Methods and systems for object tracking

US9341704B2 · kind B2 · utility

Inventors

• Frederic Picard · Pittsburgh, US
• Gontje C. Claasen · Charenton-le-Pont, FR
• Philippe Martin · Lausanne, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 13, 2011
• Grant date: May 17, 2016
• Expiry date: Oct 29, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B2090/0818
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Methods and systems for object tracking are disclosed in which the bandwidth of a “slow” tracking system (e.g., an optical tracking system) is augmented with sensor data generated by a “fast” tracking system (e.g., an inertial tracking system). The tracking data generated by the respective systems can be used to estimate and/or predict a position, velocity, and orientation of a tracked object that can be updated at the sample rate of the “fast” tracking system. The methods and systems disclosed herein generally involve an estimation algorithm that operates on raw sensor data (e.g., two-dimensional pixel coordinates in a captured image) as opposed to first processing and/or calculating object position and orientation using a triangulation or “back projection” algorithm.