Position tracking system
US6043873A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 10, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 28, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 10, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/66
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical position tracking system that tracks the position of objects, using light intensity and/or frequency with the application of geometry and ratios of detector responses, is provided, having light distributing and light detecting components that employ the concepts of constructive occlusion and diffuse reflection. Diffusely reflective cavities, masks and baffles are used to improve certain radiating characteristics of the distributing components and certain response characteristics of the detecting components, to tailor the radiation and detection profiles thereof, including them substantially uniform for all angles within a hemispheric area which the distributing and detecting components face. The distributing and/or detecting components are partitioned with specially-configured baffles. A partitioned distributor has distinct emission sections where the sections can emit spectrally-different or distinguishable radiation. A partitioned detector has distinct detection sections where the sections can detect radiation from different directions. The system may be variously configured, to use different combinations of partitioned and nonpartitioned devices. In most configuration…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.