SYSTEM FOR POSITION AND ORIENTATION DETERMINATION OF A POINT IN SPACE USING SCANNING LASER BEAMS

A system for position and orientation determination of a point in space employs, in a preferred embodiment, three scanning laser beams that rotate at a high rate of speed within a prescribed space. At least two of the beams are polarized and a sensor with two or three detectors is located within the prescribed space. In each embodiment, at least one of the detectors has an unobscured, clear view of all of the scanning light beams at all times and at least another of the sensors is partially obscured. In the preferred embodiments, at least one sensor is polarized as well. Computer means is provided to facilitate calculation of position and orientation of a point within the prescribed space.