Position determination apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus for determining the position of a moveable element in a three-dimensional workspace near a mounting surface, comprising:
- a sound source in said moveable element;
a plurality of at least three housing units adapted to be secured to said mounting surface in spaced relationship to one another;
a sound sensor mounted on each of said units;
a sound source mounted on at least some of said units;
means for adjusting the positions of the sound sensor and the sound source of said at least some of said units;
means responsive to the sound from the sound source of at least one of said units and received at the sound sensor of another of said units, for computing the distance between the sound source of said one of said units and the sound sensor of said another of said units; and
means responsive to the initiation of sound from the sound source of the moveable element and to sound received at the sound sensors of said units, for determining the three-dimensional position of the moveable element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is disclosed for determining the position of a moveable element in a three-dimensional workspace near a mounting surface. A sound source is provided in the moveable element. A plurality of at least three housing units are adapted to be secured to said mounting surface in spaced relationship to one another. A sound sensor is mounted on each of the units, and a sound source is mounted on at least some of the units. The positions of the sound sensor and the sound source of said at least some of the units can be adjusted. Means are provided which are responsive to the sound from the sound source of at least one of the units and received at the sound sensor of another of the units, for computing the distance between the sound source of said one of the units and the sound sensor of said another of said units. Also, means which are responsive to the initiation of sound from the sound source of the moveable element and to sound received at the sound sensors of the units, are provided for determining the three-dimensional position of the moveable element. In the preferred embodiment, the plurality of units comprises four units, and each of the units has a sound source mounted thereon. Also in this embodiment, means are provided for determining the distance between the sound source of any one of the units and the sound sensor of any other one of the units as a function of sound emitted by the sound source of said any one of the units and received by the sound sensor of said any other one of the units. Each of the units also includes means for adjusting the position of the sound source and the sound sensor in two substantially orthogonal directions.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. Apparatus for determining the position of a moveable element in a three-dimensional workspace near a mounting surface, comprising:
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a sound source in said moveable element; a plurality of at least three housing units adapted to be secured to said mounting surface in spaced relationship to one another; a sound sensor mounted on each of said units; a sound source mounted on at least some of said units; means for adjusting the positions of the sound sensor and the sound source of said at least some of said units; means responsive to the sound from the sound source of at least one of said units and received at the sound sensor of another of said units, for computing the distance between the sound source of said one of said units and the sound sensor of said another of said units; and means responsive to the initiation of sound from the sound source of the moveable element and to sound received at the sound sensors of said units, for determining the three-dimensional position of the moveable element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. For use in a three-dimensional acoustic digitizer apparatus having at least three units which respectively contain sound sensors for sensing the arrival of sound from a moveable sound source that is moveable in a three-dimensional space, and means responsive to the time of emission of sound from said moveable sound source and to the sensing of sound by the sound sensors for determining the three-dimensional position of the moveable sound source, at least one of said units being characterized by:
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a sound source mounted in said unit in conjunction with said sound sensor; and means for adjusting the position of the sound source and the sound sensor in two substantially orthogonal directions. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. The unit as defined by claim lB, wherein said sound sensor is mounted in the surface of said panel so that its central axis is in a direction that is orthogonal to the plane of said panel.
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20. For use in conjunction with a three-dimensional position-determining apparatus which includes:
- a moveable sound source;
a plurality of at least three sound sensors mounted on a plane surface in spaced-apart positions; and
means responsive to the initiation of sound from the moveable sound source, and to sound received at said sound sensors, for determining the three-dimensional position of the moveable sound source;
a method for adjusting the positions of the sound sensors and measuring the distances therebetween, comprising the steps of;for at least some of said sound sensors, providing a further sound source that is mounted in fixed relationship with its associated sound sensor; measuring the distance between selected ones of said sound sensors by using said further sound sources in substitution for said movable sound source; adjusting the positions of at least some of said sound sources and their associated sound sensors; and again measuring the distance between at least some of said sound sensors; whereby the distances between said sound sensors is used in subsequently determining the three-dimensional position of said movable sound source - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
- a moveable sound source;
Specification