Positioning system using surface pattern recognition and interpolation

An assembly for controlling a position of an object relative to a target surface, the assembly comprising:

• a pattern that is at least one of formed on and secured to the target surface;
• a sensor system that is secured to the object and monitors the position of the object, the sensor system including a plurality of spaced apart optical sensors each of which includes an array of pixels, each optical sensor capturing information for a first image that includes at least a portion of the pattern;
• and
• a control system that analyzes the first image to determine the position of the object relative to the target surface;
• wherein the sensor system (i) sums a first intensity of light in each of a plurality of rows of pixels in the first image to generate a first intensity signal, the plurality of rows of pixels in the first image being perpendicular to a first axis, and (ii) sums a second intensity of light in each of a plurality of rows of pixels in the second image to generate a second intensity signal, the plurality of rows of pixels in the second image being perpendicular to the first axis.

An assembly for monitoring movement of a first object relative to a second object, the second object including a target surface, the assembly comprising:

• at least one optical sensor that is secured to the first object, the at least one optical sensor including an array of pixels, the at least one optical sensor capturing a plurality of successive images of the second object, the at least one optical sensor capturing information for a first image that includes at least a portion of the target surface and capturing information for a second image that includes at least a portion of the target surface, and the at least one optical sensor monitoring the relative movement between the first object and the second object by comparing the first image and the second image to generate a sensor signal;
• and
• a control system that controls the position of one of the objects using the sensor signal;
• wherein the at least one optical sensor (i) sums a first intensity of light in each of a plurality of rows of pixels in the first image to generate a first intensity signal, the plurality of rows of pixels in the first image being perpendicular to a first axis, and (ii) sums a second intensity of light in each of a plurality of rows of pixels in the second image to generate a second intensity signal, the plurality of rows of pixels in the second image being perpendicular to the first axis.

An assembly for controlling relative movement between a first object and a second object, the assembly comprising:

• a sensor system that is secured to the first object, the sensor system including a plurality of spaced apart optical sensors, each optical sensor capturing a plurality of images of the second object, and
• a control system that determines relative position between the first object and the second object along a first axis;
• wherein a chief ray of one of the optical sensors is not parallel to a chief ray of the other of the optical sensors;
• and
• wherein the sensor system further includes an optical component which changes an angle of the chief ray of the one of the optical sensors to be not parallel to the chief ray of the other of the optical sensors.