Automatic Determination of the Position of an Object

• US 20090072817A1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cairos Technologies Ag
• Original Assignee: Cairos Technologies Ag
• Inventors: Bucher, Tilman
• Granted Patent: US 8,228,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/207.110
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/004 Goals of the type used for football, handball, hockey or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/07 Hall effect devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/093 using multilayer structures, e.g. giant magnetoresistance sensors thin magnetic films H01F10/00

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for analysis of magnetic fields or signals used for the determination of the position of an object, wherein two temporally to each other shifted magnetic signals or fields are generated by two conductors arranged at least in part or completely separated from each other. The magnetic fields generated by the conductors are consecutively being captured by at least one and preferably three sensors arranged orthogonally to each other and determining from the captured signals information for determining the position of the object carrying the sensors relative to the conductors.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing magnetic fields or signals used for determining the position of an object, the method comprising:

generating, by two or more conductors, two or more temporal shifted magnetic signals or fields, the two or more conductors being at least partially or completely separate arranged from each other;

capturing, by at least one and preferably three preferable orthogonal arranged sensors, the magnetic fields generated consecutively by the conductors; and

determining information for the determination of the position of the object bearing said sensors relatively to the conductors from the captured signals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a signal (W_i) or the magnetic field strength in periodic intervals; and

determining the difference of the field strength of consecutive measurements (W_i−

W_i+1);

wherein the absolute value of said difference is compared to a threshold value to determine if an activated external alternating field is present and if the analysis or measurement is to be activated or triggered.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

performing N+1 measurements per direction in space, wherein N is an odd number; and

calculating an amplitude A1 using the measurement values W_i after activation using the formula

$A<br><br><br><br>1=\frac{\underset{i=1}{\overset{N}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{ABS}<br><br>\left(W_i-W_{i+1}\right)}{N}.$

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

calculating an amplitude A2 using the measurement values W_i after activation using the formula

A2=MAX({W_i})−

MIN({W_i}),

where i≦

1≦

N.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

calculating an amplitude A3 using the measurement values W_i after activation using the formula

A3=ABS(MAX{W_i−

W_i+1})+ABS(MIN{W_i−

W_i+1}),

where i≦

1≦

N.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a combination of the amplitude values A1, A2 and/or A3 is used as AMP in order to determine the position of the object relative to the conductors, wherein

AMP=(Factor1*A1)+(Factor2*A2)+(Factor3*A3).

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the amplitude values AMP1 and AMP2 is used, in order to determine the position of the object wherein:

AMP1=(Factor1*A1)+(Factor3*A3)

AMP2=(Factor2*A2)+(Factor3*A3)

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein one of the amplitude values A1, A2, A3, AMP, AMP1 and AMP2 of a first conductor is compared with another preferably temporally shifted amplitude value A1, A2, A3, AMP, AMP1 and AMP2 of another conductor in order to determine if the object or the sensor inside the object is closer to the first conductor or closer to the second conductor.

9. An arrangement of at least two electrical conductors, wherein:

the conductors are placed parallel to each other, in particular, standing horizontally to each other;

both conductors are adapted to generate a magnetic field, each of the at least two conductors being connected to a current source; and

at least one end of each of said at least two conductors, which is averted to the connection with the current source is electronically connected to grounding means.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the at least two conductors are placed in soil underneath the surface of a sports field and wherein the grounding means comprises at least one formation extending underneath the surface of the sports field, in particular a ground anchor.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein on the sports field at each side of at least one marking line at least one conductor is placed at the same horizontal distance to said marking line and wherein the conductors extend beyond the length of the marking line.

12. A goal of a sports field having two posts and a crossbar, wherein:

the posts and the crossbar are composed essentially of electrical conductive material;

the posts extend essentially at least to the surface of the sports field;

a conductor loop which encompasses at least a part of the goal of a sports field, said conductor loop being punctuated by at least one electrical non-conductive element.

13. The goal of a sports field according to claim 12, wherein the conductor loop encompasses and is composed of the posts, the crossbar and at least a part of the sports field arranged between the posts and wherein the at least one non-conductive element is part of the goal of a sports field, the at least one non-conductive element being a connecting element arranged in between one post and the crossbar or an element which is dividing a post or the crossbar.

14. The goal of a sports field according to claim 12, wherein the at least one non-conductive element is part of the sports field, which is arranged in an area of the sports field adjacent to a post and in particular a bracket of the post.

15. The goal of a sports field according to claim 12, wherein the goal within the area of the conductor loop is in part, specifically predominantly, made of at least one conductive material and at least one non-conductive material.