Patent · US Expired

Six-degree of freedom tracking system having a passive transponder on the object being tracked

US6380732B1 · kind B1 · utility

420Cited by
12References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 11, 1999
Grant dateApr 30, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 11, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S13/878
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

This invention discloses a system for tracking one or more objects (22) within a region of interest, including at least one electromagnetic field generator (20), fixed with respect to an external frame of reference, at least one passive transponder (30), fixed to an object (22) being tracked, wherein an electromagnetic field generated by the electromagnetic field generator (20) causes the transponder (30) to generate electromagnetic signals and at least one electromagnetic sensor (24), fixed with respect to the external frame of reference, which receives electromagnetic signals generated by the transponder (30) and determines the three-dimensional position and three-axis rotational orientation of the object (20) using these signals. A method of tracking translation and rotation of one or more objects within a region of interest is also disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.