Position detector
First Claim
1. A positioning system comprising:
- a substantially planar array of x-y coils;
an electromagnetic field generator whose height above the planar x-y coils can vary and operable to generate an electromagnetic field; and
processing circuitry coupled to the substantially planar x-y coils and operable to process signals generated by the x-y coils in response to the electromagnetic field generated by said field generator when said field generator is within a sensing range of the positioning system, to determine a measure of the height of the field generator above the planar coils within said sensing range.
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Abstract
A position detector is provided for detecting the relative movement of first and second members which are mounted for relative movement along a measuring path. One of the members comprises a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field and the other member comprises first and second conductors which are inductively coupled to said magnetic field generator. The arrangement of the first and second conductors and the magnetic field generator is such that output signals are generated in a first and second receive circuits whose position varies with the relative movement between the two members. In addition to carrying information relating to the relative position between the two members, the signals induced in the receive circuits also comprise information defining the relative orientation of the two movable members, and by suitable processing of the received signals the relative orientation of the two members can also be determined. In a preferred form of the invention, the system operates to define the relative position and orientation of the two movable members in first and second directions from which the relative orientation of the two members in a plane containing the two directions can be determined. The signals induced in the receive circuits can also be processed to give an indication of the gap between the two circuits and to provide an indication of the full relative orientation of the two members.
241 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A positioning system comprising:
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a substantially planar array of x-y coils; an electromagnetic field generator whose height above the planar x-y coils can vary and operable to generate an electromagnetic field; and processing circuitry coupled to the substantially planar x-y coils and operable to process signals generated by the x-y coils in response to the electromagnetic field generated by said field generator when said field generator is within a sensing range of the positioning system, to determine a measure of the height of the field generator above the planar coils within said sensing range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A positioning system comprising:
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a planar array of x-y sensor coils distributed over an x-y measurement area; a field generator which is movable relative to said planar array of x-y coils and which is operable to generate an electromagnetic field; and processing circuitry coupled to said x-y sensor coils and operable to process signals generated in x-y sensor coils in response to the electromagnetic field generated by said field generator, when said field generator is within a sensing range of the positioning system, to determine the x-y position of said field generator within said x-y measurement area and to determine a measure of height of the field generator from the planar array of x-y sensor coils within said sensing range; wherein said signals generated in said x-y sensor coils vary with the x-y position and said height, wherein said processing circuitry is operable to combine the signals generated in two or more of said sensor coils to derive an amplitude measure which is independent of said x-y position and which varies with said height and wherein said processing circuitry is operable to process said amplitude measure to determine said height measure of the field generator relative to said planar coils. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification