Patent ID: 7236680

Claim:
An alignment method comprising: (a) during a given sampling session and while a radiation supplying and/or receiving, first element moves along a dithering displacement path which extends adjacent to an initial position of the first element and while a radiation signal couples radiatively between the first element and a radiation supplying and/or receiving, second element, obtaining first samples of an energy detection signal that represents radiative coupling efficiency between the first and second elements; (b) respectively identifying amongst the obtained first samples, a corresponding current one or two of the first samples that is/are respectively and currently representative of a greatest or a least coupling efficiency among the first samples taken during the given sampling session; (c) obtaining second samples of a position indicating signal that represents positional advancements of the first element along the dithering displacement path, relative to its initial position and during the given sampling session; (d) associating at least a respective one or two of the second samples with the corresponding one or two of the first samples that is/are respectively and currently representative of the greatest and least coupling efficiency among the first samples taken during the given sampling session so that corresponding positions of the first element, relative to its initial position can be determined at least approximately for the corresponding states in which the first samples of currently greatest and least coupling efficiency were obtained; (e) wherein the first samples are obtained opportunistically as conditions present themselves for obtaining the samples of the energy detection signal that can represent different radiative coupling efficiencies between the first and second elements, and as conditions present themselves for obtaining associatable samples of the position indicating signal.