# US 2019/0170501 A1 · Optical positioning sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170501 A1 - Document ID: US20190170501A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/267,628 - Filed: 2019-02-05 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-09 - Assignees: Rememdia LC - Applicants: Rememdia LC - Inventors: Fraser M. Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170501A1 ## CPC - G01B 11/002: {for measuring two or more coordinates} - G01B 11/14: for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00) - G01B 11/16: for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge - G01D 5/26: characterised by optical transfer means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light - G01D 5/262: {with optical projection of a pointer or a scale} - G01J 1/0266: {Field-of-view determination; Aiming or pointing of a photometer; Adjusting alignment; Encoding angular position; Size of the measurement area; Position tracking; Photodetection involving different fields of view for a single detector} - G01J 1/0271: {Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers} - G01L 1/24: by measuring variations of optical properties of material when it is stressed, e.g. by photoelastic stress analysis {using infrared, visible light, ultraviolet} - G01P 3/36: Devices characterised by the use of optical means, e.g. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light (G01P3/68 takes precedence; gyrometers using the Sagnac effect, i.e. rotation-induced shifts between counter-rotating electromagnetic beams G01C19/64) - G01P 15/093: by photoelectric pick-up - H10F 39/12: Image sensors - H10F 39/18: Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor [CMOS] image sensors; Photodiode array image sensors - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract A sensor is disclosed that provides measurements in multiple degrees of freedom without significantly increasing size, complexity, or cost. The sensor can include a light component in support of a first light source operable to direct a first beam of light, and a second light source operable to direct a second beam of light. The sensor can also include an imaging device that can directly receive the first beam of light and the second beam of light and convert these into electric signals. The imaging device and the light component can be movable relative to one another. The sensor can further include a light location module and/or a position module configured to receive the electric signals and determine locations of the first beam of light, the second beam of light on the imaging device and a relative position of the imaging device and the light component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor, comprising: a first light source that generates a first beam of light; a second light source that generates a second beam of light, wherein the first light source and the second light source are supported by a light support structure; an imager that receives the first beam of light and the second beam of light, wherein the imager and the light support structure are movable relative to one another; and a transparent layer formed between the imager and the light support structure, wherein the transparent layer is operable to facilitate relative movement of the imager and the light support structure; wherein the sensor: determines locations of the first beam of light and the second beam of light on the imager, and determines a relative position of the imager and the light support structure based on the locations of the first beam of light and the second beam of light. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the second beam of light is non-parallel to the first beam of light. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first light source is a monochromatic light source and the first beam of light is a first color, wherein the second light source is a monochromatic light source and the second beam of light is a second color; and wherein the imager includes: a first monochromatic detector that receives light of the first color and converts the light of the first color into a first electrical signal, and a second monochromatic detector that receives light of the second color and converts the light of the second color into a second electrical signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first light source is a chromatic light source and the second light source is a chromatic light source; and wherein the imager includes: a color separation mechanism that separates the first beam of light and the second beam of light into a beam of light of a first color and a beam of light of a second color, a first monochromatic detector receives the beam of light of the first color and converts the beam of light of the first color into a first electrical signal, and a second monochromatic detector that receives the beam of light of the second color and converts the beam of light of the second color into a second electrical signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor further determines the relative movement of the light support structure and the imager in multiple degrees of freedom. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the transparent layer is formed from silicone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the light support structure is mechanically coupled to an object to be sensed; and the sensor further calculates a strain on a surface of the object in one or more degrees of freedom based on the relative position of the imager and the light support structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the light support structure further supports a known mass; and the sensor further determines acceleration based on the known mass and the relative position of the imager and the light support structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising: one or more additional light sources that each generate a respective beam of light, wherein the one or more additional light sources; and wherein the imager receives each respective beam of light, and the sensor further determines the relative position of the imager and the light support structure based on locations of each respective beam of light determined by the sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the imager is a chromatic imaging device that senses different color light beams separately.