Estimation or control of lengths and positions of one or more transversely localized electric current segments flowing between two conductive bodies

A method for estimating corresponding length parameter(s) and longitudinal position(s) within a sensing volume of one or more transversely localized electric current segments between first and second electrically conductive bodies, the method comprising:

• (A) with an electric current flowing in a generally longitudinal direction (i) through the first electrically conductive body at least partly within the sensing volume, (ii) through the second electrically conductive body at least partly within the sensing volume, and (iii) across a gap between the first and second conductive bodies as the one or more transversely localized electric current segments, measuring magnetic field components at two or more longitudinal positions using one or more movable magnetic field sensors that are movable longitudinally along a lateral periphery of the sensing volume;
• (B) using a computer system that comprises one or more electronic processors and one or more digital storage media coupled thereto, and that is operatively coupled to the one or more movable sensors and to one or more sensor actuators, receiving (i) signals from one or more of the movable sensors indicative of the corresponding measured magnetic field components, and (ii) signals from one or more of the sensor actuators indicative of the longitudinal position(s) of one or more of the movable sensors along the sensing volume, the one or more sensor actuators being arranged so as to move the one or more movable sensors longitudinally along the sensing volume in response to sensor position control signals generated by and transmitted from the computer system;
• and
• (C) using the computer system, calculating corresponding estimated length parameter(s) and longitudinal position(s) of the one or more current segments, that calculation being based at least in part on (i) magnetic field components measured at multiple different longitudinal positions along the sensing volume and (ii) for each of those measured magnetic field components, a corresponding longitudinal position along the sensing volume at which that magnetic field component was measured by a corresponding one of the one or more movable sensors.