×

System for determining the position of an object with respect to a magnetic field sources

  • US 6,437,561 B1
  • Filed: 11/17/1999
  • Issued: 08/20/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A detection system for determining the position of an object moving along a first direction, the system comprising:

  • (a) a magnetic field source generating a magnetic field signal; and

    (b) a magnetic field detection system coupled to the object, the detection system comprising;

    (i) a source interface module comprising magnetic field sensors positioned a known distance apart along a second direction different from the first direction, wherein each sensor detects the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field source and generates a magnetic field signal, (ii) a processing module that processes the magnetic field signal produced by the source interface module, wherein the processing module;

    (1) determines magnetic field peak data from the magnetic field signal along the first direction for each sensor, and (2) determines the relative difference between the magnetic field peak data for adjacent sensors to determine the distance of the object from the magnetic field source along the second direction.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×