Patent ID: 11951616
Assignee: FASTBRICK IP PTY LTD
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G  E | IPC B  E

Claim 0:
1. A tracking system for tracking a position and orientation of an object, the tracking system including:
a) a tracking base provided in an environment, the tracking base including:
i) a tracking head support including a platform; and,
ii) at least three tracking heads rigidly mounted to the platform, each tracking head having:
(1) a radiation source arranged to send a radiation beam to a respective target;
(2) a base sensor that senses reflected radiation;
(3) at least one tracking head actuator that controls an orientation of the tracking head; and,
(4) at least one tracking head angle sensor that monitors an orientation of the tracking head;

b) a target system including at least three targets mounted to the object, each target including a reflector that reflects the radiation beam to the base sensor of a respective tracking head; and,
c) a control system that:
i) causes each tracking head to track a respective target as it moves throughout the environment;
ii) determines a position of each target with respect to a respective tracking head at least in part using signals from:
(1) each base sensor; and,
(2) the at least one tracking head angle sensor;

iii) calculates an orientation of the target system using the determined position of each target; and,
iv) determines the position and orientation of the object using at least in part the position and orientation of the target system.