Patent ID: 8466398

Claim:
A method for directing an object to a target using a source, the method comprising: projecting the object towards the target such that the object is disturbed by noise and has a motion equation, the motion equation being based on the x, y and z dimensions, each dimension having a corresponding velocity, with at least one of the dimensions and corresponding velocity being random and disturbed by the noise, and the remaining directions and corresponding velocities being derived by classical motion; generating a field with the source; generating a diffraction field with the target, the target within the field generated by the source, and the object within the diffraction field generated by the target; measuring at least one of intensity and a gradient of the intensity of the diffraction field the measurement being disturbed by noise, and determining if the object disturbed by noise is within a strong portion of the diffraction field; using the measured intensity to determine a measured position value and a measured velocity value; determining a non-stochastic correction term based on deviations caused by the noise; and using the motion equations, the measured position and the measured velocity value to determine an estimated distance between the object and the target based on a probability density of the at least one of the dimension and corresponding velocity.