Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining the position and orientation of a remote object in relation to an observation point comprises a transmitter for sending a magnetic field signal and a receiver for receiving and analyzing the magnetic field signal. The transmitter or the receiver is positioned at the observation point and the other is secured on the remote object. The transmitter has three coils positioned on a ferromagnetic core with their axes mutually orthogonal to each other and connected to a polyphase power to produce a magnetic field around the coils. The coils are connected and energized in pairs to produce a magnetic field rotating about the axis of the third coil. The receiver has three coils positioned on a ferromagnetic core with their axes mutually orthogonal to each other and responsive to the magnetic field produced by the tranmsitter. The receiving coils are connected in pairs to detect the phase relationship and magnitude of the signal to indicate the orientation of the remote body. The transmitter or receiver coils are preferably annular coils wound orthogonally on a homogeneous spherical ferromagnetic core, although other cores may be used such as a hollow cylindrical ferromagnetic core, a ferromagnetic rod core or a ferromagnetic disc core supported in a gimbal mounting with annular coils wound orthogonally thereon.

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First Claim