System and method for determining the three-dimensional location and orientation of identification markers
The present invention relates to a tool system comprising a handheld implement having a passive vectorized tracking marker permanently integrated with the implement at a predetermined location on the implement in a predetermined orientation with respect to the implement; and a database comprising geometric information describing the at least one of a rotationally asymmetric shape of the tracking marker and a rotationally asymmetric pattern disposed on the tracking marker. The system may further comprise: a tracker configured for obtaining image information about the tracking marker when the tracking marker is in a field of view of the tracker; and a controller having a processor and memory, the controller in communication with the database and the tracker, the processor programmable for receiving and processing image information from the tracker; accessing the database to retrieve the geometric information; and comparing the image information with the geometric information. The handheld implement may be three-dimensionally tracked by the tracker.
1. A handheld implement having a three-dimensionally trackable location and three-dimensionally trackable orientation, the implement comprising a passive vectorized tracking marker permanently integrated with the implement, the vectorized tracking marker integrated into the implement at a predetermined location on the implement in a predetermined orientation with respect to the implement, the tracking marker having at least one of a rotationally asymmetric shape and a rotationally asymmetric pattern of contrasting elements disposed on the tracking marker.
2. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the tracking marker is monolithically integrated with the implement.
3. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the tracking marker is permanently attached to the implement and structurally distinct from the implement.
4. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotationally asymmetric pattern includes an identifiably unique pattern.
5. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotationally asymmetric pattern is demarcated by a distinct boundary.
6. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the implement comprises:
a plurality of interchangeable portions each having a working tip; and an invariant portion bearing the tracking marker.
7. The implement of claim 6 , wherein the invariant portion of the implement is a rigid positioning and orienting portion of the implement.
8. The implement of claim 6 , further comprising:
a contactlessly interrogatable microchip disposed on the invariant portion of the implement, the microchip comprising a memory;
a database of geometric information stored in the memory of the microchip, the geometric information describing:
the at least one of a rotationally asymmetric shape and a rotationally asymmetric pattern; and
spatial relationships between the at least one of a rotationally asymmetric shape and a rotationally asymmetric pattern and the working tip of each of the plurality of interchangeable portions.
9. The implement of claim 7 , wherein:
the implement is a drill;
the rigid positioning and orienting portion comprises a handle; and
the interchangeable portion comprises a drill bit.
10. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the contrasting pattern elements have perimeters comprising mathematically describable curved sections.
11. The implement of claim 10 , wherein the mathematically describable curved sections are conic sections.
12. The implement of claim 10 , wherein the contrasting pattern elements include round dots.
13. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the rotationally asymmetric pattern is scribed on the tracking marker.
14. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the rotationally asymmetric pattern is engraved on the tracking marker.
15. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the rotationally asymmetric pattern is stamped on the tracking marker.
16. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the rotationally asymmetric pattern is embossed on the tracking marker.
17. The implement of claim 1 , further comprising:
a contactlessly interrogatable microchip disposed on the handheld implement, the microchip comprising a memory; and
a database of geometric information stored in the memory of the microchip, the geometric information describing the at least one of a rotationally asymmetric shape and a rotationally asymmetric pattern.
18. The implement of claim 17 , wherein the implement has a working tip and the geometric information further describes the spatial relationship between the working tip and the at least one of a rotationally asymmetric shape and a rotationally asymmetric pattern.
19. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the rotationally asymmetric pattern comprises contrasting pattern elements, the contrasting pattern elements having colors contrasting with a color of a background of the passive vectorized tracking marker and disposed at occupiable locations within a unit cell of the pattern, the occupiable locations within the pattern being previously stored in the database.
20. The implement of claim 19 , wherein the rotationally asymmetric pattern comprises at least a first and a second rotationally asymmetric pattern.
21. The implement of claim 20 , wherein the second pattern is displaced on the passive vectorized tracking marker from the first pattern by a distance different from a shortest distance between occupiable locations within the first pattern and different from a multiple of the shortest distance between occupiable locations within the first pattern.
22. A trackable tool system comprising:
a handheld implement having a three-dimensionally trackable location and three-dimensionally trackable orientation, the implement comprising a passive vectorized tracking marker permanently integrated with the implement, the vectorized tracking marker integrated into the implement at a predetermined location on the implement in a predetermined orientation with respect to the implement, the tracking marker having at least one of a rotationally asymmetric shape and a rotationally asymmetric pattern disposed on the tracking marker; and
a memory comprising a database comprising geometric information describing the at least one of a rotationally asymmetric shape and a rotationally asymmetric pattern disposed on the tracking marker.
23. The system of claim 22 , further comprising:
a tracker configured for obtaining image information about the tracking marker and having a field of view, the tracker disposable to have the tracking marker in the field of view of the tracker; and
a controller having a processor and the memory, the controller in communication with the database and the tracker, the processor having a plurality of instructions stored in the memory that when executed by the processor perform the actions of:
receiving and processing the image information from the tracker;
accessing the database to retrieve the geometric information; and
comparing the image information with the geometric information.
24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the tracker is a non-stereo tracker.
25. The system of claim 22 , wherein the tracking marker is monolithically integrated with the implement.
26. The system of claim 22 , wherein the tracking marker is permanently attached to the implement and structurally distinct from the implement.
27. The system of claim 23 , further comprising a contactlessly interrogatable microchip affixed to the handheld implement and wherein the database of geometric information is permanently stored in the microchip.
28. The implement of claim 7 , wherein:
the implement is a scalpel;
the rigid positioning and orienting portion comprises a handle; and
the interchangeable portion comprises a scalpel blade.
29. The system of claim 27 , wherein the microchip is one of a radio frequency identification microchip and a near field communication microchip.
30. The system of claim 27 further comprising an interrogative coupling in communication with the controller and the microchip.
31. The system of claim 30 , wherein the interrogative coupling is one of a capacitive coupling, an inductive coupling, radiative coupling, and battery assisted radio frequency communication.