3d Orientation Patents (Class 702/153)
  • Patent number: 8423318
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing information about an object. A location on the object is identified. An association between the location on the object and a number of points in a point cloud for the object is identified. The number of points in the point cloud is associated with a number of parts for the object. The location on the object is associated with the number of parts for the object based on the association of the location on the object with the number of points in the point cloud. An identification of the number of parts associated with the location on the object is presented on a graphical user interface on a display system. Information for the location on the object in a number of types of media is identified. The information for the location on the object is associated with the location on the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Randy D. Baker, Joseph D. Doyle, Jeremy Glenn Eagan, Robin A. Rongey, Anthony Michael Thomason, Paul Robert Davies
  • Patent number: 8405013
    Abstract: A solar tracking device including a solar panel, an orientation control device, and an inclination sensing device is provided. The solar panel is suitable for converting solar energy into electric energy. The orientation control device controls an orientation of the solar panel according to the position and time of the solar panel. The inclination sensing device is disposed on the solar panel for detecting an inclination direction of the solar panel. The inclination sensing device is suitable for outputting a feedback signal to the orientation control device to adjust the orientation of the solar panel. The solar tracking device has a simple tracking mechanism because of a simple feedback mechanism of the inclination sensing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sunplus mMedia Inc.
    Inventors: Yarn-Chen Chen, Yi-Chieh Chang
  • Patent number: 8401818
    Abstract: A golf ball movement measuring apparatus includes: a camera for taking a plurality of images of a golf ball hit by a golf club; a dark-colored background material which is disposed so as to configure a background of the golf ball in the images; and a processing unit to which the images are transmitted from the camera, the processing unit masking a background portion excepting the dark-colored background material in the images in black through image processing, and the processing unit analyzing a movement of the golf ball hit by the golf club.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Fumiaki Sato, Wataru Ban
  • Patent number: 8384665
    Abstract: Techniques for selecting a portion of a 3D virtual environment are disclosed, where the portion of the 3D virtual environment may be one or more objects in the 3D virtual environment or one of scenes in the 3D virtual environment. A motion sensitive device (controller) is used. The controller generates sensor data sufficient to derive position and orientation of the controller in six degrees of freedom. In one embodiment, when selecting the portion of the 3D virtual environment, the controller generates a ray to an interaction of a display screen provided to display the 3D virtual environment, wherein the ray is further projected into the 3D virtual environment by a ray tracing technique as if the user had a real laser pointer that crosses from the physical world into the 3D virtual environment being displayed. Further a user is optionally to use a secondary input device to select one or more points or objects in a 3D space to control a distance along the ray being used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: AiLive, Inc.
    Inventors: William Robert Powers, III, Charles Musick, Jr., Dana Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 8370097
    Abstract: Measurement data is collected from a magnetic sensor in a portable device, while the device is being carried by its end user and without requiring the end user to deliberately rotate or position the device while the output data is being collected. For example, the device may be held in the user's hand while walking or standing, or it may be fixed to the dashboard of an automobile or boat. Measurement data may also be collected from one or more positing, orientation or movement sensors. The collected measurement data from one or both of the magnetic sensor and the position, orientation or movement sensor is processed. In response, either a 2D compass calibration process or a 3D process is signaled to be performed. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Parin Patel, Ronald K. Huang, Patrick S. Piemonte, Robert Mayor
  • Patent number: 8370106
    Abstract: A method, system, and article to support a motion based input system. Movement data is acquired from a motion sensor. An orientation detector detects orientation towards gravity from a rest position, and a motion detector detects motion, including movement and rest. In addition, an inference state machine in communication with the orientation and motion detectors maintains a sequence of the detected motion conditions, and produces a profile description for the sequence of the detected motion conditions. An output event corresponding to the profile description is generated based upon the profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Keynetik, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Shkolnikov, Yevgeniy Shkolnikov
  • Patent number: 8364437
    Abstract: A method of inspecting a mark arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: generating mask data in which mark seed data that includes an inspection mark that includes vector information and is not drawn on a mask and mark data is arranged on a scribe line of the mask, calculating coordinates of the inspection mark from a reference position of the mark seed data, detecting an arrangement state of the inspection mark with respect to the reference position by using the coordinates and vector information, and judging whether the mark seed data is correctly arranged by comparing the arrangement state of the inspection mark with an arrangement check rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Morinaga, Kazutaka Ishigo, Takaki Kumanomido
  • Patent number: 8331670
    Abstract: A document alteration detection method compares a target image with an original image by comparing character shape features without actually recognizing the characters. Bounding boxes for the characters are generated for both images, each enclosing one or more connected groups of pixels of one character. The bounding boxes in the original and target images are matched into pairs. Addition and deletion of text is detected if a bounding box in one image does not have a matching one in the other image. Each pair of bounding boxes is processed to compare their shape features. The shape features include the Euler numbers of the characters, the aspect ratio of the bounding boxes, the pixel density of the bounding boxes, and the Hausdorff distance between the two characters. The two characters are determined to be the same or different based on the shape feature comparisons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Songyang Yu, Wei Ming
  • Patent number: 8330803
    Abstract: In a method for 3D digitization of an object (1), a plurality of camera images of the object are recorded and assembled to determine the 3D coordinates of the object. To improve such method, pictures are taken from the object (1), from which 2D feature points (11, 12, 13; 21, 22, 23) of the object (1) are determined. The 3D coordinates of the 2D feature points are determined. The 2D point correspondences (32, 32, 22) between the 2D feature points of a picture and the 2D feature points of another picture are determined. Several of these 2D point correspondences are selected, and an associated 3D transformation is determined. The quality of this 3D transformation is determined with reference to the transformed 3D coordinates of the 2D feature points. Valid 3D feature points are determined therefrom. For assembling the camera images of the object (1), the 3D coordinates of the valid 3D feature points are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Steinbichler Optotechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Frey, Daniel Kreutzer, Thomas Mayer, Marcus Steinbichler
  • Patent number: 8325020
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for uniquely identifying wireless devices in close physical proximity are described. When two wireless devices are brought into close proximity, one of the devices displays an optical indicator, such as a light pattern. This device then sends messages to other devices which are within wireless range to cause them to use any light sensor to detect a signal. In an embodiment, the light sensor is a camera and the detected signal is an image captured by the camera. Each device then sends data identifying what was detected back to the device displaying the pattern. By analyzing this data, the first device can determine which other device detected the indicator that it displayed and therefore determine that this device is within close physical proximity. In an example, the first device is an interactive surface arranged to identify the wireless addresses of devices which are placed on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Shahram Izadi, Malcolm Hall, Stephen Hodges, William A. S. Buxton, David Alexander Butler
  • Patent number: 8321076
    Abstract: A system for controlling an aerospace vehicle using on-line inertia estimation may include an attitude sensor to measure an attitude of the aerospace vehicle. The system may also include a processor on board the aerospace vehicle. An inertia estimator operable on the processor may generate an on-line inertia estimate of the aerospace vehicle. A rate and attitude estimator operable on the processor may determine an angular position and angular velocity of the aerospace vehicle using the attitude measurement of the aerospace vehicle and the on-line inertia estimate for controlling movement and orientation of the aerospace vehicle without any rates of rotation of the aerospace vehicle being required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Manu Sharma, Qinghong W. Wang
  • Patent number: 8321221
    Abstract: This invention realizes a speech communication system and method, and a robot apparatus capable of significantly improving entertainment property. A speech communication system with a function to make conversation with a conversation partner is provided with a speech recognition means for recognizing speech of the conversation partner, a conversation control means for controlling conversation with the conversation partner based on the recognition result of the speech recognition means, an image recognition means for recognizing the face of the conversation partner, and a tracking control means for tracing the existence of the conversation partner based on one or both of the recognition result of the image recognition means and the recognition result of the speech recognition means. The conversation control means controls conversation so as to continue depending on tracking of the tracking control means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumi Aoyama, Hideki Shimomura
  • Patent number: 8320709
    Abstract: From a sequence of images captured by an image pickup unit, images necessary for measuring placement information regarding markers and/or a sensor are automatically determined and obtained. To this end, using position and orientation information regarding the image pickup unit at the time the image pickup unit has captured an obtained image and placement information regarding detected markers, whether to use the captured image corresponding to the position and orientation is determined. Using the captured image determined to be used, the marker placement information, placement information regarding a measurement target, or the position and orientation of the image pickup unit serving as an unknown parameter is obtained so as to minimize the error between the measured image coordinates and theoretical image coordinates of each marker, which are estimated on the basis of a rough value of the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Aratani, Daisuke Kotake, Shinji Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 8321143
    Abstract: The present invention relates to peptide fragments which have one or more shared and/or similar amino acid sequences to amino acid sequences of specific portions of the 14 kDa protein of S. mansoni (Sm14) or related FABPs (Fatty Acid Binding Proteins), the peptide fragments functioning as continuous or discontinuous epitopic regions of the molecule or mimicking its biological activity. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for constructing active peptide fragments, peptide fragments, immunogenic composition and diagnostic kit using peptide fragments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Inventors: Miriam Tendler, Richard Charles Garrat, Naftale Katz, Andrew John George Simpson, Frank Jefferson Alarcon de Barrientos, Monica Magno Vilar, Marilia Sirianni dos Santo Almeida
  • Patent number: 8315673
    Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to interacting with a target object using an imaging device of a handheld mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Arnold Jason Gum
  • Patent number: 8296096
    Abstract: A method and system for determining the location and attitude (roll, pitch, and yaw) of a moving object relative to an external reference frame by tracking unique two-dimensional patterns in the external reference frame from the moving object with displacement sensors. The displacement sensors lock onto the unique two-dimensional patterns by means of a steering mechanism which steers an optical path element capable of deviating the optical path using the displacement information from the relative movement of the two-dimensional patterns. The system is able to detect position and attitude to sub-millimeter accuracy without a physical connect between the moving object and the external reference frame and without a physical connection between the moving object and the external reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Inventor: Richard Kirby
  • Patent number: 8284070
    Abstract: An assessment device is provided which allows for measurement of a position of interest, e.g., a body part, while a subject is in a functional position, such as may be required for the demands of an activity of interest without also requiring a lengthy setup time, tethered connection to other equipment external to the subject or tedious manual measurements. Moreover, an indicator such as an alarm or other output may be provided for receiving immediate, real time feedback, such as when a functional activity falls outside a tolerance or threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: The Ohio State University
    Inventors: Ajit Chaudhari, Christopher McKenzie
  • Patent number: 8271069
    Abstract: A surgical navigation system for navigating a region of a patient that may include a non-invasive dynamic reference frame and/or fiducial marker, sensor tipped instruments, and isolator circuits. The dynamic reference frame may be placed on the patient in a precise location for guiding the instruments. The dynamic reference frames may be fixedly placed on the patient. Also the dynamic reference frames may be placed to allow generally natural movements of soft tissue relative to the dynamic reference frames. Also methods are provided to determine positions of the dynamic reference frames. Anatomical landmarks may be determined intra-operatively and without access to the anatomical structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Medtronic Navigation, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley A. Jascob, Scott Shaver, Todd Martens, Nadim Yared, Kirsten Boes, John H. Dukesherer, Mark W. Hunter
  • Patent number: 8260578
    Abstract: The method uses a location device and a timing element to determine the location of a protection device at various periods of time. During these periods of time, the human may be participating in a variety of activities and positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Tana Marie Kirkbride, Thomas Ward Osborn, III, Reginald Edward Crutcher, II, Marie Brigid O'Reilly
  • Patent number: 8238612
    Abstract: A method for determining motion is provided. The method determines a rotation of an object from a first time to a second time by analyzing a first 2D image obtained at the first time and a second 2D image obtained at the second time. Then, the method determines a translation of the object from the first time to the second time based on the determined rotation, 3D information relating to the first image, and 3D information relating to the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Sara Susca, Kailash Krishnaswamy
  • Patent number: 8219352
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention disclose a system and a method for determining a pose of a probe relative to an object by probing the object with the probe, comprising steps of: determining a probability of the pose using Rao-Blackwellized particle filtering, wherein a probability of a location of the pose is represented by a location of each particle, and a probability of an orientation of the pose is represented by a Gaussian distribution over orientation of each particle conditioned on the location of the particle, wherein the determining is performed for each subsequent probing until the probability of the pose concentrates around a particular pose; and estimating the pose of the probe relative to the object based on the particular pose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi Taguchi, Tim Marks
  • Patent number: 8209179
    Abstract: This invention realizes a speech communication system and method, and a robot apparatus capable of significantly improving entertainment property. A speech communication system with a function to make conversation with a conversation partner is provided with a speech recognition means for recognizing speech of the conversation partner, a conversation control means for controlling conversation with the conversation partner based on the recognition result of the speech recognition means, an image recognition means for recognizing the face of the conversation partner, and a tracking control means for tracing the existence of the conversation partner based on one or both of the recognition result of the image recognition means and the recognition result of the speech recognition means. The conversation control means controls conversation so as to continue depending on tracking of the tracking control means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumi Aoyama, Hideki Shimomura
  • Patent number: 8206325
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light-weight, small and portable ambulatory sensor for measuring and monitoring a person's physical activity. Based on these measurements and computations, the invented system quantifies the subject's physical activity, quantifies the subject's gait, determines his or her risk of falling, and automatically detects falls. The invention combines the features of portability, high autonomy, and real-time computational capacity. High autonomy is achieved by using only accelerometers, which have low power consumption rates as compared with gyroscope-based systems. Accelerometer measurements, however, contain significant amounts of noise, which must be removed before further analysis. The invention therefore uses novel time-frequency filters to denoise the measurements, and in conjunction with biomechanical models of human movement, perform the requisite computations, which may also be done in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Biosensics, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Bijan Najafi, Ashkan Vaziri, Ali-Reza Boloori
  • Publication number: 20120154387
    Abstract: An information processing device includes an acquisition unit which acquires information of acceleration, angular velocity, and magnetic intensity of an operation device, a coordinate conversion unit which converts the angular velocity acquired by the acquisition unit into global angular velocity in a global coordinate system using information of posture angles of the operation device, an initial posture angle calculation unit which calculates a posture angle of the operation device in the initial stage in the global coordinate system based on the information of the acceleration and the magnetic intensity, an updating unit which updates the posture angle of the operation device in the global coordinate system based on information of the global angular velocity, and a control unit which causes the coordinate conversion unit to convert the first angular velocity into the global angular velocity and to convert a second angular velocity into the global angular velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsubasa Tsukahara, Tetsuro Goto, Shinobu Kuriya, Kenichi Kabasawa, Masatoshi Ueno, Hideo Kawabe, Toshiyuki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8200314
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for locating the position, preferably in three dimensions, of a sensor by generating magnetic fields which are detected at the sensor. The magnetic fields are generated from a plurality of locations and, in one embodiment of the invention, enable both the orientation and location of a single coil sensor to be determined. The present invention thus finds application in many areas where the use of prior art sensors comprising two or more mutually perpendicular coils is inappropriate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company
    Inventors: John Stuart Bladen, Alan Patrick Anderson
  • Patent number: 8184788
    Abstract: There is provided a communication system having at least one headset (100) for recording speech signals with a directional information signalling device (1) for detecting directional information. The communication system further has a communication unit (200) which has a direction evaluation unit (2) for evaluating the items of directional information produced by the directional information signalling device. The communication unit further has a channel selection unit (3) for receiving the recorded speech signals (c) and for selecting an output channel (OUT1-OUTi) in dependence on the items of directional information detected and evaluated by the direction evaluation unit (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jan Peter Kuhtz
  • Patent number: 8174255
    Abstract: A hall effect system having a housing, an input element coupled to the housing, and a magnetic element coupled to the input element and configured to have a detectable magnetic flux. A sensing element is adjacent to the magnetic element. The sensing element is configured to sense the magnetic flux. A processing element is coupled to the sensing element and is configured to determine a position of the magnetic element relative to the sensing element by determining changes in and/or the orientation of the magnetic flux upon movement of the interface element by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Mason Electric Co.
    Inventors: Terry Peterson, Kevin Allen, Joe C. Fielding, Raymond Francisco, Charlotte A. Marelius, David D. Drobnis, John Ronquillo
  • Patent number: 8175840
    Abstract: An apparatus for tracking an posture of a moving object in a three-dimensional space having a z-axis facing a reference surface of the moving object, an x-axis perpendicular to the z-axis in a virtual vertical plane including the z-axis, and a y-axis perpendicular to the x-axis in a virtual horizontal plane including the x-axis is described. A reference surface direction determination unit detects which direction the reference surface is facing with the x-axis as an axis of rotation. The x-axis deviation determination unit detects how far an x-axis direction of the moving object is relatively deviated from a magnetic north direction. The determination unit determines the posture of the moving object based on how far the x-axis of the moving object is deviated and which direction the reference surface is facing in response to detection signals of the reference surface direction determination unit and the x-axis deviation determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Inventors: Jin Sang Hwang, Jeong-Whan Lee
  • Patent number: 8165844
    Abstract: A system is provided for capturing motion of a moving object via a plurality of motion sensor modules placed on various body segments. The sensor modules capture both 3D position and 3D orientation data relating to their respective body segments, thereby gathering motion data having six degrees of freedom with respect to a coordinate system not fixed to the body. Each body sensor collects 3D inertial sensor data and, optionally, magnetic field data. In embodiments, either DSP circuitry within the sensor modules or an external computing device, processes the sensor data to arrive at orientation and position estimates by using an estimation algorithm, such as a Kalman filter or a particle filter. The processing includes biomechanical model constraints that allow flexibility in the joints and provide characteristics for various joint types. To improve estimation accuracy, the system may be integrated with various types of aiding sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Xsens Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Henk J Luinge, Daniel Roetenberg, Per J Slycke
  • Publication number: 20120084051
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement for magnetically determining a position using a permanent magnet is described, wherein the vector and local gradient of the magnetic flux density of the permanent magnet is measured using a position sensor, and the position and orientation of the magnetic dipole of the the permanent magnet relative to the position sensor is calculated from the measured values. A spherical permanent magnet having homogenous magnetization is used in the method and the arrangement, preventing previously present cross-sensitivity between the position and orientation determination, and allowing measurement without prior calibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Michael Hackner, Volker Peters, Josef Sauerer
  • Patent number: 8150650
    Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Evolution Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis Filipe Domingues Goncalves, Enrico Di Bernardo, Paolo Pirjanian, L. Niklas Karlsson
  • Patent number: 8140295
    Abstract: An auto-referenced sensing device for scanning an object to provide three-dimensional surface points, including: a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) light source emitting light for illuminating and enabling image acquisition of retro-reflective target positioning features provided at a fixed position on the object; a laser pattern projector, additional to the LED light source, for providing a projected laser pattern on a surface of the object for illuminating and enabling image acquisition of dense points between the retro-reflective target positioning features; at least a pair of cameras for simultaneously acquiring a 2D image of the object, the projected laser pattern and the retro-reflective target positioning features are apparent on the image, wherein the simultaneous images contain both positioning measurements from the retro-reflective target positioning features and dense surface measurements from the points enabled by the projected laser pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Creaform Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Hebert, Éric Saint-Pierre, Dragan Tubic
  • Publication number: 20120059624
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed that modulates the position of one target tracked by a position measuring instrument, measures the path of the target, fits the parameters of a mathematical representation of the time varying path to the path of the target measured as a function of time, and obtains the position, orientation and velocity of the object on which the apparatus is mounted. Key aspects of the modulating nest and the improved method for determining the best fit mathematical representation of the path of the target resulting from the combined effect of the modulation and the motion of the object are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventor: Viswanathan Madhavan
  • Patent number: 8130385
    Abstract: An index detection unit (110) detects the image coordinates of indices from a captured image. An index allocation information updating unit (160) calculates the position and orientation of an image capturing apparatus using the image coordinates of the indices and allocation information of each of these indices. Furthermore, the index allocation information updating unit (160) re-calibrates allocation information of an unreliable index having a reliability indicating that the allocation information is unreliable. The index allocation information updating unit (160) updates allocation information held by an allocation information holding unit (140) in association with the unreliable index to the re-calibrated allocation information and a reliability indicating that the allocation information is reliable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyohide Satoh, Shinji Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 8126676
    Abstract: A system for monitoring an angle of a door is provided comprising: an angle measuring device for measuring an angle of a door and transmitting a signal representing the measured angle; a computer for receiving from the angle measuring device the signal representing the measured angle; and computer software for determining and at least one of displaying and recording the measured angle based on the signal received by the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Becky Lou Smith
  • Patent number: 8121812
    Abstract: A method and system for magnetic locating resolves phase ambiguity. The system uses time-division multiplexed magnetic fields emitted from plural transmit coils. The magnetic fields are alternating fields at a carrier frequency, and the fields emitted from different coils in different transmit intervals have known phase relationship with one another as, for example where the alternating fields are coherent with one another. A receiver uses a plurality of sensor coils and derives plural components using the common phase reference or plural phase reference times having a known relationship. If the determinant of a matrix of the components has a first value, the phase information in the components is correct, and position and orientation are derived from the components. If the determinant has a second value, the phase information in the components is incorrect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: ALKEN Inc.
    Inventor: Robert F. Higgins
  • Patent number: 8082120
    Abstract: A method and hand-held scanning apparatus for three-dimensional scanning of an object is described. The hand-held self-referenced scanning apparatus has a light source for illuminating retro-reflective markers, the retro-reflective markers being provided at fixed positions on or around the object, a photogrammetric high-resolution camera, a pattern projector for providing a projected pattern on a surface of the object; at least a pair of basic cameras, the basic camera cooperating with light sources, the projected pattern and at least a portion of the retro-reflective markers being apparent on the 2D images, a frame for holding all components in position within the hand-held apparatus, the frame having a handle, the frame allowing support and free movement of the scanning apparatus by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Creaform Inc.
    Inventors: Éric St-Pierre, Pierre-Luc Gagné, Antoine Thomas Caron, Nicolas Beaupré, Dragan Tubic, Patrick Hébert
  • Publication number: 20110307213
    Abstract: A system for determining motion information including attitude and angular rate of a dynamic object. The system includes a magnetic-field sensing device to measure in the body coordinate frame of reference an intensity and/or direction of a magnetic field in three substantially orthogonal directions; an acceleration-sensing device adapted to measure total acceleration of the object in the body coordinate frame of reference; and a processor adapted to calculate attitude and angular rate by combining total acceleration measurement data and magnetic field measurement data with the kinematic model in a filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventors: Yang Zhao, Dong An
  • Patent number: 8060344
    Abstract: A method and system comprising a Master station, a processor and one or more targets that allows a user of said system to automatically generate a 3 dimensional graphical representation of a construction site and also overlay a drawing onto the graphical representation to guide the user within a virtual space being displayed by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Inventor: Sam Stathis
  • Patent number: 8057482
    Abstract: A device for detecting and measuring a change in angular position with respect to a reference plane is useful in surgical procedures for orienting various instruments, prosthesis, and implants with respect to anatomical landmarks. One embodiment of the device uses three orthogonal rate sensors, along with integrators and averagers, to determine angular position changes using rate of change information. A display provides position changes from a reference position. Various alignment guides are useful with surgical instruments to obtain a reference plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: OrthAlign, Inc.
    Inventors: A. Curt Stone, Joseph F. Russial
  • Patent number: 8050738
    Abstract: A position detecting apparatus includes a linear magnetic-field generator that generates a linear magnetic field in an area inside the subject; a diffuse magnetic-field generator that generates a diffuse magnetic field having position dependency on magnetic field direction in the area; a magnetic-field line orientation database in which a correspondence between magnetic field direction and position of the diffuse magnetic field in a reference coordinate axis is recorded; an orientation calculator that calculates orientation information of a body-insertable device introduced into a subject in the reference coordinate axis based on linear magnetic-field information and the earth magnetism direction; and a position calculator that calculates a magnetic field direction of the diffuse magnetic field at the position of the body-insertable device based on the linear magnetic-field information, orientation information, and diffuse magnetic-field information, and calculates the position of the body-insertable device b
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuo Minai, Takeshi Mori
  • Patent number: 8032327
    Abstract: A method for obtaining three-dimensional surface points of an object in an object coordinate system having two groups of steps. The method includes providing a set of target positioning features on the object. In a first group of steps, acquiring 2D first images of the object, extracting 2D positioning features; calculating a first set of calculated 3D positioning features; computing first transformation parameters, cumulating the first set of transformed 3D positioning features to provide and augment the set of reference 3D positioning features. In a second group of steps, providing a projected pattern on a surface of the object; acquiring 2D second images of the object, extracting 2D surface points and second sets of 2D positioning features; calculating a set of 3D surface points; calculating a second set of calculated 3D positioning features; computing second transformation parameters, transforming the 3D surface points into transformed 3D surface points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Creaform Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Hebert, Éric Saint-Pierre, Dragan Tubic
  • Patent number: 8032326
    Abstract: A magnetic data processing device sequentially receives magnetic data samples each of which is three-dimensional vector data represented by a linear combination of fundamental vectors and which are outputted from a three-dimensional magnetic sensor. The magnetic data processing device defines a statistical population which includes a plurality of the magnetic data samples sequentially inputted and which signifies a rotation of the three-dimensional magnetic sensor of a predetermined range, and operates when a distribution of the magnetic data samples of the statistical population is flat, for deducing a direction perpendicular to a plane which approximates the flat distribution of the statistical population, as vertical-direction data representing a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Ibuki Handa
  • Publication number: 20110218753
    Abstract: A sensor information acquisition section acquires angular velocity information (GX, GY, GZ) around three axes acquired by three angular velocity sensors, and acceleration information (AX, AY, AZ) in three axial directions acquired by three acceleration sensors. A posture information calculation section calculates a posture angle and position coordinates in a virtual three-dimensional space based on the angular velocity information (GX, GY, GZ) and the acceleration information (AX, AY, AZ). The posture information calculation section calculates a fixed coordinate system velocity vector based on an inertial coordinate system acceleration vector (A) obtained from the acceleration information (AX, AY, AZ), and calculates position coordinates in a virtual three-dimensional space corresponding to the fixed coordinate system velocity vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirofumi UDAGAWA, Yoshihiro KOBAYASHI, Yasushi NAKAOKA
  • Patent number: 8000924
    Abstract: A first attitude calculation means S2 calculates a first attitude indicating an attitude of an input device itself based on a motion detection signal output from an input device equipped with a motion detection sensor. A motion calculation means S21 calculates a motion of the first attitude. An approaching operation determination means S22 to S24 determines whether or not the motion of the first attitude calculated by the motion calculation means is a motion of approaching a predetermined attitude. An input attitude setting means S27, S28, S4 sets an attitude obtained by correcting the first attitude as an input attitude if the motion of the first attitude is the motion of approaching the predetermined attitude, and sets the first attitude as an input attitude if the motion of the first attitude is not the motion of approaching the predetermined attitude. A process execution means S5 performs a predetermined information process based on the input attitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenta Sato, Keizo Ohta
  • Patent number: 7996179
    Abstract: A method of measuring pose of mobile robot, and method and apparatus for measuring for measuring position of mobile robot using the same are provided. The apparatus for measuring the pose of a mobile robot includes an accelerometer measuring acceleration of the mobile robot in a forward direction, a uniform-motion-determining unit determining whether the mobile robot belongs to a uniform motion section, an acceleration section, or a deceleration section, and a pose-calculating unit calculating a pitch and a roll of the mobile robot in the uniform motion section, using the relationship between the measured acceleration in the forward direction and the acceleration due to gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyoung-Ki Lee, Ki-Wan Choi, Seok-Won Bang, Woo-Yeon Jeong, Ji-Young Park
  • Publication number: 20110187548
    Abstract: A lifting device sensor unit is disclosed. In one embodiment, the sensor unit comprises a housing configured to removably couple about a load line of a lifting device. A first global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver is coupled with the housing and is configured for determining a sensor unit position in three dimensions. A load monitor is coupled with the housing and is configured for monitoring a load coupled with the load line, including monitoring a load position and a load orientation of the load. A wireless transceiver is coupled with the housing and is configured for wirelessly providing information including the load position, the load orientation, and the sensor unit position, to a display unit located apart from the sensor unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventors: Kurt Maynard, John Cameron
  • Publication number: 20110169925
    Abstract: There is described a method to synchronize the orientation of an IGD 3D Coordinate System and the orientation of a 3DM 3D Coordinate System, in which the IGD's gravity direction measurement device and electronic compass are used explicitly. There is also described how an IGD, once its orientation has been synchronized to the orientation of a 3DM, can be used to display 3D graphics that guide the measurement process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: Marc Soucy, Hans-Peter Duwe
  • Patent number: 7979231
    Abstract: A method and system for estimation of inertial sensor errors is provided. The method includes receiving first inertial output data from a master inertial measurement unit (IMU) mounted on a host platform, with the first inertial output data comprising a change in velocity (delta V) and a change in angle (delta theta), and receiving second inertial output data from a remote IMU mounted on the host platform at a predetermined fixed distance from the master IMU, with the second inertial output data comprising a delta V and a delta theta. The first inertial output data is compared with the second inertial output data to determine a difference between the delta V of the first inertial output data and the delta V of the second inertial output data, and to determine a difference between the delta theta of the first inertial output data and the delta theta of the second inertial output data. The determined differences are applied to estimate inertial sensor errors in the remote IMU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Charles P. Eckert
  • Patent number: 7970576
    Abstract: An orientation measurement value acquisition unit (145) acquires an orientation measurement value measured by an orientation sensor (110) mounted on an image capturing apparatus (120), and an orientation measurement value measured by a sensor (115) mounted on a physical object (125). An image processing unit (135) acquires the image coordinates, on a captured image, of indices allocated on the physical object (125). A calibration unit (160) calculates at least one of allocation information of the sensor (110) with respect to the image capturing apparatus (120) and allocation information of the sensor (115) with respect to the physical object (125) using the two orientation measurement values and image coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyohide Satoh