Variable magnetic field-based position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11241614-B2
Application number	US-202016865303-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2020
Priority date	Jan 10, 2017
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

To derive three dimensional (3D) position and orientation of a 3-axis (or more) magnetometer/accelerometer device (such as may be implemented in VR or AR headset or computer game controller) without line of sight constraints, a spinning magnetic field is used to discriminate and remove the external (Earth's) magnetic field from the spinning magnetic field. This reduces the problem to finding the distance to the source of the magnetic field using a calibration table (or formula), finding two angles describing the deviation of the magnetic sensor from the axis of rotation of the spinning magnetic field and the phase around this axis, and from these values deriving the orientation of the sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor configured with instructions for:
receiving a signal indicating magnetic field strength during a revolution of a magnetic field;
summing plural values indicated by the signals to render a sum;
determining a mean of the sum;
subtracting the mean of the sum from at least one value to render an adjusted value;
based on the adjusted value, determining a distance;
using the adjusted value, determining at least a first angle;
converting the distance and the at least first angle to coordinates; and
using the coordinates to determine at least one aspect of a pose of an object coupled to a source of the magnetic field.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable for:
based on the distance and the first angle, determining a second angle; and
converting the distance, the first angle, and the second angle to Cartesian coordinates.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable for:
inputting the at least one aspect of the pose of the object to a computer program.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the computer program is a computer game.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the instructions are executable for:
using the coordinates, the mean of the sum, and the Earth's gravity vector, determining the at least one aspect of the pose of the object.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the instructions are executable for using the coordinates, the mean of the sum, and the Earth's gravity vector to determine the at least one aspect of the pose of the object at least in part by:
a) determining a first auxiliary vector by obtaining a cross product of the Earth's magnetic field and the Earth's gravity vector;
b) determining a second auxiliary vector by obtaining a cross product of the gravity vector and the first auxiliary vector;
c) constructing a matrix at least in part using the first and second auxiliary vectors and the gravity vector; and
d) using the matrix to convert the aspect of pose information from a first reference frame to the Earth's reference frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the instructions are executable for:
normalizing the gravity vector and first and second auxiliary vectors before constructing the matrix.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising the object.

9. The apparatus claim 1 , wherein the source of the magnetic field includes a spinning magnet.

10. The apparatus claim 1 , wherein the source of the magnetic field includes a least one stationary electro-permanent magnet.

11. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor configured with instructions for:
receiving, from at least one sensor, plural magnetic field signals induced by a spinning magnetic field;
determining a distance to a source of the magnetic field based on at least one of the plural magnetic field signals;
determining first and second angles based on at least one of the plural magnetic field signals, wherein the second angle represents a phase around an axis of rotation of the magnetic field; and
deriving an orientation of the sensor based on the distance and the first and second angles.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first angle represents an orientation of the sensor relative to an axis of rotation of the magnetic field.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the source of the magnetic field and the sensor are coupled to a headset.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the source of the magnetic field and the sensor are coupled to a computer game controller.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are executable for:
converting the distance, the first angle, and the second angle to Cartesian coordinates.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are executable for:
using the Cartesian coordinates, a mean of a sum of the plural magnetic field signals, and the Earth's gravity vector, determining at least one aspect of a pose of an object coupled to the source of the magnetic field.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are executable for:
inputting the at least one aspect to a computer program.

18. A computer device comprising:
at least one source of a spinning magnetic field;
at least one sensor configured for sensing the magnetic field, the sensor configured for providing input to at least one processor configured for executing instructions to:
receive, from the at least one sensor, plural magnetic field signals, the plural magnetic field signals being from rotation of the magnetic field;
determine a distance to the source of the magnetic field based on at least one of the plural magnetic field signals;
determine first and second angles based on at least one of the plural magnetic field signals;
derive an orientation of the sensor based on the distance and the first and second angles;
determine a first auxiliary vector by obtaining a cross product of the Earth's magnetic field and the Earth's gravity vector;
determine a second auxiliary vector by obtaining a cross product of the gravity vector and the first auxiliary vector; and
using the first and second auxiliary vectors and the gravity vector, convert pose information associated with the orientation of the sensor from a first reference frame to the Earth's reference frame.

19. The computer device of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are executable to:
convert the distance, the first angle, and the second angle to coordinates;
use the coordinates and the Earth's gravity vector to determine at least one aspect of a pose of the game device; and
input the at least one aspect to a computer program.

Assignees

• Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Bashkirov Sergey
• Matsukawa Takeo
• Stafford Jeffrey R

Classifications

• A63F13/428

  involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes · CPC title

• G06F3/012

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• A63F13/5255

  according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character · CPC title

• A63F13/21 Primary

  characterised by their sensors, purposes or types · CPC title