Method and system utilizing phased array beamforming for six degree of freedom tracking for an emitter in augmented reality systems

1. An electromagnetic tracking system comprising:

a handheld controller including an electromagnetic emitter, the electromagnetic emitter including:

a first phased array element characterized by a first phase; and

a second phased array element characterized by a second phase different than the first phase wherein the first phased array element and the second phased array element are configured to generate a steerable electromagnetic beam characterized by an electromagnetic field pattern; and

a head mounted display including an electromagnetic sensor configured to sense the electromagnetic field pattern;

wherein the electromagnetic tracking system is configured to:

control the first phase and the second phase to steer the electromagnetic beam to increase received power at the electromagnetic sensor; and

determine a pose of the handheld controller relative to the electromagnetic sensor using the electromagnetic field pattern sensed at the electromagnetic sensor.

2. The electromagnetic tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic tracking system is further configured to:

digitally compute a position and orientation of the handheld controller based on the electromagnetic field pattern.

3. The electromagnetic tracking system of claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary unit including the handheld controller.

4. The electromagnetic tracking system of claim 3 , wherein the auxiliary unit comprises a belt pack.

5. The electromagnetic tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the head mounted display is a head mounted virtual reality (VR) display.

6. The electromagnetic tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the head mounted display is a head mounted augmented reality (AR) display.

7. The electromagnetic tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic emitter further comprises a third phased array element, wherein the first phased array element, the second phased array element, and the third phased array element are disposed in a plane.

8. The electromagnetic tracking system of claim 7 , wherein the electromagnetic emitter further comprises a fourth phased array element, wherein the first phased array element, the second phased array element, and the third phased array element form three corners of a tetrahedron and the fourth phased array element forms a fourth corner of the tetrahedron.

9. A method of determining a six degree of freedom (DoF) pose of a handheld controller, the method comprising:

generating an electromagnetic beam from the handheld controller, wherein the electromagnetic beam is characterized by an electromagnetic field pattern;

steering the electromagnetic beam to increase received power at a electromagnetic sensor;

determining a beam angle associated with the electromagnetic beam;

determining a distance between the handheld controller and the electromagnetic sensor; and

determining the six DoF pose of the handheld controller relative to the electromagnetic sensor using the beam angle and the distance.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the handheld controller includes an electromagnetic emitter, the electromagnetic emitter including:

a first phased array element configured to operate with a first phase; and

a second phased array element configured to operate with a second phase.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the electromagnetic emitter further includes a third phased array element, wherein the first phased array element, the second phased array element, and the third phased array element are disposed in a plane.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electromagnetic sensor is an element of a headset.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein steering the electromagnetic beam comprises aligning a central vector of the electromagnetic beam with a vector from the handheld controller to the electromagnetic sensor.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein steering the electromagnetic beam to increase received power at the electromagnetic sensor comprises maximizing received power at the electromagnetic sensor.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

generating an electromagnetic beam from a handheld controller, wherein the electromagnetic beam is characterized by an electromagnetic field pattern;

steering the electromagnetic beam to increase received power at a electromagnetic sensor;

determining a beam angle associated with the electromagnetic beam;

determining a distance between the handheld controller and the electromagnetic sensor; and

determining a six degree of freedom (DoF) pose of the handheld controller relative to the electromagnetic sensor using the beam angle and the distance.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the handheld controller includes an electromagnetic emitter, the electromagnetic emitter including:

a first phased array element configured to operate with a first phase; and

a second phased array element configured to operate with a second phase.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the electromagnetic emitter further includes a third phased array element, wherein the first phased array element, the second phased array element, and the third phased array element are disposed in a plane.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the electromagnetic sensor is an element of a headset.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein steering the electromagnetic beam comprises aligning a central vector of the electromagnetic beam with a vector from the handheld controller to the electromagnetic sensor.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein steering the electromagnetic beam to increase received power at the electromagnetic sensor comprises maximizing received power at the electromagnetic sensor.