Patent ID: 8269195

Claim:
A control system for a radiation therapy system comprising a moveable patient positioner and a moveable radiation nozzle, wherein the control system generates control signals to induce movement of at least one of the patient positioner and the radiation nozzle and wherein the control system further receives position signals from a plurality of external measurement devices, each of the plurality of external measurement devices being arranged to independently provide position information indicative of a current spatial position of one or more of the patient positioner, of the radiation nozzle, and of fixed reference objects and wherein the control system calibrates the position signals from each of the plurality of external measurement devices with each other and to the fixed reference objects and wherein the control system further generates the control signals so as to induce at least one of the patient positioner and the radiation nozzle to move to achieve a desired translational and rotational alignment of the patient positioner with respect to the radiation nozzle.