Method and apparatus for dynamic magnetic field control using multiple magnets
First Claim
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1. A method of determining the positions and orientations of at least two magnets to apply a magnetic field at an operating point of specified strength and direction, the method comprising:
- (1) apportioning the contribution to the desired field of each of the at least two magnets;
(2) individually determining for each of the at least two magnets, a position and orientation to achieve the apportioned contribution using a representation of the magnetic field of each the magnet;
(3) simultaneously determining a position and orientation of each of the at least two magnets two magnets to achieve the desired field, using the individually determined positions and orientations and a representation of the magnetic field of each magnet.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for dynamic magnetic field control using multiple magnets. Control methods and system means are described that allow dynamically changing the magnetic field generated at a point in space by a multiplicity of magnets.
152 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of determining the positions and orientations of at least two magnets to apply a magnetic field at an operating point of specified strength and direction, the method comprising:
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(1) apportioning the contribution to the desired field of each of the at least two magnets; (2) individually determining for each of the at least two magnets, a position and orientation to achieve the apportioned contribution using a representation of the magnetic field of each the magnet; (3) simultaneously determining a position and orientation of each of the at least two magnets two magnets to achieve the desired field, using the individually determined positions and orientations and a representation of the magnetic field of each magnet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 14, 15)
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6. A method of generating a specific target magnetic field at an operating point in space, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) representing magnet and application related constraints; (b) defining a series of intermediate field vectors at the operating point; (c) using an inversion method to find a series of method control parameters for a multiplicity of magnets associated with the series of field vectors of step (b); (d) finding a time sequence of control parameters for the multiplicity of magnets of step (c) subject to the constraints of step (a) to approximate the series of control parameters of step (c); and (e) performing the time sequence of step (d), whereby the target magnetic field at the operating point is achieved at a given level of accuracy and within a specific time interval. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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9. A method of representing the magnetic field generated by a magnet, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a least a first level of magnetic field representation such that the magnet control parameters that will provide a specific magnetic field generated by the magnet at an operating point in space within a first level of accuracy can be found efficiently; and (b) providing at least a second level of magnetic field representation such that the magnet control parameters that will provide a specific magnetic field generated by a multiplicity of magnets at an operating point in space at a second, higher, level of accuracy can be found efficiently; and (c) designing the magnetic field representations of steps (a) and (b) such that the control parameters found by using the representations provided in step (a) for the multiplicity of magnets under consideration in step (b) will provide an initial point in the neighborhood of the final solution for the procedure of finding the control parameters using the representation provided in step (b); whereby the control parameters for a multiplicity of magnets that will generate a specific magnetic field at an operating point in space within a second, higher level of accuracy subject to design and application related constraints can be found efficiently. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification