Object tracking using a single sensor or a pair of sensors
First Claim
1. A method of tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing the object with at least one vector field component sensor for measuring a respective component of a vector field;
(b) for each said at least one vector field component sensor, empirically determining parameters of a set of equations that relate said respective component only to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame;
(c) providing a plurality of vector field generators for generating respective instances of said vector field, each said generator having a fixed respective position in said reference frame;
(d) for each said generator;
(i) generating said respective instance of said vector field, and (ii) for each said at least one sensor, measuring said respective component of said respective instance of said vector field; and
(e) solving said set of equations for said position of the object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for tracking a moving object. The object is provided with one or more single-component sensors of a vector field. Generators of the vector field also are provided. Parameters of equations that relate the generated fields, as measured by the sensors, to the position of the object, but not to the orientation of the object, are determined either empirically or theoretically. These equations are solved to determine the position of the object without having to determine the orientation of the object. The scope of the invention also includes a helical guide wire wherein are integrally included one or more single-component sensors of a quasistatic magnetic field.
341 Citations
64 Claims
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1. A method of tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing the object with at least one vector field component sensor for measuring a respective component of a vector field;
(b) for each said at least one vector field component sensor, empirically determining parameters of a set of equations that relate said respective component only to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame;
(c) providing a plurality of vector field generators for generating respective instances of said vector field, each said generator having a fixed respective position in said reference frame;
(d) for each said generator;
(i) generating said respective instance of said vector field, and (ii) for each said at least one sensor, measuring said respective component of said respective instance of said vector field; and
(e) solving said set of equations for said position of the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
(f) computing an orientation of the object with respect to said reference frame.
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14. A method of tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing the object with at most two vector field component sensors for measuring respective components of a vector field;
(b) for each said at most two vector field component sensors, determining parameters of a set of equations that relate said respective component only to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame;
(c) providing at least three vector field generators for generating respective instances of said vector field, each said generator having a fixed respective position in said reference frame;
(d) for each said generator;
(i) generating said respective instance of said vector field, and (ii) for each said at most two sensors, measuring said respective component of said respective instance of said vector field; and
(e) solving said set of equations for said position of the object. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
(f) computing an orientation of the object with respect to said reference frame.
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27. A system for tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising:
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(a) at least one vector field component sensor, associated with the object, for measuring a respective component of a vector field;
(b) a processor for solving a set of equations that relate, for each said at least one sensor, said respective component of said vector field only to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame;
(c) a memory for storing empirically determined parameters of said equations; and
(d) a plurality of vector field generators, having fixed respective positions in said reference frame, for generating respective instances of said vector field. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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33. A system for tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising:
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(a) at most two vector field component sensors, associated with the object, for measuring respective components of a vector field;
(b) a processor for solving a set of equations that relate, for each said sensor, said respective component of said vector field only to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame;
(c) a memory for storing parameters of said equations; and
(d) at least three vector field generators, having fixed respective positions in said reference frame, for generating respective instances of said vector field. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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39. A method of tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing the object with at least one vector field component sensor for measuring a respective component of a vector field;
(b) empirically determining a rotationally invariant operator that relates said at least one respective component to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame;
(c) providing a plurality of vector field generators for generating respective instances of said vector field, each said generator having a fixed respective position in said reference frame;
(d) for each said generator;
(i) generating said respective instance of said vector field, and (ii) for each said at least one sensor, measuring said respective component of said respective instance of said vector field; and
(e) computing said position of the object, using said operator.
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40. A method of tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing the object with at most two vector field component sensors for measuring respective components of a vector field;
(b) determining a rotationally invariant operator that relates said at most two respective components to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame;
(c) providing at least three vector field generators for generating respective instances of said vector field, each said generator having a fixed respective position in said reference frame;
(d) for each said generator;
(i) generating said respective instance of said vector field, and (ii) for each said at most two sensors, measuring said respective component of said respective instance of said vector field; and
(e) computing said position of the object, using said operator.
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41. A system for tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising:
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(a) at least one vector field component sensor, associated with the object, for measuring a respective component of a vector field;
(b) a memory for storing an empirically determined, rotationally invariant operator that relates said at least one respective component of said vector field to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame;
(c) a processor for computing said position, using said operator; and
(d) a plurality of vector field generators, having fixed respective positions in said reference frame, for generating respective instances of said vector field.
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42. A system for tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising:
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(a) at most two vector field component sensors, associated with the object, for measuring respective components of a vector field;
(b) a memory for storing a rotationally invariant operator that relates said at most two respective components of said vector field to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame;
(c) a processor for computing said position, using said operator; and
(d) at least three vector field generators, having fixed respective positions in said reference frame, for generating respective instances of said vector field.
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43. A method of tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing the object with at most two vector field component sensors for measuring respective components of a vector field;
(b) for each said at most two vector field component sensors, determining parameters of a set of equations that relate said respective component to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame, independent of an orientation of the object;
(c) providing at least three vector field generators for generating respective instances of said vector field, each said generator having a fixed respective position in said reference frame;
(d) for each said generator;
(i) generating said respective instance of said vector field, and (ii) for each said at most two sensors, measuring said respective component of said respective instance of said vector field; and
(e) solving said set of equations for said position of the object.
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44. A system for tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising:
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(a) at most two vector field component sensors, associated with the object, for measuring respective components of a vector field;
(b) a processor for solving a set of equations that relate, for each said sensor, said respective component of said vector field to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame, independent of an orientation of the object;
(c) a memory for storing parameters of said equations; and
(d) at least three vector field generators, having fixed respective positions in said reference frame, for generating respective instances of said vector field.
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Specification