Detecting positions of magnetic flux sensors having particular locations on a device relative to a magnetic field generator located at a predetermined position on the device

A device comprising:

• a magnetic field generator located at a predetermined position on the device, the magnetic field generator configured to generate a modulated magnetic field that is fixed in relation to the device;
• a plurality of magnetic flux sensors located at particular locations on the device, the particular locations on a body of a user of the device, each magnetic flux sensor configured to:
• (1) generate a demodulated signal based on detecting the modulated magnetic field at the particular location;
• (2) detect a strength and a direction of the demodulated signals and (3) generate an output signal based on the detected strength and the detected direction of the demodulated signals;
• one or more inertial measurement units (IMUs), each IMU being configured to generate a signal for an angular orientation of a particular magnetic flux sensor of the plurality of magnetic flux sensors, the particular magnetic flux sensor located on a particular location on the body of the user;
• and
• a position analyzer coupled to each of the plurality of sensors, the position analyzer configured to determine spatial vectors representing a position of each magnetic flux sensor relative to the magnetic field generator, wherein:
• the position of a magnetic flux sensor relative to the magnetic field generator is based on demodulating an output signal generated by the magnetic flux sensor, and
• the position analyzer is configured to determine further positional information for at least some of the plurality of magnetic flux sensors located on the particular location on the body of the user based on the signal generated by the one or more IMUs.

A method comprising:

• generating a modulated magnetic field that is fixed in relation to a device from a magnetic field generator located at a predetermined position on the device;
• detecting, by each of a plurality of magnetic flux sensors located at particular locations on the device that correspond to portions of a body of a user of the device located at a predetermined position relative to the device, the modulated magnetic field;
• generating, by each of the magnetic flux sensors located at particular locations on the device that correspond to portions of a body of a user of the device located at a predetermined position relative to the device, a demodulated signal based on the detected modulated field by each of the magnetic flux sensors;
• detecting, by each of the plurality of magnetic flux sensors, a strength and a direction of the demodulated signals;
• generating an output signal by each of the plurality of magnetic flux sensors based on the detected strength and the detected direction of the demodulated signals at each of the magnetic flux sensors;
• generating, by each of one or more inertial measurement units (IMUs), a signal for an angular orientation of a particular magnetic flux sensor of the plurality of magnetic flux sensors, the particular magnetic flux sensor located on a particular location on the body of the user;
• determining spatial vectors representing a position of each magnetic flux sensor relative to the magnetic field generator based on demodulating an output signal generated by the magnetic flux sensor;
• and
• determining further positional information for at least some of the plurality of magnetic flux Censor located on the particular locations on the body of the user based on the generated signal by the one or more IMUS.