System for determining the position of a vehicle, vehicle therewith, and method therefor
First Claim
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1. A system for determining a position of a vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of sensors for measuring a magnetic field strength of a magnet; and
a digital signal processor;
wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in a two-dimensional array that defines a plane substantially parallel to a surface where the magnet is positioned, and all of the sensors of the plurality of sensors are evenly interspersed in both dimensions;
wherein the system is configured to determine a position of the magnet with respect to the plurality of sensors;
wherein the system is free of sensors for measuring a magnetic field strength of a magnet outside the two-dimensional array; and
wherein the plurality of sensors are each configured such that their sensitivity for a magnetic field component perpendicular to the plane within which the plurality of sensors is arranged is greater than zero and is substantially higher than their sensitivity for a magnetic field component parallel to the plane, which is also greater than zero.
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Abstract
A system for determining the position of a vehicle includes a plurality of sensors for measuring the magnetic field strength of a magnet, means and is configured for determining the position of the magnet with respect to a plurality of sensors wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in a two-dimensions array.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for determining a position of a vehicle comprising:
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a plurality of sensors for measuring a magnetic field strength of a magnet; and a digital signal processor; wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in a two-dimensional array that defines a plane substantially parallel to a surface where the magnet is positioned, and all of the sensors of the plurality of sensors are evenly interspersed in both dimensions; wherein the system is configured to determine a position of the magnet with respect to the plurality of sensors; wherein the system is free of sensors for measuring a magnetic field strength of a magnet outside the two-dimensional array; and wherein the plurality of sensors are each configured such that their sensitivity for a magnetic field component perpendicular to the plane within which the plurality of sensors is arranged is greater than zero and is substantially higher than their sensitivity for a magnetic field component parallel to the plane, which is also greater than zero. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 9, 10, 11)
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4. A vehicle comprising a system for determining a position of a vehicle comprising:
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a plurality of sensors for measuring a magnetic field strength of a magnet; and a digital signal processor; wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in a two-dimensional array that defines a plane substantially parallel to a surface where the magnet is positioned, and all of the sensors of the plurality of sensors are evenly dispersed in both dimensions; and wherein the system is configured to determine a position of the magnet with respect to the plurality of sensors, and wherein the system is free of sensors for measuring a magnetic field strength of a magnet outside the two-dimensional array, and wherein the plurality of sensors are each configured such that their sensitivity for a magnetic field component perpendicular to the plane within which the plurality of sensors is arranged is greater than zero and is substantially higher than their sensitivity for a magnetic field component parallel to the plane, which is greater than zero. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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5. A method for determining a position of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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acquiring from a plurality of sensors in a system magnetic field strengths measured by the plurality of sensors; and determining the position of a sensed magnet with respect to the plurality of sensors; wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in a two-dimensional array and all of the sensors of the plurality of sensors are evenly dispersed in both dimensions, and wherein the system is free of sensors for measuring a magnetic field strength of a magnet outside the two-dimensional array, and wherein the plurality of sensors are each configured such that their sensitivity for a magnetic field component perpendicular to the plane within which the plurality of sensors is arranged is greater than zero and is substantially higher than their sensitivity for a magnetic field component parallel to the plane, which is greater than zero. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 15)
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16. A system for determining a position of a vehicle comprising:
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a plurality of sensors arranged in a two dimensional array that defines a plane substantially parallel to a surface where the magnet is positioned, for measuring a magnetic field strength of a magnet, wherein all of the sensors of the plurality of sensors are evenly interspersed in both dimensions; a plurality of magnets provided in a surface suitable for the vehicle to drive on; and a digital signal processor configured to determine a position of a selected magnet with respect to the plurality of sensors, wherein the system is free of sensors for measuring a magnetic field strength of a magnet outside the two-dimensional arrays, and wherein the plurality of sensors are each configured such that their sensitivity for a magnetic field component perpendicular to the plane within which the plurality of sensors is arranged is greater than zero and is substantially higher than their sensitivity for a magnetic field component parallel to the plane, which is greater than zero. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification