A method and system including a camera adapted to capture frame image data, an orientation detector adapted to sense an orientation of the camera relative to an inertial frame of reference, a GPS receiver adapted to generate location data indicative of a velocity vector of the system relative to the inertial frame of reference, and a processor adapted to: upon receiving a frame image data, identify reference objects in the frame image data, calculate an orientation of the camera relative to the velocity vector based on a displacement of the reference object between at least two frames, predict an orientation of the camera relative to the velocity vector based on the sensed orientation by the detector, calculate a correction for the sensed orientation by comparing the calculated orientation to the predicted orientation, and upon receiving a sensed orientation, use the orientation correction for calculating a corrected orientation.

Methods and devices for estimating position of a device within a 3D environment are described. Embodiments of the methods include sequentially receiving multiple image segments forming an image representing a field of view (FOV) comprising a portion of the environment. The image includes multiple sparse points that are identifiable based in part on a corresponding subset of image segments of the multiple image segments. The method also includes sequentially identifying one or more sparse points of the multiple sparse points when each subset of image segments corresponding to the one or more sparse points is received and estimating a position of the device in the environment based on the identified the one or more sparse points.

A method for tracking trackable objects using a medical tracking device, the tracking device being a camera or an EM transmitter, during a medical workflow comprising a plurality of workflow steps, wherein each trackable object has at least one marker and the method comprises the steps of: acquiring a set of camera positions, wherein each tracking device position is associated with at least one workflow step; identifying a workflow; sequentially and automatically moving the tracking device to the camera positions associated with the workflow steps; andperforming a tracking step only when the tracking device is in a fixed position.

The present invention comprises a transmitter unit having at least one infrared (IR) transmitter, a target screen, a plurality of photodiode sensors disposed in a spaced apart relationship about the target screen, and receiver circuitry connecting the photodiode sensors together. The transmitter unit continuously emits an IR signal, which is detected by the photodiode sensors. The receiver circuitry then triangulate the position of the transmitter unit by calculating the differential distances between each of the photodiode sensors and the transmitter unit. The receiver circuitry is able to dynamically update the position of the transmitter unit because the transmitter unit continuously emits an IR signal. The transmitter unit is able to simulate a shot in a number of different ways, including updating the packet update rate or altering the data packet preamble. No return signal is necessary for the transmitter unit to confirm the shot.

A coded tracking system includes an imaging device and a target object that includes a plurality of locators emitting light according to a first pattern. An image of the target object captured by the imaging device includes light received by the imaging device from a subset of the plurality of locators. A pattern controller is configured to determine a resolution value for an adjacent pair of light sources in the captured image. The resolution value is indicative of the pattern controller being able to resolve the adjacent pair of light sources as two separate sources. The pattern controller determines a second pattern for the locators based on the resolution value. The second pattern improves a likelihood that the pattern controller can resolve between individual light sources emitting light in the second pattern. The pattern controller instructs the target object for the locators to emit light according to the second pattern.

Embodiments herein disclose a pose detection device for a movable body and a location-based supplemental service providing system. The pose detection device includes a first polarization unit and a second polarization unit positioned to have transmission axis difference values different from each other, wherein the first polarization unit and the second polarization unit receiving light emitted from a polarized light source located beyond and apart from the first polarization unit and the second polarization unit. Further, the pose detection device includes a first illuminometer measures positioned below the first polarization unit and a second illuminometer positioned below the second polarization unit. Further, the pose detection device includes a an interpretation unit generating pose information of the movable body based on detected light variation curves for the first polarization unit and the second polarization unit and illumination values measured by the first illuminometer and the second illuminometer.

A method for determining the relative angular direction between a target and a transmitter. A generation of one or more light beams at the transmitter comprises diffracting broadband light in such a way that different optical frequency wavelengths are diffracted differently and a relative angular direction is detected by reading the optical frequency wavelength. A system is provided for determining the relative angular direction between a target and a transmitter and a system is provided for determining a relative position between a target and a transmitter in an area, wherein relative position is defined by the parameters: relative angular direction (1, 2), and distance.

A system and method for resolving the angle of the transmitter and the angle of the receiver when determining vehicle position using light based communication (LBC) signals. Each vehicle includes an LBC system having light emitting diodes (LEDs) and receiver photodiodes capable of sending and receiving pulsed light binary messages. Each LBC system has a controller coupled to the transmitter diodes and receiver diodes. The controller includes a processor configured to resolve the angle of the transmitter and the angle of the receiver. The angle of the receiver may be determined using a single digital message received at a first receiver and a second receiver on a receiving vehicle. The angle of the transmitter may be determined using a first digital message and a second digital message received at a same receiver on the receiving vehicle.

A system and method for tracking an object within a surgical field are described. A system may include a mesh of cameras distributed around the surgical field, the mesh of cameras including, for example at least three cameras. Cameras in the mesh of cameras may be in known positions or orientations relative to the surgical field or may be mobile with position or orientation to be determined by the system. The system may include a computing system communicatively coupled to the mesh of cameras, the computing system including a processor and a memory device. The computing system may be used to generate tracking data for a tracked object from images or image data taken by one or more cameras of the mesh of cameras.

A hand-held controller and a positional reference device for determining the position and orientation of the hand-held controller within a three-dimensional volume relative to the location of the positional reference device. An input/output subsystem in conjunction with processing and memory subsystems can receive a reference image data captured by a beacon sensing device combined with inertial measurement information from inertial measurement units within the hand-held controller. The position and orientation of the hand-held controller can be computed based on the linear distance between a pair of beacons on the positional reference device and the reference image data and the inertial measurement information.