SYSTEM FOR POSITIONING MAGNETIC FIELD SOURCES WITH RESPECT TO AN ISOCENTER AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF

1 . A method for guiding the positioning of magnetic field sources of a magnetic-field based system, the system comprising a plurality of magnetic field sources, comprising:

receiving positional data for each of the plurality of magnetic field sources;

determining a pose of each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources from the positional and orientation data;

generating a computer model of a target layout of the plurality of magnetic field sources, defining a select pose for each of the plurality of magnetic field sources; and

for each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources, comparing the select pose with the determined pose to calculate one or more of a rotation and translation of the magnetic field source; and

generating instructions to adjust one or more of a position and orientation of at least one of the plurality of the magnetic field sources from the calculated one or more of a rotation and translation, for causing the plurality of magnetic field sources to approach the target layout of the computer model.

2 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the positional data for each of the plurality of magnetic field sources is generated from one or more cameras, wherein a combined field of view of the one or more cameras encompasses each of the plurality of magnetic field sources.

3 . The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources includes a constellation of markers attached thereto, and wherein the positional data is further generated from the constellation of markers captured by the one or more cameras.

4 . The method as defined in claim 3 , wherein supporting frames are joined to the plurality of magnetic field sources, each constellation of markers is joined to a supporting frame of the supporting frames configured to position at least three markers of the constellation of markers to provide information for defining the pose of each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources, where each supporting frame of the supporting frames is joined to a different magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources.

5 . The method as defined in claim 4 , wherein one or more of the supporting frames has a different shape from other supporting frames of the one or more supporting frames.

6 . The method as defined in claim 4 , wherein the supporting frames are two dimensional.

7 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the positional data for each of the plurality of magnetic field sources is generated from a robotic arm that is positioned to contact one or more of the plurality of magnetic field sources.

8 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnetic field sources comprises three pairs of magnetic field sources.

9 . The method as defined in claim 8 , wherein the target layout defines a position of the plurality of magnetic field sources, wherein each pair of the three pairs is orthogonal with respect to each of the other two pairs of the three pairs.

10 . The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving further positional data for each of the plurality of magnetic field sources following an adjustment of the one or more of a position and orientation of the magnetic field source in accordance with the instructions;

determining an updated pose of each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources from the positional data; and

for each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources, comparing the select pose with the determined updated pose to calculate one or more of a further rotation and further translation of the magnetic field source; and

generating instructions to adjust one or more of the position and the orientation of at least one of the plurality of magnetic field sources from the corresponding calculated one or more of an additional rotation and additional translation, for causing the plurality of magnetic field sources to further approach the target layout.

11 . The method as defined in claim 1 , prior to the comparing, further comprising adjusting an orientation of the computer model of a target layout to align a computer magnetic field source of the model with a pose of the corresponding magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources.

12 . A computing device for guiding the positioning of magnetic field sources of a magnetic-field based system, wherein the system comprises a plurality of magnetic field sources, the computing device comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

receive positional data for each of the plurality of magnetic field sources;

determine a pose of each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources from the positional data;

generate a computer model of a target layout of the plurality of magnetic field sources, defining a select pose for each of the plurality of magnetic field sources; and

for each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources, compare the select pose with the determined pose to calculate one or more of a rotation and translation of the magnetic field source; and

generate instructions to adjust one or more of a position and orientation of at least one of the plurality of the magnetic field sources from the calculated one or more of a rotation and translation, for causing the plurality of magnetic field sources to approach the target layout.

13 . The computing device as defined in claim 12 , wherein the positional data for each of the plurality of magnetic field sources is generated from one or more cameras, wherein a combined field of view of the one or more cameras encompasses each of the plurality of magnetic field sources.

14 . The computing device as defined in claim 13 , wherein each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources includes a constellation of markers attached thereto, and wherein the positional data is further generated from the constellation of markers captured by the one or more cameras.

15 . The computing device as defined in claim 14 , wherein supporting frames are joined to the plurality of magnetic field sources, each constellation of markers is joined to a supporting frame of the supporting frames configured to position at least three markers of the constellation of markers to provide information for defining the pose of each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources, where each supporting frame of the supporting frames is joined to a different magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources.

16 . The computing device as defined in claim 15 , wherein one or more of the supporting frames has a different shape from other supporting frames of the one or more supporting frames.

17 . The computing device as defined in claim 15 , wherein the supporting frames (substrates) are two dimensional.

18 . The computing device as defined in claim 12 , wherein the positional data for each of the plurality of magnetic field sources is generated from a robotic arm that is positioned to contact one or more of the plurality of magnetic field sources.

19 . The computing device as defined in claim 12 , wherein the plurality of magnetic field sources comprises three pairs of magnetic field sources.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions for guiding the positioning of magnetic field sources of a magnetic-field based system, the program instructions executed by a processing unit for:

receiving positional data for each of the plurality of magnetic field sources;

determining a pose of each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources from the positional data;

generating a computer model of a target layout of the plurality of magnetic field sources, defining a select pose for each of the plurality of magnetic field sources; and

for each magnetic field source of the plurality of magnetic field sources, comparing the select pose with the determined pose to calculate one or more of a rotation and translation of the magnetic field source; and

generating instructions to adjust one or more of a position and orientation of at least one of the plurality of the magnetic field sources from the calculated one or more of a rotation and translation, for causing the plurality of magnetic field sources to approach the target layout.