POSITION-IDENTIFYING DEVICE
First Claim
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1. A device for providing positional information relative to an electromagnetic radiating probe when positioned in close proximity to selected locations on a surface comprising:
- a first group of spaced electrically independent conductive loops located in a single layer in close proximity to said surface, a second group of spaced eleCtrically independent conductive loops located in a single layer in close proximity to said surface and arranged to intersect the first group of loops, said intersections defining a plurality of unique response areas in the said surface, a first group of sense amplifiers each responsive to one of the loops in the first group of loops for providing an output when the probe is bracketed by the connected loop, and a second group of sense amplifiers each responsive to one of the loops in the second group of loops for providing an output when the probe is bracketed by the connected loop whereby the probe position can be determined by the sense amplifier outputs when it is located within any of the unique response areas defined by the intersecting loops.
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Abstract
Orthogonally arranged horizontal and vertical loops in substantially the same plane are subjected to a narrow RF field radiating from a probe position within the loops at their intersections. Horizontal and vertical sense amplifiers connected to the horizontal and vertical loops respectively respond to the induced current in the loops and provide a detectable output at those amplifiers connected to the intersecting loops within which the probe is located for identifying the probe position.
29 Citations
5 Claims
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1. A device for providing positional information relative to an electromagnetic radiating probe when positioned in close proximity to selected locations on a surface comprising:
- a first group of spaced electrically independent conductive loops located in a single layer in close proximity to said surface, a second group of spaced eleCtrically independent conductive loops located in a single layer in close proximity to said surface and arranged to intersect the first group of loops, said intersections defining a plurality of unique response areas in the said surface, a first group of sense amplifiers each responsive to one of the loops in the first group of loops for providing an output when the probe is bracketed by the connected loop, and a second group of sense amplifiers each responsive to one of the loops in the second group of loops for providing an output when the probe is bracketed by the connected loop whereby the probe position can be determined by the sense amplifier outputs when it is located within any of the unique response areas defined by the intersecting loops.
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2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the loops of the first and second groups are arranged substantially orthogonal to each other and the response areas defined by the intersections of the loops are substantially rectangular in shape.
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3. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which the loops of the first and second groups are elongated and are each substantially longer in one direction than the other.
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4. A device as set forth in claim 3 in which the sense amplifiers of the first and second groups are tuned to the probe frequency and reject other frequencies.
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5. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the first group of loops are horizontally arranged and the second group of loops are vertically arranged.
Specification