Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Jeffrey M Setterholm

Werner H Egli

John W Miller

E Jack Weir

An orthogonally related target point array is provided in fixed relationship to an object. A photo detector image plane obtains images of the target points projected through a lens located a fixed distance from the image plane. Simple algebraic manipulation of image plane position coordinates of the images corresponding to the target points provides for the establishment of a vector replica of the target point array. The vector replica, in turn, is sufficient data to provide spatial information about the object including position and orientation information with full six-degrees-of-freedom.

Method and apparatus for determining location and orientation of objects

A target plane in fixed relationship to an object provides a first triad of three collinear target points which lie on a first line projection and a second triad of target points which lie on a second line projection which is in nonalignment with the first triad. A photo detector image plane obtains images of the target points projected on the image plane through a lens located a fixed distance from the image plane. Simple algebraic manipulation of image plane position coordinates of the images corresponding to the target points provides for the establishment of vector replicas of the position of the target points. The vector replicas, in turn, are sufficient data to provide spatial information about the object including position and oriention information with full six-degrees-of-freedom.

An electromagnetic system for determining the orientation including position of a helmet worn by a pilot is disclosed having a transmitting antenna for transmitting electromagnetic field vectors, a receiving antenna for sensing the electromagnetic field vectors generated by the transmitting antenna, and a control apparatus responsive to the sensed electromagnetic field vectors and the transmitted electromagnetic field vectors for determining the compensated orientation of the helmet, the compensated orientation relying upon the rotation matrix determined by a previous solution for the orientation of the helmet.

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Minnetonka, MN, United States of America

Jeffrey M Setterholm