Magnetic position and orientation measurement system with magnetic field permeable attenuator
First Claim
1. In a magnetic position and orientation measurement system, the improvement comprising means for containing a magnetic field used to conduct measurements of position and orientation of an object, said containing means comprising a magnetic field permeable attenuator located adjacent a region where position and orientation of said object is being measured by a magnetic field, said attenuator attenuating said magnetic field on a side of said attenuator remote from said region, said system including a transmitter located on a side of said attenuator opposite said remote side, and a compensation coil at least partially surrounding said attenuator, and operated concurrently with operation of each transmitter coil to reduce magnetic field distortions peripheral of said attenuator.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A transmitter assembly includes a sandwich made up of a three axis transmitter, driven by a transmitter driver, mounted on a permeable attenuator with a spacer interposed between the transmitter and the attenuator. The attenuator is mounted on top of a conductive plate. A compensation coil is provided and driven by a compensation coil driver that energizes the compensation coil to optimize compensation for magnetic field edge effects. A number of individual compensation coils may be arranged about the periphery of the conductive plate or permeable attenuator. The individual compensation coils in the modification may be activated in tandem or individually to compensate for non-uniform magnetic edge fields caused by he non-symmetrical configuration of, for example, three transmitter coils or, for example, a square permeable attenuator rather than a circular permeable attenuator.
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Citations
44 Claims
- 1. In a magnetic position and orientation measurement system, the improvement comprising means for containing a magnetic field used to conduct measurements of position and orientation of an object, said containing means comprising a magnetic field permeable attenuator located adjacent a region where position and orientation of said object is being measured by a magnetic field, said attenuator attenuating said magnetic field on a side of said attenuator remote from said region, said system including a transmitter located on a side of said attenuator opposite said remote side, and a compensation coil at least partially surrounding said attenuator, and operated concurrently with operation of each transmitter coil to reduce magnetic field distortions peripheral of said attenuator.
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17. A magnetic position measurement system, comprising:
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a) a thin magnetic field permeable attenuator;
b) a thin conductive plate below said attenuator;
c) a thin transmitter above said attenuator, said transmitter capable of measuring in three dimensions;
d) a compensation coil about the periphery of one of said conductive plate or said attenuator. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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- 26. In a transmitter transmitting a magnetic field in a space to measure position of an object in said space, the improvement comprising a magnetic field permeable attenuator in association with said transmitter and a coil adjacent said attenuator, said coil being activated concurrently with activation of said transmitter to reduce distortions of said magnetic field.
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35. A method of measuring position and orientation of an object in a prescribed three dimensional space, including the steps of:
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a) defining a three dimensional space;
b) locating a magnetic field permeable attenuator adjacent said space;
c) placing a transmitter on a side of said attenuator facing said space;
d) locating a compensation coil surrounding said attenuator;
e) operating said transmitter and compensation coil concurrently, and f) measuring position of said object. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification