Apparatus and method for tracking a device having a magnet

A method for tracking a device having a magnet, the method comprising:

• arranging a plurality of magnetic sensors along a longitudinal direction based on a trajectory of the device;
• controlling movement of the device along the trajectory;
• measuring, by the magnetic sensors, a magnetic field from the magnet as the device moves along the trajectory;
• receiving, by a processor and from the magnetic sensors, the magnetic field measurements of the magnet;
• determining, by the processor and for each magnetic sensor, axial magnetic field components from the magnetic field measurements from the respective magnetic sensor, the axial magnetic field components directed along mutually orthogonal axial directions of the magnetic sensor;
• selecting, by the processor and for each magnetic sensor, the axial magnetic field components that satisfy a magnetic field threshold predefined for each axial direction of each magnetic sensor;
• calculating, by the processor, a pose of the magnet using the selected axial magnetic field components and predetermined magnetic moments for the magnetic sensors;
• and
• tracking, by the processor, the device using the calculated poses of the magnet as the device moves along the trajectory.

A computerized method for tracking a device having a magnet, the computerized method comprising:

• receiving magnetic field measurements of the magnet as the device moves along the trajectory, the magnetic field measurements measured by a plurality of magnetic sensors arranged along a longitudinal direction based on the trajectory;
• determining, for each magnetic sensor, axial magnetic field components from the magnetic field measurements from the respective magnetic sensor, the axial magnetic field components directed along mutually orthogonal axial directions of the magnetic sensor;
• selecting, for each magnetic sensor, the axial magnetic field components that satisfy a magnetic field threshold predefined for each axial direction of each magnetic sensor;
• calculating a pose of the magnet using the selected axial magnetic field components and predetermined magnetic moments for the magnetic sensors;
• and
• tracking the device using the calculated poses of the magnet as the device moves along the trajectory.