Position determination and motion tracking
View Patent ↗Systems and methods for position determination and motion tracking for use in a processor based system. Embodiments may incorporate a redirector that moves in at least one direction about a fixed point, an object operable to reflect a search beam as a location beam, logic operable to determine at least one angle of position for the object from the orientation of the redirector, and logic operable to determine a distance of the object from a fixed point.
1. A method for determining a position of an input object for a processor-based system, said method comprising:
determining at least one angle of position for said object by moving a search beam through a search area, wherein said search beam is reflected off said object creating a location beam when said search beam is at said at least one angle of position; and
determining a distance of said object from a reference point by analyzing an interference pattern created by combining said location beam and a control beam, wherein said distance and said at least one angle of position describes said position for use by said processor based system.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
tracking a motion of said object by determining said position of said object a plurality of times.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said search beam is panned through an arc, and wherein said arc corresponds to a polar coordinate.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said search beam is panned through at least a first arc and a second arc, wherein said first arc and second arc correspond to a first spherical coordinate and a second spherical coordinate.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said search beam is elongated in at least one direction perpendicular to the direction of propagation, and wherein said interference pattern is analyzed to determine a second angle of position.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
splitting a source beam to create said search beam and said control beam.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
fitting said object with a retroreflector.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said object is a computer input device.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said computer input device is a computer mouse.
10. A system to determine a position for input to a processor based application, said system comprising:
a redirector that moves in at least one dimension about a fixed point;
an object for indicating a position to provide input for said application, said object operable to reflect a search beam as a location beam;
logic operable to determine at least one angle of position from an orientation of said redirector; and
logic operable to determine a distance of said object from said fixed point.
11. The system of claim 10 further comprising:
a splitter operable to split a source beam into a control beam and said search beam;
optics arranged to combine said location beam and said control beam;
a detector responsive to an interference pattern created by said combination; and
wherein said logic operable to determine distance analyzes said interference pattern to determine said distance.
12. The system of claim 10 further comprising:
logic operable for tracking motion of said object by repeatedly determining its position.
13. The system of claim 10 further comprising:
a retroreflector affixed to said object.
14. The system of claim 10 further comprising:
a reflector oriented to reflect the location beam along the same path as the control beam.
15. The system of claim 10 wherein the object is a mouse.
16. The system of claim 10 , said system further comprising:
logic operable to determine a second angle of position from said orientation of said redirector, and wherein said redirector moves in a second dimension about said fixed point.