Position tracking system
First Claim
1. An optical position tracking system for determining the position of an object, comprising:
- a reflector affixed to the object;
a light source;
a light detector having a detection surface, a mask positioned a predetermined distance from said detection surface, and a baffle positioned in a region between said mask and said detection surface, said baffle partitioning said region into sections, said light detector generating signals representative of light incident on said detection surface.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical position tracking system that tracks the position of objects, using light intensity and/or frequency with the application of geometry and ratios of detector responses, is provided, having light distributing and light detecting components that employ the concepts of constructive occlusion and diffuse reflection. Diffusely reflective cavities, masks and baffles are used to improve certain radiating characteristics of the distributing components and certain response characteristics of the detecting components, to tailor the radiation and detection profiles thereof, including them substantially uniform for all angles within a hemispheric area which the distributing and detecting components face. The distributing and/or detecting components are partitioned with specially-configured baffles. A partitioned distributor has distinct emission sections where the sections can emit spectrally-different or distinguishable radiation. A partitioned detector has distinct detection sections where the sections can detect radiation from different directions. The system may be variously configured, to use different combinations of partitioned and nonpartitioned devices. In most configurations, a single head module provides one set of directional data about two coordinates (e.g., ρ and Θ) for one reflector. An additional head module remotely positioned from the first head module can provide a second set of directional data for the reflector (e.g., ρ2 and Θ2), for cross-referencing with the first set of directional data to obtain positional data in three dimensions of the object being tracked. The system can also track multiple objects, using spectrally-different (or at least spectrally distinguishable reflectors) in conjunction with correspondingly spectrally-compatible sensors.
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Citations
89 Claims
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1. An optical position tracking system for determining the position of an object, comprising:
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a reflector affixed to the object; a light source; a light detector having a detection surface, a mask positioned a predetermined distance from said detection surface, and a baffle positioned in a region between said mask and said detection surface, said baffle partitioning said region into sections, said light detector generating signals representative of light incident on said detection surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A position tracking system for determining the position of an object, comprising:
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a light source affixed to said object; a light detector including; a detection surface; a mask positioned a predetermined distance from said detection surface; a baffle positioned in a region between said mask and said detection surface, said baffle dividing said region into sections. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An optical position tracking system for determining the position of an object, comprising:
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a reflector affixed to the object; a diffusely reflective cavity having an aperture; a mask positioned a predetermined distance from said aperture; a light source; a light detector; a baffle having members that divide a region between said cavity and said mask into sections, wherein said light detector generates signals representative of light incident on said aperture. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A position tracking system for determining the position of an object, comprising:
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a reflector affixed to said object; a scanning light mechanism generating a radiation beam; a light detector having two portions each configured to provide a diffusely reflective cavity defining an aperture and including a mask positioned above said aperture, said detector generating signals in response to detection of light; a processor that processes said signals to provide directional data representative of a directional location of said reflector. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A position tracking system for determining the position of an object, comprising:
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a reflector affixed to the object; a scanning light mechanism generating a radiation beam; a light detector having two portions each configured to provide a diffusely reflective cavity defining an aperture and including a mask positioned above the aperture, the detector generating signals in response to detection of light, wherein each of the portions further includes a baffle that divides each of the cavities into lower sections and a region between the respective mask and the respective aperture into upper sections; and a processor responsive to the signals for providing directional data representative of a directional location of the reflector.
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35. A position tracking system for determining the position of an object, comprising:
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a light source affixed to said object; a light detector including a detection surface, a mask positioned a predetermined distance from said detection surface, and a baffle that divides a region between said detection surface and said mask into sections; and a plurality of sensors, each associated with a distinct section. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An optical device, comprising:
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a first structure having a first optical surface that faces a first direction; a second structure having a second optical surface that faces a second direction; said first and second structures situated angularly offset from each other wherein each of said structures masks the optical surface of the other from either emitted radiation from or incidental radiation on said other optical surface within a distinct range of angles relative to said optical device. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. An optical detector comprising:
a detection structure of a closed configuration defining a nonoptical area therein, having at least two distinct substantially equal portions with substantially equal detection surfaces around said area, each of said portions generating a signal responsive to incidental radiation thereon and including; a first detection surface and a second detection surface projecting therefrom at an angle wherein each of said first and second detection surfaces faces a nonparallel direction with respect to the other. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. An optical detector, comprising:
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a base configured with a plurality of separate detection surfaces; a mask structure positioned a predetermined distance from all of said detection surfaces; a plurality of detector elements, each of which provides signals representative of light incident on a distinct detection surface. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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52. An optical device, comprising:
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a base configured with a plurality of separate emitter surfaces; a mask structure positioned a predetermined distance from all of said emitter surfaces; a plurality of emitter elements, each of which provides illumination for a distinct emitter surface.
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53. An optical position tracking system comprising:
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a source of light for association with an object to be tracked; a light detector oriented to receive light from a predetermined area which includes the object to be tracked, said light detector comprising a sensor having an aperture and a mask constructively occluding said aperture in such a manner that a cross-sectional area of the aperture presented to incident light is substantially constant over a range of angles of incidence; and processing circuitry for determining position of the source of light in response to a detection signal output of the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
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56. An optical position tracking system comprising:
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a reflector for attachment to an object to be tracked; a light distributor, comprising an illumination source and a mask constructively occluding a portion of the illumination source, for uniformly illuminating all azimuths and elevations of a hemispherical region; a light detector oriented to receive light reflections from within the region and provide a signal representative of a direction and intensity of incident light; and processing circuitry for determining position of the reflector in response to a detection signal output of the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (57)
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58. An optical position tracking system comprising:
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a reflector for attachment to an object to be tracked; a light distributor, comprising an illumination source and a mask constructively occluding a portion of the illumination source, for uniformly illuminating a predetermined area; a light detector oriented to receive light reflections from the predetermined area, said light detector comprising a sensor having an aperture and a mask constructively occluding said aperture in such a manner that a cross-sectional area of the aperture presented to incident light reflections is substantially constant over a range of angles of incidence; and processing circuitry for determining position of the reflector in response to a detection signal output of the sensor.
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59. An optical position tracking system comprising:
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a constructed occlusion irradiation device oriented to uniformly irradiate a predetermined region; a constructed occlusion radiation detector oriented to uniformly sense radiation reflected from within the predetermined region; and a processing system responsive to at least one output signal from the detector for determining a position of a reflective object within the predetermined region.
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60. An optical position tracking system comprising:
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a source of light for association with an object to be tracked; a light detector oriented to receive light from a predetermined area which includes the object to be tracked, said light detector comprising a sensor having an aperture and a mask shielding a portion of said aperture from incident light in such a manner that a cross-sectional area of the aperture presented to incident light is substantially constant over a range of angles of incidence; and processing circuitry for determining position of the source of light in response to a detection signal output of the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (62, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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61. An optical position tracking system comprising:
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a source of light for association with an object to be tracked; a light detector oriented to receive light from a predetermined area which includes the object to be tracked, the light detector comprising; a sensor having an aperture, a mask shielding a portion of the aperture from incident light in such a manner that a cross-sectional area of the aperture presented to incident light is substantially constant over a range of angles of incidence, and a light deflector positioned between the aperture and the mask; and processing circuitry for determining position of the source of light in response to a detection signal output of the sensor.
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63. An optical position tracking system comprising:
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a source of light for association with an object to be tracked; a light detector oriented to receive light from a predetermined area which includes the object to be tracked, the light detector comprising; a sensor having an aperture, a mask shielding a portion of the aperture from incident light in such a manner that a cross-sectional area of the aperture presented to incident light is substantially constant over a range of angles of incidence, and a reflective baffle dividing a region between the aperture and the mask into a plurality of sub-regions; processing circuitry for determining Position of the source of light in response to a detection signal output of the sensor, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of sensors each of which is oriented to sense light passing through a distinct one of the sub-regions. - View Dependent Claims (64)
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69. An optical position tracking system comprising:
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a reflector for attachment to an object to be tracked; a light distributor, comprising an illumination source and a mask intercepting light from a portion of the illumination source, such that the light distributor uniformly illuminates all azimuths and elevations of a hemispherical region; a light detector oriented to receive light reflections from within the region and provide at least one signal representative of direction and intensity of incident light; and processing circuitry for determining position of the reflector in response to a detection signal output of the detector. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. An optical position tracking system comprising:
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a reflector for attachment to an object to be tracked; a light distributor, comprising an illumination source and a mask intercepting light from a portion of the illumination source, such that the light distributor uniformly illuminates a predetermined area; a light detector oriented to receive light reflections from the predetermined area, said light detector comprising a sensor having an aperture and a mask shielding a portion of said aperture from incident light in such a manner that a cross-sectional area of the aperture presented to incident light reflections is substantially constant over a range of angles of incidence; and processing circuitry for determining position of the reflector in response to a detection signal output of the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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84. A position tracking system for determining azimuthal position of an object relative to the system, comprising:
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a light source associated with said object; a light detector including; a detection surface; a mask positioned a predetermined distance from said detection surface; a baffle positioned in a region between said mask and said detection surface, said baffle dividing said region into sections. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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Specification