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Optical position and orientation measurement techniques

  • US 4,649,504 A
  • Filed: 05/22/1984
  • Issued: 03/10/1987
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1984
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A non-contact sensing system for monitoring the position and orientation of a rigid body in space wherein at least three distinct point light sources are mounted on said body for movement therewith;

  • said system comprising;

    at least two position sensor heads fixedly mounted within detection range of light from all of said light sources, said position sensor heads being directed at said light sources;

    wherein each position sensor head includes a position sensitive detector;

    means for turning said light sources on one at a time and in a sequential arrangement;

    processor means;

    said position sensitive detector outputs being connected to the input of said processor means;

    said processor means computing the position in three-dimensional space of a turned on light source with data concerning said turned on light source provided simultaneously by both position sensitive detectors;

    said processor means also computing the position of said object in all six degrees of freedom using the three-dimensional positional data of all three light sources;

    said processor means further selecting which light source is to be turned on and driving said means for turning said light source on, whereby said computer has data concerning which light source is turned on at any time.

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