Method and device for monitoring the relative positions of at least two freely movable points and providing feedback therefrom

Claim 1

A method for monitoring the position of a movable second point located on an object relative to a movable first point located on the object, the method comprising: (a) determining a plurality of preset reference signals which represent a preset three dimensional reference position of the second point relative to the first point; (a) producing a first magnetic field, a second magnetic field and a third magnetic field alternately in different directions from the first point while the first point is moving in at least one dimension; (b) receiving each of the first, second and third magnetic fields at the second point at three different positions while the second point is moving in at least one dimension and producing nine output signals therefrom; (c) collecting the output signals so that the three dimensional position of the second point relative to the first point can be determined therefrom; (d) comparing the output signals with the preset reference signals representative of the preset three dimensional reference position of the second point relative to the first point; and (e) producing at least one feedback signal for indicating variations between the output signals and the preset reference signals.

Claim 2

A method for monitoring the position of a movable second point located on an object relative to a movable first point located on the object, the method comprising: (a) determining a plurality of preset reference signals which represent a preset three dimensional reference position of the second point relative to the first point; (a) producing a first magnetic field, a second magnetic field and a third magnetic field alternately in different directions from the first point while the first point is moving in at least one dimension; (b) receiving each of the first, second and third magnetic fields at the second point at three different positions while the second point is moving in at least one dimension and producing nine output signals therefrom; (c) collecting the output signals so that the three dimensional position of the second point relative to the first point can be determined therefrom; (d) comparing the output signals with the preset reference signals representative of the preset three dimensional reference position of the second point relative to the first point; and (e) producing at least one feedback signal for indicating variations between the output signals and the preset reference signals.

Claim 11

A device for monitoring the position of a movable second point located on an object relative to a movable first point located on the object, the device comprising: (a) a mobile transmitter located at the first point on the object, wherein the mobile transmitter comprises a first transmitter loop, a second transmitter loop and a third transmitter loop, all of which are oriented in different planes, for transmitting a first transmitter signal from the first transmitter loop, a second transmitter signal from the second transmitter loop and a third transmitter signal from the third transmitter loop; (b) means for producing the transmitter signals; (c) a mobile receiver located at the second point on the object for receiving the transmitter signals, wherein the mobile receiver comprises a first receiver loop, a second receiver loop and a third receiver loop, all of which are oriented in different planes so that the first transmitter signal, the second transmitter signal and the third transmitter signal are each received by each of the first, second and third receiver loops, for producing nine output signals therefrom; and (d) means for collecting the output signals so that the three dimensional position of the second point relative to the first point can be determined therefrom, wherein the output signals collecting means compares the output signals with a plurality of preset reference signals which represents a preset three dimensional reference position of the second point relative to the first point and produces at least one feedback signal for indicating variations between the output signals and the preset reference signals.

Claim 12

A device for monitoring the position of a movable second point located on an object relative to a movable first point located on the object, the device comprising: (a) a mobile transmitter located at the first point on the object, wherein the mobile transmitter comprises a first transmitter loop, a second transmitter loop and a third transmitter loop, all of which are oriented in different planes, for transmitting a first transmitter signal from the first transmitter loop, a second transmitter signal from the second transmitter loop and a third transmitter signal from the third transmitter loop; (b) means for producing the transmitter signals; (c) a mobile receiver located at the second point on the object for receiving the transmitter signals, wherein the mobile receiver comprises a first receiver loop, a second receiver loop and a third receiver loop, all of which are oriented in different planes so that the first transmitter signal, the second transmitter signal and the third transmitter signal are each received by each of the first, second and third receiver loops, for producing nine output signals therefrom; and (d) means for collecting the output signals so that the three dimensional position of the second point relative to the first point can be determined therefrom, wherein the output signals collecting means compares the output signals with a plurality of preset reference signals which represents a preset three dimensional reference position of the second point relative to the first point and produces at least one feedback signal for indicating variations between the output signals and the preset reference signals.