrically most proximate said second axis as a function of said second null point location and the magnitude of the output difference between said sensor output signal values at said third and fourth locations; and determining the geometrically most proximate distance of said sensor from said plane as a function of the location of one of said null points, an adjacent location of maximum said flux linkage and a corresponding said difference between said magnitudes of said sensor output values associated with a given one of said first or second axes. - 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. The process for determining the location in space of a predetermined portion of an elongate probe comprising the steps of:
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providing a sensor connected with said probe predetermined portion and effectively pivotally movable thereupon, said sensor being present as a varying magnetic field responsive winding disposed about an orientation axis and having output signals in the presence of magnetic flux linkage; defining a reference plane within which are established first and second intersecting reference axes for deriving the position of said sensor with respect to said reference axes; providing a magnetic field source effectively movable with respect to said reference plane, excitable from an alternating current source to derive alternating magnetic flux fields; effectively moving said magnetic field source along a first locus in parallel with said first axis and determining, from said output signals, locations along said locus representing a first null point of substantially no said flux linkage, those first and second locations on each side of said null point representing maximum said flux linkage and the magnitudes of said sensor output signal values at said first and second locations; effectively moving said magnetic field source along a second locus in parallel with said second axis and determining, from said sensor output signals, locations along said second axis representing a second null point of substantially no said flux linkage, those third and fourth locations on each side of said second null point representing maximum said flux linkage and the magnitudes of said sensor output signal values at said third and fourth locations; determining said sensor position with respect to said first reference axis as a function of said first null point location and the magnitude of the output difference between said sensor output signals for said first and second locations and said sensor position with respect to said second axis as a function of said second null point location and the magnitude of the output difference between said sensor output signals for said third and fourth locations; and determining the geometrically most proximate distance of said sensor from said reference plane as a function of the location of one of said null points and an adjacent location of maximum said flux linkage. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. The process for determining the location in space of an implement comprising the steps of:
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providing a magnetic field source attached to said implement and excitable from an alternating current source to derive alternating magnetic flux fields; defining a reference plane within which are established first and second intersecting axes for deriving the position of said field source with respect to said axes; providing a sensor as a varying magnetic field responsive component having an orientation defining axis and having output signals in the presence of magnetic flux linkage therewith; effectively moving said sensor with respect to said reference plane along a first locus parallel to said first axis and determining from said output signals, locations along said first locus representing a first null point of substantially no said flux linkage, those first and second locations on each side of said first null point representing maximum said flux linkage and the magnitudes of said sensor output signal values at said first and second locations; effectively moving said sensor along a second locus parallel to said second axis and determining from said output signals locations along said second axis representing a second null point of substantially no said flux linkage, those third and fourth locations on each side of said second null point representing maximum said flux linkage and the magnitudes of said sensor output signal values at said third and fourth locations; determining said magnetic field source position geometrically most proximate to said first axis as a function of said first null point location and the magnitude of the difference between said sensor output values for said first and second locations; determining said sensor position geometrically most proximate to said second axis as a function of said second null point location and the magnitude of the difference between said sensor output signal values for said third and fourth locations; and determining the geometrically most proximate distance of said magnetic field source from said reference plane as a function of the location of a said null point, an adjacent location of maximum said flux linkage and a corresponding said difference between said magnitudes of said sensor output signal values associated with a given one of said first or second axes.
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30. A system for determining the location in space of an implement comprising:
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a sensor connectable with said implement and present as a varying magnetic field responsive component substantially symmetrically disposed about an orientation axis and having output signals in the presence of magnetic flux linkage therewith; means defining a reference plane at which are established first and second intersecting axes for deriving coordinate data representing the position of said sensor with respect to said axes; a magnetic field source positioned at said plane and excitable from an alternating current source to derive alternating magnetic flux fields; means for effectively moving said magnetic field source along a first locus parallel with said first axis and thence along a second locus parallel with said second axis; output means responsive to said sensor output signals for deriving outputs dependent upon the locations of said magnetic field source at said plane, corresponding with null points of substantially no said flux linkage, and corresponding with those two locations on each side of a given said null point representing maximum said flux linkage, said outputs further being dependent on the magnitudes of said signals; and means for determining the difference between the magnitudes of said sensor output signals at said two locations. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification