Linear direction sensor cameras for position measurement
First Claim
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1. A sensor system for measuring directions to a plurality of targets comprising:
- a plurality of simultaneously illuminated optical targets whose directions are to be measured,at least three linear direction sensors, each such sensor including;
an optical means having an axis whereby light received from said plurality of targets is formed into a pattern containing sufficient information to describe the orientation of every plane formed by one each of the targets and said axis,a sensor means mounted in a manner to intercept light forming said pattern whereby features of said pattern are converted to electrical signals which describe said orientations of said planes,a means for mounting said at least three linear direction sensors such that said axis of any one linear direction sensor is not parallel to said axis of any other linear direction sensor, and said axes mutually intersect in a common point, andan ancillary computing means for receiving said electrical signals and calculating from said signals directions to said targets as indicated by mutual intersections of at least three planes, each plane derived from a different linear direction sensor.
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Abstract
Three linear direction measurement sensors mounted adjacent to one another comprise a device for simultaneously measuring the directions of a plurality of optical targets. Four linear direction sensors distributed over at least two locations comprise a device for simultaneously measuring the three-dimensional positions of a plurality of optical targets.
25 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A sensor system for measuring directions to a plurality of targets comprising:
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a plurality of simultaneously illuminated optical targets whose directions are to be measured, at least three linear direction sensors, each such sensor including; an optical means having an axis whereby light received from said plurality of targets is formed into a pattern containing sufficient information to describe the orientation of every plane formed by one each of the targets and said axis, a sensor means mounted in a manner to intercept light forming said pattern whereby features of said pattern are converted to electrical signals which describe said orientations of said planes, a means for mounting said at least three linear direction sensors such that said axis of any one linear direction sensor is not parallel to said axis of any other linear direction sensor, and said axes mutually intersect in a common point, and an ancillary computing means for receiving said electrical signals and calculating from said signals directions to said targets as indicated by mutual intersections of at least three planes, each plane derived from a different linear direction sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A sensor system for measuring locations of a plurality of targets comprising:
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a plurality of simultaneously illuminated optical targets whose positions are to be measured, a least four linear direction sensors, each such sensor including; an optical means having an axis whereby light received from said plurality of targets is formed into a pattern containing information sufficient to quantify the orientation of every plane formed by one each of the targets and said axis, a sensor means mounted in a manner to intercept light from said pattern and convert features of said pattern to electrical signals describing said orientations of said planes, and means for mounting said at least four linear direction sensors such that at least one subset of four linear direction sensors of said at least four linear direction sensors fulfills the conditions that the sensors are mounted at at least two locations spaced from each other, no two sensors have coincident axes, no two sensors at one location have parallel axes, and that at least two different axis orientations are demonstrated among said subset of four sensors, and an ancillary means for receiving said electrical signals and computing positions of said targets as indicated by mutual intersections of at least four planes, each plane derived from a different linear direction sensor. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification