Magnetic motion tracker with transmitter placed on tracked object
First Claim
1. A motion tracking system for tracking motions of an object, comprising:
- a) a transmitter mounted on an object, said transmitter including three orthogonal magnetic coils including a one-axis long range transmitter and a two-axis short range transmitter;
b) at least one sensor mounted on said object spaced from said transmitter;
c) a computer including control means for controlling operation of said transmitter; and
d) said computer receiving signals from said sensor and, therefrom, calculating position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said transmitter.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The motion of a person is measured in real time using magnetic fields. A magnetic transmitter and a number of magnetic receivers are placed at different points on the person. The transmitter transmits magnetic fields sequentially from three orthogonal coils. The magnetic field is received at each receiver, which consists of three orthogonal coils. The computer resolves the sequential position and orientation coordinates from each receiver into the person'"'"'s movement, relative to the transmitter, from knowledge of where each receiver is placed on the person. Other embodiments measure the transmitter'"'"'s position and orientation relative to a fixed location outside of the person. The computer then resolves the position and orientation data into the person'"'"'s motion relative to the fixed location outside of the person. A second embodiment uses pressure sensitive switches and accelerometers placed on the person'"'"'s feet and a computer program to find the transmitter'"'"'s position and orientation relative to a fixed starting location. A third embodiment uses an optical subsystem to find the transmitter'"'"'s position and orientation relative to a fixed location. A fourth embodiment uses at least one further receiver placed in a fixed location outside of the person to find the transmitter'"'"'s position and orientation relative to a fixed location. A fifth embodiment utilizes a special magnetic transmitter consisting of a one-axis long range transmitter and a two-axis short range transmitter and two further receivers placed at two fixed locations outside of the person to find the transmitter'"'"'s position and orientation relative to a fixed location.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A motion tracking system for tracking motions of an object, comprising:
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a) a transmitter mounted on an object, said transmitter including three orthogonal magnetic coils including a one-axis long range transmitter and a two-axis short range transmitter; b) at least one sensor mounted on said object spaced from said transmitter; c) a computer including control means for controlling operation of said transmitter; and d) said computer receiving signals from said sensor and, therefrom, calculating position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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2. A motion tracking system for tracking motions of an object, comprising:
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a) a transmitter mounted on an object, said object comprising a person having a head, arms, legs, feet and lower back; b) at least one sensor mounted on said object spaced from said transmitter, said sensor comprising a plurality of discrete sensors mounted on a person; c) a computer including control means for controlling operation of said transmitter; d) said computer receiving signals from said sensor and, therefrom, calculating position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said transmitter; and e) said system further including an on-off switch mounted under one foot of the person, said switch being closed when said one foot is engaging a ground surface, said switch being incorporated into a sub-circuit connected to said computer whereby status of said switch is sensed by the computer. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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4. A motion tracking system for tracking motions of an object, comprising:
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a) a transmitter mounted on an object, said object comprising a person having a head, arms, legs, feet and lower back; b) at least one sensor mounted on said object spaced from said transmitter, said sensor comprising a plurality of discrete sensors mounted on a person; c) a computer including control means for controlling operation of said transmitter; d) said computer receiving signals from said sensor and, therefrom, calculating position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said transmitter; and e) at least one accelerometer mounted on each foot of a person and interconnected to said computer.
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5. A motion tracking system for tracking motions of an object, comprising:
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a) a first transmitter mounted on an object; b) a first sensor mounted on said object spaced from said first transmitter; c) a computer including control means for controlling operation of said first transmitter; d) said computer receiving first signals from said first sensor and, therefrom, calculating position and orientation of said first sensor with respect to said transmitter; and e) a second sensor located in a fixed location, and a second transmitter mounted on the object, said computer including further control means for controlling operation of said second transmitter, said computer receiving second signals from said second transmitter and, therefrom, calculating position and orientation of said second transmitter with respect to said second sensor; f) wherein said second transmitter comprises a light source and said second sensor comprises a light sensitive receiver. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A motion tracking system for tracking motions of an object, comprising:
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a) a transmitter mounted on an object; b) a first sensor mounted on said object spaced from said transmitter; c) a computer including control means for controlling operation of said transmitter; d) said computer receiving signals from said first sensor and, therefrom, calculating position and orientation of said first sensor with respect to said transmitter; and e) a second sensor located in a fixed location spaced from said object, said computer receiving further signals from said second sensor responsive to activation of said transmitter and, therefrom, determining position and orientation of said object with respect to a fixed coordinate system defined by said second sensor.
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10. A method of tracking motions of a person having a head, arms, legs, feet and a lower back, including the steps of:
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a) mounting a transmitter on a person'"'"'s lower back; b) mounting a sensor on any one of the head, arm or leg of the person; c) providing a computer connected to control operation of said transmitter and to receive signals from said sensor; d) activating said transmitter to transmit magnetic fields; e) receiving signals from said sensor; f) calculating position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said transmitter; g) providing two on-off switches; h) mounting one of said switches on each foot of the person; i) electrically connecting said switches to said computer; and j) monitoring said switches to determine when one foot or both feet are engaging a floor surface.
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11. A method of tracking motions of a person having a head, arms, legs, feet and a lower back, including the steps of:
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a) mounting a transmitter that transmits magnetic fields on a person'"'"'s lower back; b) mounting a sensor on any one of the head, arm or leg of the person; c) providing a computer connected to control operation of said transmitter and to receive signals from said sensor; d) activating said transmitter to transmit magnetic fields; e) receiving signals from said sensor; f) calculating position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said transmitter; g) providing a further sensor; h) locating said further sensor in a fixed location spaced from said person; i) providing a further source and mounting said further source on the person; j) connecting said further source and further sensor to said computer; k) activating said further source; l) said further sensor receiving waves from said further transmitter; m) sending further signals from said further sensor to said computer; and n) calculating position and orientation of said person with respect to a fixed coordinate system defined by location of said further sensor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method of tracking motions of a person having a head, arms, legs, feet and a lower back, including the steps of:
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a) mounting a transmitter on a person'"'"'s lower back; b) mounting a sensor on any one of the head, arm or leg of the person; c) providing a computer connected to control operation of said transmitter and to receive signals from said sensor; d) activating said transmitter to transmit magnetic fields; e) receiving signals from said sensor; f) calculating position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said transmitter; and g) providing a further sensor located in a fixed location with respect to said person.
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15. A method of tracking motions of a person having a head, arms, legs, feet and a lower back, including the steps of:
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a) mounting a transmitter on a person'"'"'s lower back; b) mounting a sensor on any one of the head, arm or leg of the person; c) providing a computer connected to control operation of said transmitter and to receive signals from said sensor; d) activating said transmitter to transmit magnetic fields; e) receiving signals from said sensor; f) calculating position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said transmitter; and g) providing two further sensors located in fixed locations with respect to said person. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method of tracking motions of a person having a head, arms, legs, feet and a lower back, including the steps of:
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a) mounting a transmitter on a person'"'"'s lower back; b) mounting a sensor on any one of the head, arm or leg of the person; c) providing a computer connected to control operation of said transmitter and to receive signals from said sensor; d) activating said transmitter to transmit magnetic fields; e) receiving signals from said sensor; f) calculating position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said transmitter; and g) calculating motions of the person from calculations of sequential positions and orientations of said sensor with respect to said transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A motion tracking system for tracking motions of an object, comprising:
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a) a transmitter mounted on an object; b) at least one sensor mounted on said object spaced from said transmitter; c) a computer including control means for controlling operation of said transmitter; d) said computer receiving signals from said sensor and, therefrom, calculating position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said transmitter; e) said computer receiving sequential signals from said sensor related to sequential positions and orientations of said sensor with respect to said transmitter and, therefrom, calculating motions of said object. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A motion tracking system for tracking motions of an object, comprising:
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a) a transmitter mounted on an object; b) at least one sensor mounted on said object spaced from said transmitter; c) a computer including control means for controlling operation of said transmitter; d) said computer receiving signals from said sensor and, therefrom, calculating position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said transmitter; e) a further sensor located in a fixed location separate from said object; f) a further source mounted on said transmitter on said object; g) said computer receiving further signals from said further sensor and, therefrom, calculating position and orientation of said further source with respect to said further sensor; h) said computer further being programmed to determine position and orientation of said object with respect to a fixed coordinate system defined about said further sensor.
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Specification