Steerable Laser Beacon Tracking for Positional Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing object tracking techniques often suffer from inaccuracies and bandwidth limitations, leading to incomplete movement capture and reduced realism in graphical displays, particularly in gaming environments, due to inconsistent tracking rates and errors in positional data determination.
Innovation Solution
A projection-based object tracking system that uses a steerable projector to project a reference pattern of beacons onto interior surfaces, combined with optical position sensitive devices embedded in the object to detect changes in the pattern, and video cameras to capture image data, allowing for accurate determination of object position and orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If video camera techniques are used to determine positional information, then the system can capture a wide range of movements, but tracking accuracy and rate are limited by bandwidth constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the tracking task into two segments: a video camera captures the full range of movements and provides broad positional information, while a laser tracker provides high-precision measurements for specific critical movements. This segmentation allows each sensor to optimize for its strengths, resolving the contradiction between versatility and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a single high-bandwidth system for all tracking needs, the invention applies partial action by using the laser tracker only when high precision is required for specific movements, while the video camera handles the broader tracking requirements. This reduces overall bandwidth consumption while maintaining accuracy where needed.
2Productivity
If tracking rate is increased to improve movement capture, then more movements can be captured, but system overhead increases and performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses partial action by deploying the high-precision laser tracker only for specific critical tracking requirements rather than continuously for all movements. This reduces the overall system overhead and bandwidth consumption while maintaining high tracking rates where necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces a purely mechanical/video-based tracking system with a hybrid approach that substitutes optical laser measurement for specific tracking functions. This substitution reduces the computational overhead associated with video processing while maintaining or improving tracking performance for critical parameters.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single tracking technique is used, then the system is simpler to implement, but tracking accuracy deteriorates for certain movement components
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges two different tracking techniques (video camera and laser tracker) into a unified tracking system. The video camera provides broad positional information while the laser tracker enhances accuracy for specific movement components. This combination maintains relative simplicity while significantly improving overall measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The hybrid tracking system achieves multi-functionality by using the video camera for general positional tracking and the laser tracker for precision measurement of specific movements. This universal approach allows the system to handle both broad surveillance and detailed measurement requirements with a single integrated setup.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances tracking accuracy and performance by providing redundant positional data from multiple sources, improving interaction and realism in gaming environments by accurately capturing a wide range of movements with reduced bandwidth requirements.
Implementation Method 1
an optical position sensitive device embedded in the object to detect changes in the projected pattern
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for tracking an object's position and orientation within a room using patterns projected onto an interior surface of the room, such as the ceiling. Systems include at least one optical position sensitive device embedded in the object to detect relative changes in the projected pattern as the object's position and/or orientation is changed. In particular systems, the pattern includes a plurality of beacons projected by one or more steerable lasers. Projected beacons may be steered automatically to accommodate a variety of room topologies. Additional optical position sensitive devices may be disposed in known physical positions relative to the projected pattern to view either or both the projected pattern and the object. A subset of object positional data may be derived from a video camera viewing the object while another subset of object positional data is derived from the projected pattern.