FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150308818 | METHOD FOR CORRECTING A 3D MEASUREMENT OF A SPHERICALLY MOUNTED RETROREFLECTOR ON A NEST - A method for measuring a spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) with a 3D coordinate measurement device placed on a kinematic nest, the method accounting for the radius of the SMR. | 10-29-2015 |
20150285903 | METHOD FOR FINDING A HOME REFERENCE DISTANCE USING A SPHERICALLY MOUNTED RETROREFLECTOR - A method of finding a home reference distance of a 3D coordinate measurement device in which a mathematical adjustment is made to move the vertex point to the sphere center of a spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR). | 10-08-2015 |
20150285615 | SPHERICALLY MOUNTED RETROREFLECTOR AND METHOD TO MINIMIZE MEASUREMENT ERROR - A spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) having a reference point placed on a body of the SMR in a fixed and predetermined relationship to a runout error vector as given in a manufacturer's data sheet. A method for aligning the reference point to minimize measurement error. | 10-08-2015 |
20150192407 | DIAGNOSING MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE AND ELIMINATING MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE IN 3D SCANNERS USING AUTOMATED REPOSITIONING - A method for determining 3D coordinates of points on a surface of the object by providing a 3D coordinate measurement device attached to a moveable apparatus that is coupled to a position sensing mechanism, all coupled to a processor, projecting a pattern of light onto the surface to determine a first set of 3D coordinates of points on the surface, determining susceptibility of the object to multipath interference by projecting and reflecting rays from the measured 3D coordinates of the points, moving the moveable apparatus under processor control to change the relative position of the device and the object, and projecting the a pattern of light onto the surface to determine a second set of 3D coordinates. | 07-09-2015 |
20150192406 | DIAGNOSING MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE AND ELIMINATING MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE IN 3D SCANNERS USING PROJECTION PATTERNS - A method for determining 3D coordinates of points on a surface of the object by providing a non-contact 3D measuring device having a projector and camera coupled to a processor, projecting a pattern onto the surface to determine a first set of 3D coordinates of points on the surface, determining susceptibility of the object to multipath interference by projecting and reflecting rays from the measured 3D coordinates of the points, selecting a pattern as a single line stripe or a single spot based on the susceptibility to multipath interference, and projecting the pattern onto the surface to determine a second set of 3D coordinates. | 07-09-2015 |
20150160344 | LASER TRACKER THAT USES A FIBER-OPTIC COUPLER AND AN ACHROMATIC LAUNCH TO ALIGN AND COLLIMATE TWO WAVELENGTHS OF LIGHT - A coordinate measurement device sends a first beam of light having first and second wavelengths to a target point. The device includes a fiber-optic coupler that combines the first and second wavelengths and launches them through an achromatic optical element to produce collimated and aligned light. The device also includes first and second motors, first and second angle measuring devices, a distance meter, and a processor that determines 3D coordinates of the target point based on the measured distance and two angles. | 06-11-2015 |
20140362424 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL SCANNER WITH DICHROIC BEAM SPLITTERS TO CAPTURE A VARIETY OF SIGNALS - In a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, where the device is a laser scanner having a light emitter which, by a rotary mirror, emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam, which, after passing the rotary mirror and a receiver lens which has an optical axis, is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner. The laser scanner also includes a color camera which takes colored pictures of the environment of the laser scanner, and a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines the distance to the object and links it with the colored pictures, the color camera being arranged on the optical axis of the receiver lens. | 12-11-2014 |
20140340750 | Cube Corner Retroreflector For Measuring Six Degrees of Freedom - A target and method of manufacturing the target is provided. The method of manufacturing includes providing the cube cornered retroreflector, the cube cornered retroreflector including a first, second and third planar reflectors. Each planar reflector capable of reflecting light, each planar reflector perpendicular to the other two planar reflectors, each planar reflector intersecting the other two planar reflectors in a common vertex, and each planar reflector having two intersection junctions. Each intersection junction shared with an adjacent planar reflector for a total of three intersection junctions within the cube corner retroreflector. The method further including the step of directing ions from a focused ion beam etching (FIBE) device onto the first intersection junction defined by the first planar reflector and second planar reflector. A first material is removed from at least a first portion of the first intersection junction to define a first non-reflecting portion. | 11-20-2014 |
20140327920 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING GESTURES TO CONTROL A LASER TRACKER - A method and system are provided for controlling a laser tracker remotely from the laser tracker through gestures performed by a user. The method includes providing a rule of correspondence between each of a plurality of commands and each of a plurality of user gestures. A gesture is performed by the user with the user's body that corresponds to one of the plurality of user gestures. The gesture performed by the user is detected. The gesture recognition engine determines a first command from one of the plurality of commands that correspond with the detected gesture. Then the first command is executed with the laser tracker. | 11-06-2014 |
20140313521 | METHOD FOR CORRECTING A SPHERICALLY MOUNTED RETROREFLECTOR WHEN RESETTING A DISTANCE METER - A method of correcting centering errors of a spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) when the distance meter of a 3D coordinate measurement device is reset to a home reference distance. | 10-23-2014 |
20140300906 | LASER SCANNER WITH CELLULAR TRANSCEIVER COMMUNICATION - A laser scanner that measures three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of a point by steering a beam of light to the point and receiving reflected light with a distance meter, the laser scanner further including a cellular transceiver component for exchanging scanner data and scanner instructions through a cellular network. | 10-09-2014 |
20140268178 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ACQUIRING THREE DIMENSIONAL COORDINATES USING MULTIPLE COORDINATE MEASUREMENT DEVICES - A method is provided for determining the three dimensional coordinates of points on the surface of an object. The method includes providing a structured light scanner and a coordinate measurement device. The coordinate measurement device tracks the location and orientation of the structured light scanner during operation. The location and orientation data is combined with image frames captured by the scanner to allow registration of the image frames relative to each other. The three-dimensional coordinates of points on the surface of the object may then be determined in the frame of reference of the coordinate measurement device. | 09-18-2014 |
20140268108 | METHOD OF DETERMINING A COMMON COORDINATE SYSTEM FOR AN ARTICULATED ARM COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINE AND A SCANNER - A method of determining a mathematical transformation to place three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of points measured by an articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) and 3D points measured by a scanner in a common coordinate system is provided. The method including providing the 3D scanner and the AACMM having a probe. The scanner and AACMM each have a local frame of reference. Three non-collinear targets are measured with the probe and then with the scanner. 3D probe reference coordinates and 3D scanner reference coordinates are determined based on the measurement of the targets by the AACMM and scanner. The mathematical transformation is determined based at least in part on the 3D probe reference coordinates and the 3D scanner reference coordinates, the mathematical transformation characterized at least in part by a collection of parameters. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267629 | DIAGNOSING MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE AND ELIMINATING MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE IN 3D SCANNERS USING AUTOMATED REPOSITIONING - A method for determining 3D coordinates of points on a surface of the object by providing a 3D coordinate measurement device attached to a moveable apparatus that is coupled to a position sensing mechanism, all coupled to a processor, projecting a pattern of light onto the surface to determine a first set of 3D coordinates of points on the surface, determining susceptibility of the object to multipath interference by projecting and reflecting rays from the measured 3D coordinates of the points, moving the moveable apparatus under processor control to change the relative position of the device and the object, and projecting the a pattern of light onto the surface to determine a second set of 3D coordinates. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267623 | Three-Dimensional Scanner With External Tactical Probe and Illuminated Guidance - An assembly that includes a projector and camera is used with a processor to determine three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of an object surface. The processor fits collected 3D coordinates to a mathematical representation provided for a shape of a surface feature. The processor fits the measured 3D coordinates to the shape and, if the goodness of fit is not acceptable, selects and performs at least one of: changing a pose of the assembly, changing an illumination level of the light source, changing a pattern of the transmitted With the changes in place, another scan is made to obtain 3D coordinates. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267620 | DIAGNOSING MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE AND ELIMINATING MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE IN 3D SCANNERS BY DIRECTED PROBING - A method for determining 3D coordinates of points on a surface of the object by providing a remote probe having a probe tip and a non-contact 3D measuring device having a projector and camera coupled to a processor, projecting a pattern onto the surface to determine a first set of 3D coordinates of points on the surface, determining susceptibility of the object to multipath interference by projecting and reflecting rays from the measured 3D coordinates of the points, projecting a first light to direct positioning of the remote probe by the user, the first light determined at least in part by the susceptibility to multipath interference, touching the probe tip to the surface at the indicated region, illuminating at least three spots of light on the remote probe, capturing an image of the at least three spots with the camera, and determining 3D coordinates of the probe tip. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267619 | DIAGNOSING MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE AND ELIMINATING MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE IN 3D SCANNERS USING PROJECTION PATTERNS - A method for determining 3D coordinates of points on a surface of the object by providing a non-contact 3D measuring device having a projector and camera coupled to a processor, projecting a pattern onto the surface to determine a first set of 3D coordinates of points on the surface, determining susceptibility of the object to multipath interference by projecting and reflecting rays from the measured 3D coordinates of the points, selecting a pattern as a single line stripe or a single spot based on the susceptibility to multipath interference, and projecting the pattern onto the surface to determine a second set of 3D coordinates. | 09-18-2014 |
20140259714 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ACQUIRING THREE DIMENSIONAL COORDINATES USING MULTIPLE COORDINATE MEASUREMENT DEVICES - A method is provided for determining the three dimensional coordinates of points on the surface of an object. The method includes providing a structured light scanner and a coordinate measurement device. The coordinate measurement device tracks the location and orientation of the structured light scanner during operation. The location and orientation data is combined with image frames captured by the scanner to allow registration of the image frames relative to each other. The three-dimensional coordinates of points on the surface of the object may then be determined in the frame of reference of the coordinate measurement device. | 09-18-2014 |
20140202015 | NON-ARTICULATED PORTABLE CMM - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) for measuring three-dimensional coordinates of an object in space is provided including a base and a positionable arm coupled to the base. The arm has at least one arm segment including a position transducer for producing a position signal. An electronic circuit receives the position signal from the at least one position transducer. A non-articulated measurement device, coupled to the arm, includes a flexible member having at least one sensing element configured to sense deflection of the flexible member. A probe of the flexible member contacts a surface of an object. A processing unit coupled to the sensing element determines the position and shape of the flexible member. A processor, coupled to the electronic circuit, determines the three-dimensional coordinates of a point on the object in response to position signal from the position transducer and the position signals from the processing unit. | 07-24-2014 |
20140192187 | NON-CONTACT MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A portable coordinate measuring machine for measuring the coordinates of an object in space is provided including a manually positionable articulated arm portion having a plurality of connected arm segments that include position transducers that provide position signals. A probe assembly connected to an arm segment includes a non-contact measurement device having a projector and a camera separated by a baseline distance. The projector includes a light source that emits a line of light. The camera includes an image sensor having an array of pixels that receives the light reflected from the object in a sensor plane. A first processor of the camera, coupled to the image sensor, determines centroids from the received light. A second processor coupled to the first processor determines three-dimensional coordinates of points on the object based at least in part on the centroids provided by the processor, the positions, and the baseline distance. | 07-10-2014 |
20140185059 | AUTOMATIC MEASUREMENT OF DIMENSIONAL DATA WITH A LASER TRACKER - Measuring with a system having retroreflector targets and a laser tracker includes storing a list of coordinates for three targets and at least one added point; capturing on a photosensitive array a portion of the light emitted by a light beam and reflected off the targets; obtaining spot positions on a photosensitive array of a tracker camera from the reflected light; determining a correspondence between three spot positions on the photosensitive array and the coordinates of the targets; directing a beam of light from the tracker to the targets based at least in part on the coordinates of the first target and the first spot position; measuring 3-D coordinates of the targets with the tracker; determining 3-D coordinates of the at least one added point based at least in part on the measured 3-D coordinates of the targets and the coordinates of the at least one added point. | 07-03-2014 |
20140168380 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - A device for optically scanning and measuring an environment is provided. The device includes a movable scanner having at least one first projector for producing at least one uncoded first pattern on an object in the environment. The scanner includes at least one camera for recording images of the object provided with the pattern and a controller coupled to the first projector and the camera. The device further includes at least one second projector which projects a stationary uncoded second pattern on the object while the scanner is moved. Wherein the controller has a processor configured to determine a set of three-dimensional coordinates of points on a surface of the object from a set of images acquired by the camera based at least in part on the first pattern. The controller is further configured to register the set of images relative based in part on the stationary second pattern. | 06-19-2014 |
20140168379 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - A device for optically scanning and measuring an environment is provided. The device includes at least one projector for producing at least one uncoded pattern on an object in the environment. A first camera is provided for recording at least one first image of the object provided with the pattern, the first camera having a first image plane. A second camera is provided for recording at least one second image of the object provided with the uncoded pattern, the second camera being spaced apart from the first camera in order to acquire the uncoded pattern on a second image plane. A controller is provided having a processor configured to determine the three-dimensional coordinates of points on the surface of the object based at least in part on the uncoded pattern, the at least one first image and the at least one second image. | 06-19-2014 |
20140158860 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING GESTURES TO CONTROL A LASER TRACKER - Optically communicating from a user to a laser tracker a command to control tracker operation includes providing a rule of correspondence between each of a plurality of commands and temporal patterns; user selecting a first command; projecting a first light from the tracker to a retroreflector; reflecting a second light from the retroreflector that is part of the first light; obtaining first sensed data by sensing a third light imaged onto a photosensitive array that is part of the second light; user creating, between first and second times, a first temporal pattern including at least a decrease in the third light's optical power followed by an increase in its optical power, the first temporal pattern corresponding to the first command; determining the first command based at least in part on processing the first sensed data according to the rule of correspondence; and executing the first command with the tracker. | 06-12-2014 |
20140101953 | PORTABLE ARTICULATED ARM COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE WITH OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS BUS - A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) having opposed first and second ends and a plurality of connected arm segments each having at least one position transducer for producing a position signal; an electronic circuit configured to receive the position signals; a first bus for communication with the electronic circuit, wherein at least a portion of the first bus is an optical communication bus configured to transmit light; and a rotary coupler having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion configured to rotate relative to the first portion, the first portion affixed to the first arm segment, the rotary coupler configured to transfer signals on the optical communication bus between the first portion and the second portion. | 04-17-2014 |
20140098383 | METHOD FOR MEASURING 3D COORDINATES OF A SPHERICALLY MOUNTED RETROREFLECTOR FROM MULTIPLE STATIONS - A method of measuring spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) with a 3D coordinate measurement device such as a laser tracker. The SMR includes an open-air cube corner retroreflector having a vertex point located near a sphere center of the SMR. Measurements of the SMR to the vertex point are corrected to indicate 3D coordinates of the SMR sphere center by accounting for SMR depth error and SMR runout error. | 04-10-2014 |
20140098382 | SPHERICALLY MOUNTED RETROREFLECTOR HAVING AN EMBEDDED TEMPERATURE SENSOR AND SOCKET - A spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) having an embedded temperature sensor and a socket for attaching to an electrical connector. | 04-10-2014 |
20140098381 | METHOD FOR CORRECTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEASUREMENTS OF A SPHERICALLY MOUNTED RETROREFLECTOR - A method of measuring spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) with a 3D coordinate measurement device such as a laser tracker. The SMR includes an open-air cube corner retroreflector having a vertex point located near a sphere center of the SMR. Measurements of the SMR to the vertex point are moved to the SMR sphere center by accounting for SMR depth error and SMR runout error. | 04-10-2014 |
20140078519 | Laser Scanner - A method of dynamically adjusting an angular speed of a light beam emitted by a scanner in measuring three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of a surface or of dynamically adjusting an acquisition rate of 3D coordinates of a surface. | 03-20-2014 |
20140063489 | Laser Scanner - A laser scanner for optically scanning and measuring an environment is provided. The laser scanner includes a light transmitter for emitting a light beam to measure a plurality of points in the environment, the light transmitter coupled to the rotating unit. A receiver is provided for receiving a reflected light beam reflected from the plurality of measurement points, the receiver being coupled to the rotating unit. A first image acquisition unit is configured to record a visible image of an area of the environment that includes the plurality of points. A sensing device is configured to record data of the area. A processor is operably coupled to the receiver, the first image acquisition unit and the sensing device, the processor is configured to associate a color value from the visible image and a recorded data value from the sensing device with each of the plurality of points. | 03-06-2014 |
20140049784 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - A laser scanner optically scans and measures an environment, the laser scanner having a base resting in the stationary reference system of the laser scanner, a measuring head rotatable about a vertical axis relative to the base, a measuring head rotatable relative to the base about a vertical axis, a motor supported in the measuring head, the motor having a motor shaft and a gear which, when driven by the motor by the motor shaft, turns the measuring head relative to the base, the gear being configured as a planetary gear. | 02-20-2014 |
20140028805 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ACQUIRING THREE-DIMENSIONAL COORDINATES USING MULTIPLE COORDINATE MEASURMENT DEVICES - A method is provided of determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object surface with a laser tracker and structured light scanner. The method includes providing the scanner having a body, a pair of cameras, a projector, and a processor. The projector and cameras are positioned in a non-collinear arrangement. The projector is configured to project a first pattern onto the surface. The method also includes providing the tracker which emits a beam of light onto the retroreflector. The tracker receives a reflected beam of light. The first location is measured with the tracker. The first orientation is measured with the tracker. The first surface pattern is projected onto the surface. A pair of images of the surface pattern is acquired with cameras. The processor determines the 3D coordinates of a first plurality of points in the tracker frame of reference based in part on epipolar constraints of the cameras and projector. | 01-30-2014 |
20140022555 | METHOD FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - In a method for optically scanning and measuring an environment, a laser scanner emits an emission light beam, receives a reception light beam reflected from an object, and determines for a multiplicity of measurement points at least the distance from the object to a center of the laser scanner, and in which at least some of the measurement points are displayed on a display device, the measurement points are assigned to pixels of a plane and their distances to the plane are assigned to respective depths, at least the pixels between the pixels which are assigned to the measurement points are filled with values in dependence on the depth, by selecting pixels, by searching for pixels which are adjacent to the selected pixels and have a smaller depth, and by filling the selected pixels depending on the values of the adjacent pixels and on their depths. | 01-23-2014 |
20140002608 | LINE SCANNER USING A LOW COHERENCE LIGHT SOURCE | 01-02-2014 |
20130308117 | APPARATUS AND METHOD TO COMPENSATE BEARING RUNOUT IN LASER TRACKER - An apparatus and method for correcting errors in measurement of three-dimensional coordinates of a retroreflector by a coordinate measurement device is provided. The method includes measuring a plurality of first angles, a plurality of first and second displacements along an axis, sending a beam of light to the retroreflector target, measuring two angles and a distance to the retroreflector, and determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the retroreflector. | 11-21-2013 |
20130306850 | INDEXED OPTICAL ENCODER, METHOD FOR INDEXING AN OPTICAL ENCODER, AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTING GAIN AND OFFSET IN AN OPTICAL ENCODER - An optical encoder may include an encoder disk, an illumination system, and a detector to detect light diffracted from the encoder disk. The encoder disk may include a signal track comprising a diffraction grating, and an index track comprising a reflective index mark, wherein a width of the index mark is larger than a pitch of the diffraction grating. An indexing method may include providing an encoder disk, providing an illumination system to direct light to the encoder disk, providing a detector structured to detect light diffracted from the encoder disk, calculating an estimated count of quadrature states from a rising edge of an index pulse to a middle of the index interval, and calculating the quadrature state at an approximate center of the index pulse. A dynamic parameter correction method may include calculating a target gain and offset and correcting values based on the target gain and offset. | 11-21-2013 |
20130286196 | LASER LINE PROBE THAT PRODUCES A LINE OF LIGHT HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY EVEN INTENSITY DISTRIBUTION - A laser line probe (LLP) configured to measure an object is provided. The LLP includes a projector, a camera, a bracket, and an electronic circuit. The projector includes a light source, a first lens system and a continuously varying neutral density filter. The projector is configured for generating a line of light having a substantially even intensity distribution and for projecting the line of light onto the object. The camera includes a second lens system and a photosensitive array. The second lens system is configured to collect the light reflected by or scattered off the object as a first collected light and to image the first collected light onto the photosensitive array. The electronic circuit includes a processor and is configured to determine three-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of points of light projected on the object by the projector. | 10-31-2013 |
20130250285 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MEASURING SIX DEGREES OF FREEDOM - A laser tracker system for measuring six degrees of freedom may include a main optics assembly structured to emit a first laser beam, a pattern projector assembly structured to emit a second laser beam shaped into a two-dimensional pattern, and a target. The target may include a retroreflector and a position sensor assembly. A center of symmetry of the retroreflector may be provided on a different plane than a plane of the position sensor assembly. A method of measuring orientation of a target may include illuminating the target with a laser beam comprising a two-dimensional pattern, recording a position of the two-dimensional pattern on a position sensor assembly to create a measured signature value of the two-dimensional pattern, and calculating an orientation of the target based on the measured signature value. | 09-26-2013 |
20130229512 | METHOD FOR USING A HANDHELD APPLIANCE TO SELECT, LOCK ONTO, AND TRACK A RETROREFLECTOR WITH A LASER TRACKER - A method for locking onto and tracking a selected retroreflector target with a laser tracker includes steps of: actuating by the operator the handheld appliance and sending a wireless signal; responding to the wireless message by repetitively carrying out steps in the following loop and exiting the loop when an exit condition is met: reflecting part of the cone of light by the at least one retroreflector target and capturing an array image on the photosensitive array; determining which retroreflector target meets the retroreflector target criterion; determining whether the position detector is receiving the reflected beam; establishing that the exit condition is met when the position detector receives the reflected beam and the reflected beam comes from the selected retroreflector target; and steering the first light beam toward the selected retroreflector target. | 09-05-2013 |
20130222816 | COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE HAVING AN ILLUMINATED PROBE END AND METHOD OF OPERATION - A method of conveying information with a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments with a measurement device coupled to the first end. A light source is coupled to the first end, the light source configured to emit a visible light pattern on a surface of an object. A first processor determines a location of a next measurement and a type of the next measurement to be performed by an operator, the type of the measurement selected from among a plurality of measurement types. The first processor determines the light pattern based at least in part on the type of the next measurement. The light pattern is projected proximal to the location. | 08-29-2013 |
20130222791 | AUTOMATIC MEASUREMENT OF DIMENSIONAL DATA WITH A LASER TRACKER - Measuring with a system having retroreflector targets and a laser tracker includes storing a list of coordinates for three targets and at least one added point; capturing on a photosensitive array a portion of the light emitted by a light beam and reflected off the targets; obtaining spot positions on a photosensitive array of a tracker camera from the reflected light; determining a correspondence between three spot positions on the photosensitive array and the coordinates of the targets; directing a beam of light from the tracker to the targets based at least in part on the coordinates of the first target and the first spot position; measuring 3-D coordinates of the targets with the tracker; determining 3-D coordinates of the at least one added point based at least in part on the measured 3-D coordinates of the targets and the coordinates of the at least one added point. | 08-29-2013 |
20130214122 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING GESTURES TO CONTROL A LASER TRACKER - A method for optically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to direct a light beam from the tracker to a retroreflector and lock onto the retroreflector includes projecting a first light to the retroreflector. Also, moving by the user the retroreflector in a predefined spatial pattern which corresponds to the command; reflecting a second light from the retroreflector, the second light being a portion of the first light; obtaining first sensed data by sensing a third light which is a portion of the second light and imaging the third light onto a photosensitive array on the tracker and converting the third light on the photosensitive array into digital form. Further, determining the first sensed data corresponds to the predefined spatial pattern; pointing the light beam from the tracker to the retroreflector; and locking onto the retroreflector with the tracker light beam. | 08-22-2013 |
20130212889 | COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINES WITH REMOVABLE ACCESSORIES - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine for measuring the coordinates of an object in space is provided. The AACMM includes a base and an arm portion having an opposed first and second ends. The arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments that each includes at least one position transducer for producing a position signal. An electronic circuit is provided that receives the position signal from the at least one position transducer and provides data corresponding to a position of the measurement device. A noncontact three-dimensional measuring device is coupled to the first end, the device having an electromagnetic radiation transmitter and is configured to determine a distance to an object based at least in part on the speed of light in air. A processor is configured to determine the three-dimensional coordinates of a point on the object in response to receiving the position signals and the distance to the object. | 08-22-2013 |
20130208128 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING GESTURES TO CONTROL A LASER TRACKER - A laser measurement system includes a laser tracker having a structure rotatable about first and second axes, a first light source that launches a light beam from the structure, a distance meter, first and second angular encoders that measure first and second angles of rotation about the first and second axes, respectively, a processor, and a camera system. Also, a communication device that includes a second light source and an operator-controlled device that controls emission of a light from the second light source; a retroreflector target not disposed on the communication device. Also, the camera system is operable to receive the second light and to convert it into a digital image, and the processor is operable to determine a command to control operation of the tracker based on a pattern of movement of the second light source between first and second times and the digital image. | 08-15-2013 |
20130205606 | COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINES WITH DUAL LAYER ARM - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) is provided including a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends. The arm includes multiple connected arm segments. Each arm segment has a longitudinal axis. Each arm segment includes a generally tubular core, an outer sleeve surrounding at least a portion of a length of the core, and at least one position transducer for producing a position signal. The outer sleeve is a cylindrical tube having a first portion at a first end and a second portion that extends from the first portion to an opposite end. The first portion is coupled to an end of the core. The first portion is shorter than the second portion and the second portion is configured to move relative to the core. | 08-15-2013 |
20130202010 | TARGET APPARATUS AND METHOD - A target is provided having a retroreflector. A body is provided having a spherical exterior portion, the body containing a cavity. The cavity is sized to hold the retroreflector, the cavity open to the exterior of the body and having at least one surface opposite the opening, the retroreflector at least partially disposed in the cavity, wherein the retroreflector and at least one surface define a space therebetween. A transmitter is configured to emit an electromagnetic signal. A first actuator is configured to initiate emission of the electromagnetic signal, wherein the transmitter and the first actuator are affixed to the body. | 08-08-2013 |
20130201487 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - A device for optically scanning and measuring an environment is designed as a laser scanner having a light emitter that emits an emission light beam and a light receiver that receives a reception light beam which is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner. The laser scanner also includes a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines at least the distance to the object. The spot of the emission light beam temporarily moves along a prism of the laser scanner, the prism having at least two different brightness levels and/or colors. | 08-08-2013 |
20130201470 | TARGET APPARATUS AND METHOD - A method is provided of obtaining the characteristics of a target by a device. The method includes providing the target having a target frame of reference, a retroreflector and a body. Providing a contact element rigidly fixed with respect to the body. A device is provided having a frame of reference and a light source, the device configured to measure a distance and two angles from the device to the retroreflector reference point. An identifier element located on the body. A workpiece surface is provided. The contact element contacts the workpiece surface. The retroreflector is illuminated with light from the light source and returns a reflected light. A distance and two angles are measured based at least in part on the reflected light. The first information is read with a first reader attached to the device. A three-dimensional coordinate of a point on the workpiece surface is calculated. | 08-08-2013 |
20130197852 | MEASUREMENT MACHINE UTILIZING A BARCODE TO IDENTIFY AN INSPECTION PLAN FOR AN OBJECT - Embodiments of the present invention relate to a measurement machine for measuring an object, and more particularly to a measurement machine such as a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine or a laser tracker that measures an object according to a measurement or inspection plan that is identified by a machine readable information symbol located on the object to be measured or on a drawing (e.g., a CAD drawing) of the object. | 08-01-2013 |
20130155386 | LASER TRACKER USED WITH SIX DEGREE-OF-FREEDOM PROBE HAVING SEPARABLE SPHERICAL RETROREFLECTOR - A method for measuring three-dimensional coordinates of a probe center includes: providing a spherically mounted retroreflector; providing a probe assembly; providing an orientation sensor; providing a coordinate measurement device; placing the spherically mounted retroreflector on the probe head; directing the first beam of light from the coordinate measurement device to the spherically mounted retroreflector; measuring the first distance; measuring the first angle of rotation; measuring the second angle of rotation; measuring the three orientational degrees of freedom based at least in part on information provided by the orientation sensor; calculating the three-dimensional coordinates of the probe center based at least in part on the first distance, the first angle of rotation, the second angle of rotation, and the three orientational degrees of freedom; and storing the three-dimensional coordinates of the probe center. | 06-20-2013 |
20130128284 | AUTOMATIC MEASUREMENT OF DIMENSIONAL DATA WITH A LASER TRACKER - Measuring with a system having retroreflector targets and a laser tracker includes storing a list of nominal coordinates for three targets and at least one added point; capturing on a photosensitive array of the tracker a portion of the light emitted by a light beam and reflected off the three targets; obtaining spot positions on a photosensitive array of a tracker camera from light reflected off the three targets; determining a correspondence between three spot positions on the tracker photosensitive array and the nominal coordinates of the three targets; directing a beam of light from the tracker to the three targets based at least in part on the nominal coordinates of the first target and the first spot position; measuring 3-D coordinates of the three targets with the tracker; determining 3-D coordinates of the at least one added point based at least in part on the measured 3-D coordinates of the three targets and the nominal coordinates of the at least one added point. | 05-23-2013 |
20130125408 | COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINES WITH REMOVABLE ACCESSORIES - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine is provided. The coordinate measuring machine includes a base with an arm portion. A probe end is coupled to an end of the arm portion distal from the base. A device configured to emit a coded structured light onto an object to determine the three dimensional coordinates of a point on the object. | 05-23-2013 |
20130118020 | SMART PROBE - The present system, method, article of manufacture, software, and apparatus is an “intelligent” probe system and components thereof and may openly encompass, in at least an embodiment, an embedded IC chip located in an interchangeable probe(s) which offers repeatable, fast, easy, and error free probe swapping on a CMM. | 05-16-2013 |
20130116959 | INDEXED OPTICAL ENCODER, METHOD FOR INDEXING AN OPTICAL ENCODER, AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTING GAIN AND OFFSET IN AN OPTICAL ENCODER - An optical encoder may include an encoder disk, an illumination system, and a detector to detect light diffracted from the encoder disk. The encoder disk may include a signal track comprising a diffraction grating, and an index track comprising a reflective index mark, wherein a width of the index mark is larger than a pitch of the diffraction grating. An indexing method may include providing an encoder disk, providing an illumination system to direct light to the encoder disk, providing a detector structured to detect light diffracted from the encoder disk, calculating an estimated count of quadrature states from a rising edge of an index pulse to a middle of the index interval, and calculating the quadrature state at an approximate center of the index pulse. A dynamic parameter correction method may include calculating a target gain and offset and correcting values based on the target gain and offset. | 05-09-2013 |
20130112861 | INDEXED OPTICAL ENCODER, METHOD FOR INDEXING AN OPTICAL ENCODER, AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTING GAIN AND OFFSET IN AN OPTICAL ENCODER - An optical encoder may include an encoder disk, an illumination system, and a detector to detect light diffracted from the encoder disk. The encoder disk may include a signal track comprising a diffraction grating, and an index track comprising a reflective index mark, wherein a width of the index mark is larger than a pitch of the diffraction grating. An indexing method may include providing an encoder disk, providing an illumination system to direct light to the encoder disk, providing a detector structured to detect light diffracted from the encoder disk, calculating an estimated count of quadrature states from a rising edge of an index pulse to a middle of the index interval, and calculating the quadrature state at an approximate center of the index pulse. A dynamic parameter correction method may include calculating a target gain and offset and correcting values based on the target gain and offset. | 05-09-2013 |
20130104411 | PORTABLE COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINE HAVING A HANDLE THAT INCLUDES ELECTRONICS | 05-02-2013 |
20130097883 | PORTABLE COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINE HAVING A REMOVABLE EXTERNAL SENSOR - A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine is provided. The coordinate measurement machine includes a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends. The articulated arm includes a plurality of arm segments, each including encoder configured to produce a signal corresponding to an angle of rotation. A base section is connected to the second end. A measurement probe is connected to the first end. The measurement probe receives an externally mounted sensor having an attachment ring, the measurement probe having an alignment surface and external threading. A retaining ring having internal threading is threadably receives the external threading; the retaining ring further couples the attachment ring to the surface. An electrical circuit is configured to receive the signal and to provide data corresponding to a coordinate of the externally mounted sensor, the data based at least in part on the signal. | 04-25-2013 |
20130097882 | COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINES WITH REMOVABLE ACCESSORIES - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine for measuring the coordinates of an object in space is provided. The AACMM includes a base and an arm portion having an opposed first and second ends. The arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments that each includes at least one position transducer for producing a position signal. An electronic circuit is provided that receives the position signal from the at least one position transducer and provides data corresponding to a position of the measurement device. A noncontact three-dimensional measuring device is coupled to the first end, the device having an electromagnetic radiation transmitter and is configured to determine a distance to an object based at least in part on the speed of light in air. A processor is configured to determine the three-dimensional coordinates of a point on the object in response to receiving the position signals and the distance to the object. | 04-25-2013 |
20130094024 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - With a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, which is designed as a laser scanner, with a light emitter, which emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam which is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner or scattered otherwise, and with a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines at least the distance to the object, at least one shell is provided as part of the housing of the laser scanner, said shell being partially covered on its outer side by at least one yoke which serves as protection. | 04-18-2013 |
20130070250 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - A device for optically scanning and measuring and environment, with a laser scanner, having a base and a measuring head which is rotatable relative to the base, with a light emitter, which emits an emission light beam, a light receiver which receives a reception light beam which is reflected by an object in the environment of the laser scanner or scattered otherwise, and a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines at least the distance to the object, has a manually movable trolley, on which the laser scanner is mounted by means of its base and which can be taken from a resting state to a moving state, wherein the trolley has a path measuring device for measuring its path. | 03-21-2013 |
20130037694 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING GESTURES TO CONTROL A LASER TRACKER - A method for optically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to control tracker operation includes providing a rule of correspondence between commands and temporal patterns, and selecting by the user a first command. Also, projecting a first light from the tracker to the retroreflector, reflecting a second light from the retroreflector, the second light being a portion of the first light, obtaining first sensed data by sensing a third light which is a portion of the second light, creating by the user, between first and second times, a first temporal pattern which includes a decrease in the third optical power followed by an increase in the third optical power, the first temporal pattern corresponding to the first command, determining the first command based on processing the first sensed data per the rule of correspondence and executing the first command with the tracker. | 02-14-2013 |
20130016362 | DEVICE AND METHOD USING A SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATOR TO FIND 3D COORDINATES OF AN OBJECT - A method for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object point on a surface of an object, the method including steps of: providing a source, a projector, and a camera; in each of two instances: spatially modulating source light; sending a modulator pattern of light through the projector lens to form light spots; filtering the spots with a pinhole plate; propagating light from the light spots onto the object to produce a fringe pattern; imaging the object point with a camera lens onto an array point of the photosensitive array to obtain first and second electrical data values from the photosensitive array; and determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the first object point based at least in part on the first electrical data value, the second electrical data value, and a baseline length. | 01-17-2013 |
20130016338 | SCANNER WITH PHASE AND PITCH ADJUSTMENT - A method for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object point on a surface of an object, including steps of providing a transparent plate having a first region and a second region, the second region having a different wedge angle than the first region; splitting a first beam of light into a first light and a second light; sending the first light through the first region or the second region; combining the first light and the second light to produce a fringe pattern on the surface of the object, the pitch of the fringe pattern depending on the wedge angle through which the first light travels; imaging the object point onto an array point on a photosensitive array to obtain an electrical data value; determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the first object point based at least in part on the electrical data value. | 01-17-2013 |
20130016190 | GRATING-BASED SCANNER WITH PHASE AND PITCH ADJUSTMENT - A method for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object point on a surface of an object, the method including steps of: sending a beam of light to a diffraction grating; sending a first diffracted beam and a second diffracted beam to an objective lens to form at least two spots of light, which are passed through transparent regions of a plate to produce a first fringe pattern on the surface of the object; imaging the object point illuminated by the first fringe pattern onto a photosensitive array to obtain a first electrical data value; moving the plate to a second position; sending spots through plate to produce a second fringe pattern on the surface of the object; imaging the point onto the array point to obtain a second electrical data value; and calculating the three-dimensional coordinates of the first object point. | 01-17-2013 |
20130010308 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING GESTURES TO CONTROL A LASER TRACKER - A method for optically communicating, from a user to a six degree-of-freedom (6DOF) laser tracker, a command to control operation of the tracker includes providing a rule of correspondence between commands and pose patterns, each pattern including a change in a coordinate from an initial to a final pose, each pose having three translational coordinates and three orientational coordinates. Also, selecting a first command from among the commands and measuring the coordinate of a first pose of the 6DOF target with the tracker. Further, changing between first and second times, the coordinate of the pose of the target and measuring the coordinate of a second pose of the target with the tracker. Also, determining the first command based on the difference between the measured coordinates of the first and second poses according to the rule of correspondence and executing the first command by the tracker. | 01-10-2013 |
20130010307 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - With a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, which is designed as a laser scanner, with a light emitter, which emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam which is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner or scattered otherwise, and with a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines at least the distance to the object, the laser scanner has a cooling device with a space between a carrying structure and a shell which serves as a housing, said space opening to the outside by means of an air inlet and otherwise being sealed with respect to the interior of the carrying structure and to the shell. | 01-10-2013 |
20130009035 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING GESTURES TO CONTROL A LASER TRACKER - A method for optically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to control operation of the tracker includes providing a rule of correspondence between a plurality of commands and a plurality of positions, each position being a 3-D coordinate; selecting by the user a first command from among the commands and moving by the user a retroreflector to a first position wherein the first position corresponds to the first command. Also, projecting a first light from the tracker to the retroreflector, reflecting a second light from the retroreflector, the second light being a portion of the first light and obtaining first sensed data by sensing a third light, the third light being a portion of the second light. Further, determining the first command based on processing the first sensed data according to the rule of correspondence and executing the first command with the tracker. | 01-10-2013 |
20120327390 | METHODS FOR USING A LOCATOR CAMERA IN A LASER TRACKER - A method of steering a laser beam from an instrument toward a point on a retroreflector, including: intercepting with the retroreflector a cone of light from the instrument; obtaining a first image of retroreflected light on a photosensitive array and transmitting an electrical data signal in response; determining a position on the photosensitive array of the first image; calculating first and second angular increments to steer the laser beam to the point; rotating the first and second motors to intercept with the position detector the retroreflected laser beam and to place the laser beam at a preferred location on the position detector; measuring fifth and sixth angles with first and second angle transducers; measuring a distance with a distance meter; and determining three-dimensional coordinates of the point based at least in part on the fifth angle, the sixth angle, and the distance. | 12-27-2012 |
20120320943 | AUTOMATED AND ACCELERATED WARM-UP AND STABILITY CHECK FOR LASER TRACKERS - A method for warming up a first instrument that includes providing an instrument measuring a first instrument temperature with the first temperature sensor at a starting time; measuring a first air temperature with the second temperature sensor at the starting time; determining a first profile based at least in part on the first instrument temperature and the first air temperature, the first profile representing an amount of first electrical current applied as a function of time, the first profile selected to provide a predicted level of instrument performance within a warm-up time; applying the first electrical current according to the first profile; and providing an operator at the starting time with a numerical value for the warm-up time of the instrument, wherein the warm-up time is based at least in part on the first instrument temperature and the first air temperature. | 12-20-2012 |
20120287265 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - In a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, where the device is a laser scanner having a light emitter which, by a rotary mirror, emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam, which, after passing the rotary mirror and a receiver lens which has an optical axis, is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner. The laser scanner also includes a color camera which takes colored pictures of the environment of the laser scanner, and a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines the distance to the object and links it with the colored pictures, the color camera being arranged on the optical axis of the receiver lens. | 11-15-2012 |
20120281087 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL SCANNER FOR HAND-HELD PHONES - A method for scanning an object in three dimensions that includes providing a handheld device and a first lens assembly, the first lens assembly removably attached to the body, the first lens assembly including a first lens and a support, the support configured to provide a fixed position for the first lens relative to the display; projecting a pattern of structured light onto the object from a display screen of the handheld device; acquiring at least one image of the structured light pattern projected onto the object using a camera integrated into the handheld device; converting each of the at least one image into digital values; and determining three-dimensional coordinates of the object based a triangulation calculation, the triangulation calculation based at least in part on the digital values and the projected pattern of the structured light. | 11-08-2012 |
20120265479 | SIX DEGREE-OF-FREEDOM LASER TRACKER THAT COOPERATES WITH A REMOTE SENSOR - A method of measuring with a coordinate measurement device and a target sensor a sense characteristic and a surface set associated with the sense characteristic, the method including the steps of: providing the target sensor having a body, a first retroreflector, a sensor, and a sensor processor, providing the coordinate measurement device, sending the first beam of light from the coordinate measurement device to the first retroreflector; receiving the second beam of light from the first retroreflector; measuring the orientational set and the translational set, the translational set based at least in part on the second beam of light; determining the surface set; sensing the sense characteristic; and saving the surface set and the sense characteristic. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262730 | ENHANCED POSITION DETECTOR IN LASER TRACKER - A device sends a first light beam to a target which returns a portion of the first beam as a second beam. First and second motors direct the first light beam to a first direction determined by first and second angles of rotation about first and second axes. First and second angle measuring devices measure first and second angles of rotation. A distance meter measures a first distance between device and target. A second portion of the second beam passes through a diffuser and onto a position detector which produces a first signal in response. A control system sends a second signal to the first motor and a third signal to the second motor, the second and third signals based on the first signal. The control system adjusts the first direction of the first beam to the target position. A processor provides a 3D coordinate of the target. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262728 | SIX DEGREE-OF-FREEDOM LASER TRACKER THAT COOPERATES WITH A REMOTE PROJECTOR TO CONVEY INFORMATION - A method of conveying information to a user of a coordinate measurement device, includes providing a first target projector, sending a first light beam from the device to a retroreflector; receiving a second light beam from the retroreflector; measuring the orientational and translational sets, the translational set based on the second light beam; selecting first information to be conveyed from the group consisting of one or more positions on the object, a direction indicated by a moving pattern, a message that includes one or more symbols or alphanumeric characters, a hidden feature, a measured object characteristic, a modeled characteristic, a magnified representation of surface characteristics, a pattern having meaning according to a rule, and combinations thereof; determining a first light pattern corresponding to the information; storing the first light pattern; and projecting the first light pattern onto the object based on the translational and orientational sets. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262700 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - In a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, where the device is a laser scanner having a light emitter which, by a rotary mirror, emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam, which, after passing the rotary mirror and a receiver lens which has an optical axis, is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner. The laser scanner also includes a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines the distance to the object. Also, a rear mirror is provided on the optical axis behind the receiver lens, where the rear mirror reflects towards the receiver lens the reception light beam which is refracted by the receiver lens. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262699 | LASER TRACKER WITH ENHANCED ILLUMINATION INDICATORS - A coordinate measurement device includes: first and second angle measuring devices; a distance meter; a position detector; a first collection of illuminators rotatable about the first axis and fixed with respect to the second axis, the first collection configured to provide a first light selected from among at least two different colors of light in a visible spectrum, the first collection configured to make the first light visible from first and second points along the second axis and external to the device, the first and second points on opposite sides of the device; a second collection of illuminators rotatable about the first and second axes, the second collection configured to provide at least a second light selected from among two different colors of illumination in the visible spectrum; and a processor configured to provide a pattern of illumination for the first and second collections. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262698 | GIMBAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A PREALIGNED AND REPLACEABLE OPTICS BENCH - A method includes providing: an optics assembly including a housing, a beam splitter, and a position detector; and an alignment fixture; placing the assembly on the fixture which makes contact with the assembly on the first region; projecting the third beam of light onto a first surface; rotating the assembly about the sixth axis on the fixture; sensing a change in a position of the third beam of light in response to rotation of the assembly about the sixth axis; adjusting the first path to align the third beam of light to the sixth axis; attaching the assembly to a dimensional measurement device; directing the third beam of light to a retroreflector target; reflecting a portion of the third beam from the target as a fourth beam of light; and sending a third portion of the fourth beam from the beam splitter to the position detector. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262697 | ABSOLUTE DISTANCE METER BASED ON AN UNDERSAMPLING METHOD - A measurement system includes a signal generator producing an RF modulation frequency and sampling frequency and sending the sampling frequency to an ADC, and sending the RF frequency to modulate a first light source to produce a first light; an optical system sending a portion of the first light to a reference optical detector a portion of the first light out a measurement device to a target that returns a second light to the optical system which sends the second light to a measure optical detector, the reference and measure optical detectors converting the optical signals into corresponding electrical signals; a first ADC channel receiving the electrical measure signal and producing digital measure values; a second ADC channel receiving the electrical reference signal and producing digital reference values; and a processor receiving the digital measure and reference values and calculating the device to target distance. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262694 | LASER TRACKER WITH ENHANCED HANDLING FEATURES - A coordinate measurement device sends a first light beam to a target which returns a portion as a second beam. The device includes: first and second motors that direct the first beam to a first direction determined by a first angle of rotation about a first axis and a second angle of rotation about a second axis, the first and second angles of rotation produced by the first and second motors, respectively; first and second angle measuring devices that measure first and second angles of rotation, respectively; a distance meter that measures a first distance from the device to the target based in part on a first portion of the second beam; a processor that provides a 3D coordinate of the target based in part on the first distance and the first and second angles of rotation; and a retractable handle at the device top side. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262693 | ABSOLUTE DISTANCE METER THAT USES A FIBER-OPTIC SWITCH TO REDUCE DRIFT - A measurement device is configured to send a first light beam to a target which returns a reflected portion. The device includes a switch configured to receive a first signal, and to send the second portion out of the switch measure port if the first signal is in the first state or out of the switch reference port if the first signal is in the second state. The device also includes a first electrical circuit configured to provide the first signal, to convert the third portion into a first reference value, to convert the fifth portion into a first measure value if the first signal is in the first state, and to convert the seventh portion into a second reference value if the first signal is in the second state; and a processor configured to determine a first distance from the device to the target. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262692 | LASER TRACKER THAT COMBINES TWO DIFFERENT WAVELENGTHS WITH A FIBER-OPTIC COUPLER - Coordinate measurement device configured to send a first beam of light to a target includes first and second light sources configured to emit first and second lights having differing first and second wavelengths; fiber-optic coupler that includes three ports, a first port configured to accept a first portion of the first light, a second port configured to accept a second portion of the second light, a third port configured to transmit a third light which includes a portion of the first and second portions; first and second angle measuring devices configured to measure first and second angles of rotation; distance meter configured to measure a first distance from the device to the target based at least in part on a third portion of the second beam received by an optical detector; and a processor configured to provide 3D coordinates of the target. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262573 | SIX DEGREE-OF-FREEDOM LASER TRACKER THAT COOPERATES WITH A REMOTE LINE SCANNER - A method of measuring surface sets on an object surface with a coordinate measurement device and a target scanner, includes providing the scanner having a body, a first retroreflector incorporating a pattern, a projector, a camera, and a processor, providing the device, selecting the source pattern of light; projecting the source pattern of light onto the object to produce the object pattern of light; imaging the object pattern of light onto the photosensitive array to obtain the image pattern of light; obtaining the pixel digital values for the image pattern of light; sending the first beam of light from the device to the first retroreflector; receiving the second beam of light from the first retroreflector; measuring the orientational and translational sets based at least in part on the second beam of light; determining the surface sets corresponding to the plurality of collinear pattern elements; and saving the surface sets. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262550 | SIX DEGREE-OF-FREEDOM LASER TRACKER THAT COOPERATES WITH A REMOTE STRUCTURED-LIGHT SCANNER - Measuring three surface sets on an object surface with a measurement device and scanner, each surface set being 3D coordinates of a point on the object surface. The method includes: the device sending a first light beam to the first retroreflector and receiving a second light beam from the first retroreflector, the second light beam being a portion of the first light beam, a scanner processor and a device processor jointly configured to determine the surface sets; selecting the source light pattern and projecting it onto the object to produce the object light pattern; imaging the object light pattern onto a photosensitive array to obtain the image light pattern; obtaining the pixel digital values for the image light pattern; measuring the translational and orientational sets with the device; determining the surface sets corresponding to three non-collinear pattern elements; and saving the surface sets. | 10-18-2012 |
20120260512 | COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINES WITH REMOVABLE ACCESSORIES - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine for measuring the coordinates of an object in space is provided. The AACMM includes a base and a arm portion having an opposed first end and second end. The arm portion includes a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal. An electronic circuit is provided that receives the position signal from the at least one position transducer. A probe member is disposed is coupled to the first end. A noncontact three-dimensional measuring device is coupled to the probe member, the device having an electromagnetic radiation transmitter and is configured to determine a distance to an object based at least in part on the propagation time of the emitted and reflected light beams. | 10-18-2012 |
20120236320 | AUTOMATIC MEASUREMENT OF DIMENSIONAL DATA WITH A LASER TRACKER - Measuring with a system having retroreflector targets and a laser tracker includes storing a list of nominal coordinates for targets and one added point; capturing on a tracker photosensitive array a portion of the light emitted by a light beam and reflected off the targets; obtaining spot positions on a tracker camera photosensitive array from light reflected off the targets; determining a correspondence between three spot positions on the tracker photosensitive array and the nominal coordinates of the targets; directing a beam of light from the tracker to the targets based on the nominal coordinates of the first target and the first spot position; measuring 3-D coordinates of the targets with the tracker; determining 3-D coordinates of the at least one added point based on the measured 3-D coordinates of the targets and the nominal coordinates of the one added point. | 09-20-2012 |
20120229788 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - In a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, which device is designed as a laser scanner, with a light emitter, which, by means of a rotary mirror, emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam which is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner, and with a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines at least the distance to the object, the rotary mirror is part of a rotor, which is configured as a hybrid structure. | 09-13-2012 |
20120222324 | PORTABLE COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINE HAVING A HANDLE THAT INCLUDES ELECTRONICS - A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, comprising: a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal; a base section connected to the second end; and a probe assembly including a probe end and a handle; wherein the probe assembly is connected to the first end; wherein the handle contains electronics that include a processor; wherein the handle is configured to be gripped by a hand; and wherein the articulated arm coordinate measurement machine is configured to measure a three-dimensional coordinate of a point in space associated with the probe end. | 09-06-2012 |
20120206808 | CUBE CORNER RETROREFLECTOR FOR MEASURING SIX DEGREES OF FREEDOM - A target includes a cube corner retroreflector including three planar reflectors, each planar reflector capable of reflecting light, each planar reflector perpendicular to the other two planar reflectors, each planar reflector intersecting the other two planar reflectors in a common vertex, and each planar reflector having two intersection junctions, each intersection junction shared with an adjacent planar reflector for a total of three intersection junctions within the cube corner retroreflector. The target further includes a non-reflecting portion of each intersection junction, wherein, for at least one intersection junction, the non-reflecting portion is wider in a first region than in a second region. | 08-16-2012 |
20120206716 | TARGET APPARATUS AND METHOD - A target includes a contact element having a region of spherical curvature, a retroreflector rigidly connected to the contact element, a transmitter configured to emit an electromagnetic signal, a temperature sensor disposed on the target, configured to measure an air temperature, and configured to send the measured air temperature to the transmitter. | 08-16-2012 |
20120204436 | PORTABLE COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINE WITH A ROTATABLE HANDLE - A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) includes a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal resulting in the articulated arm having a plurality of position transducers. The AACMM also includes a base section connected to the second end; and a probe assembly connected to the first end, the probe assembly having a probe end, an inner core, and a handle; wherein the probe end is fixed with respect to the inner core, the handle is configured to rotate about the inner core, and the probe end is configured to measure a three-dimensional coordinate of a point in space. | 08-16-2012 |
20120188559 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - In a laser scanner for optically scanning and measuring an environment, the scanner having a center which defines for a scan the stationary reference system of the scanner and the center of the scan, a light emitter which emits an emission light beam, a light receiver which receives a reception light beam reflected by an object in the environment of the scanner, a control and evaluation unit which determines, for a multitude of measuring points of the scan, at least the distance between the center of the scan and the object, the scanner, for registering a scene with several scans having different centers, being movable between the centers of the scans, and a scanner mouse for registering the path followed by the scanner between the different centers of the scans, the scanner mouse optically registering the movement of the laser scanner relative to a reference surface. | 07-26-2012 |
20120180565 | CASE FOR A DEVICE - A case for a device configured to couple with a mounting fixture is provided. The case includes a first housing and a second housing. The first housing and the second housing are cooperatively shaped to enclose a first portion of the device when the device is coupled to the mounting fixture. The first housing and the second housing form an opening when coupled together and expose a second portion of the device that comprises the coupling hardware for attaching the device to the mounting fixture. A third housing is removably coupled to the opening wherein the third housing is cooperatively shaped to receive the second portion of the device and enclose the device when the device is removed from the mounting fixture. | 07-19-2012 |
20120144685 | Portable Articulated Arm Coordinate Measuring Machine Having Integrated Software Controls - A method for performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure on a portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM). The AACMM includes a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing position signals. The AACMM also includes an electronic circuit having a self-contained operating environment that includes a user interface application and a display device in communication with the user interface application. In addition, a measurement device is attached to the first end of the AACMM. The user interface application and display device are configured to facilitate performing and displaying results of a diagnostic or calibration procedure on the AACMM. | 06-14-2012 |
20120140244 | METHOD FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - A method for optically scanning and measuring an environment of a laser scanner includes the steps of emitting an emission light beam by a light emitter, reflecting the emission light beam by a mirror into the environment, wherein several complete revolutions are made during rotation of the measuring head, receiving a reception light beam by a light receiver via the mirror, which reception light beam is reflected by an object in the environment of the laser scanner , and determining for a multitude of measuring points of the scan, at least the distance of the center to the object, wherein the measuring head makes more than half a revolution for the scan, and wherein at least some measuring points are doubly determined. | 06-07-2012 |
20120133953 | METHOD FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN OBJECT - In a method for optically scanning and measuring an object by a laser scanner by a procedure in which a emission light beam modulated with a target frequency is emitted by means of a light emitter, a reception light beam reflected or otherwise scattered in some way from an object in the surroundings of the laser scanner is received, with a measuring clock, as a multiplicity of samples by means of a light receiver and in each case at least the distance from the object is determined from the phase angles of the multiplicity of samples for a plurality of measuring points by means of a control and evaluation device, for determining the distances, a phase shift caused by a distance difference of temporal adjacent samples is corrected in order to correct the distances. | 05-31-2012 |
20120120415 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING GESTURES TO CONTROL A LASER TRACKER - A method for mechanically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to control operation of the laser tracker includes providing the tracker with an angular encoder, providing a rule of correspondence between each command and each rotational pattern of a portion of a tracker, and selecting a first command. Also, rotating by the user, between first and second times, the portion of the tracker in a first rotational pattern, the first rotational pattern corresponds to the first command, and obtaining a collection of first angular readings from the angular encoder, wherein the angular readings are obtained between the first and second times. Also, determining the first command based at least in part on processing the first angular readings according to the rule of correspondence, and executing the first command with the tracker. | 05-17-2012 |
20120099119 | LASER-BASED COORDINATE MEASURING DEVICE AND LASER-BASED METHOD FOR MEASURING COORDINATES - A laser based coordinate measuring device measures a position of a remote target. The laser based coordinate measuring device includes a stationary portion, a rotatable portion, and at least a first optical fiber. The stationary portion has at least a first laser radiation source and at least a first optical detector, and the rotatable portion is rotatable with respect to the stationary portion. The first optical fiber system, which optically interconnects the first laser radiation source and the first optical detector with an emission end of the first optical fiber system, has the emission end disposed on the rotatable portion. The emission end emits laser radiation to the remote target and receives laser radiation reflected from the remote target with the emission direction of the laser radiation being controlled according to the rotation of the rotatable portion. | 04-26-2012 |
20120099100 | AUTOMATED WARM-UP AND STABILITY CHECK FOR LASER TRACKERS - A method for determining when a laser tracker is stable includes performing a plurality of first frontsight measurements and a plurality of first backsight measurements on a first target with the laser tracker, wherein the plurality of first frontsight measurements and the plurality of first backsight measurements are alternated in time, calculating a plurality of first two-face errors based on the plurality of first frontsight measurements and the plurality of first backsight measurements, determining at least one first stability metric based at least in part on the plurality of first two-face errors, the at least one first stability metric being a value defined by a rule, determining whether the laser tracker is stable based at least in part on the at least one first stability metric and a first termination criterion and generating an indication whether the laser tracker is stable or not stable. | 04-26-2012 |
20120099096 | LASER-BASED COORDINATE MEASURING DEVICE AND LASER-BASED METHOD FOR MEASURING COORDINATES - A laser based coordinate measuring device measures a position of a remote target. The laser based coordinate measuring device includes a stationary portion, a rotatable portion, and at least a first optical fiber. The stationary portion has at least a first laser radiation source and at least a first optical detector, and the rotatable portion is rotatable with respect to the stationary portion. The first optical fiber system, which optically interconnects the first laser radiation source and the first optical detector with an emission end of the first optical fiber system, has the emission end disposed on the rotatable portion. The emission end emits laser radiation to the remote target and receives laser radiation reflected from the remote target with the emission direction of the laser radiation being controlled according to the rotation of the rotatable portion. | 04-26-2012 |
20120070077 | METHOD FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - With a method for optically scanning and measuring an environment by means of a laser scanner, which has a center, and which, for making a scan, optically scans and measures its environment by means of light beams and evaluates it by means of a control and evaluation unit, wherein a color camera having a center takes colored images of the environment which must be linked with the scan, the control and evaluation unit of the laser scanner, to which the color camera is connected, links the scan and the colored images and corrects deviations of the center and/or the orientation of the color camera relative to the center and/or the orientation of the laser scanner by virtually moving the color camera iteratively for each colored image and by transforming at least part of the colored image for this new virtual position and/or orientation of the color camera, until the projection of the colored image and the projection of the scan onto a common reference surface comply with each other in the best possible way. | 03-22-2012 |
20120069352 | METHOD FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING A SCENE - A method for optically scanning and measuring a scene by means of a laser scanner which, for making a scan having a certain center, optically scans and measures its environment provided with targets, whereby two adjacent scans having different centers and scanning the same scene overlap within a range of measuring points so that some targets are scanned by any of the two scans, whereby, for registering the two adjacent scans, the targets are localized in the measuring points during a first step and, during a second step, candidates of correspondence among the localized targets of the two adjacent scans are looked for and, during a third step, a test registration of the two adjacent scans is made which, if there is a sufficient compliance of the measuring points within the overlapping range, is taken over for registration, thus identifying the targets. | 03-22-2012 |
20120069325 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - With a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment which is designed as a laser scanner, with a light emitter, which emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam which is reflected by an object in the surroundings of the laser scanner or scattered otherwise, with a control and evaluation unit which determines the distance to the object for a multitude of measuring points, wherein the emission light beam is a superposition of three laser beams having different wave lengths, which define the three-dimensional color space. | 03-22-2012 |
20120057174 | LASER SCANNER OR LASER TRACKER HAVING A PROJECTOR - A laser scanner or a laser tracker includes a light source that emits a light beam within an environment, and a data capture component that captures the light beam reflected back to the laser scanner or tracker from the environment. The laser scanner or tracker also includes a projector integrated within a body of the laser scanner or tracker or mounted to the body of the laser scanner or tracker at a predetermined location, the projector being operable to project visible information onto an object located within the environment, the projected visible information being indicative of images, data or information, the projected visible information being at least one of design intent information, information acquired by the laser scanner or tracker, or guidance to an operator. | 03-08-2012 |
20120019806 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - A device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, which is designed as a laser scanner, with a light emitter, which emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam which is reflected from an object (O) in the environment of the laser scanner or scattered otherwise, and with a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points (X), determines at least the distance to the object (O), the laser scanner has a swivel-axis module which, as a pre-assembled assembly, on the one hand is provided with a base resting in the stationary reference system of the laser scanner and, on the other hand, with parts which can be fixed to a carrying structure of the measuring head which is rotatable relative to the base. | 01-26-2012 |
20110282612 | SELF-COMPENSATING ANGULAR ENCODER - A method for self-compensating a method includes the steps of rotating the patterned element relative to the read heads, the rotation about the axis to a plurality of first angles covering a range of at least 360 degrees; obtaining, at each of the plurality of first angles, first angular readings for the m measure read heads and for the reference read head; calculating a first array for each of the m measure read heads, each first array including, for each of the plurality of first angles, a difference in the first angular readings of the measure read head and the first angular reading of the reference read head; calculating, for each of the m measure read heads, at least one first spectral component based at least in part on the first array; calculating, for each of the m measure read heads, at least one second spectral component, the second spectral component based, at least in part, on the at least one first spectral component and on estimates of the second angles of the m measure read heads; and recording, for each of the m measure read heads, the at least one second spectral component. | 11-17-2011 |
20110260033 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING GESTURES TO CONTROL A LASER TRACKER - A method for optically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to control operation of the laser tracker includes steps of providing a rule of correspondence between each of a plurality of commands and each of a plurality of spatial patterns, and selecting by the user a first command from among the plurality of commands. The method further includes the steps of moving by the user, between a first time and a second time, a retroreflector in a first spatial pattern from among the plurality of spatial patterns, wherein the first spatial pattern corresponds to the first command, and projecting a first light from the laser tracker to the retroreflector. The method also includes the steps of reflecting a second light from the retroreflector, the second light being a portion of the first light, and obtaining first sensed data by sensing a third light, the third light being a portion of the second light, wherein the first sensed data is obtained by the laser tracker between the first time and the second time. The method includes also the steps of determining the first command based at least in part on processing the first sensed data according to the rule of correspondence, and executing the first command with the laser tracker. | 10-27-2011 |
20110178766 | METHOD FOR EVALUATING MOUNTING STABILITY OF ARTICULATED ARM COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINE USING INCLINOMETERS - A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine can include a base, a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, an electronic circuit that receives the position signals from the transducers, a first inclinometer coupled to the base, wherein the inclinometer is configured to produce a first electrical signal responsive to an angle of tilt of the base and an electrical system configured to record a first reading of the first inclinometer and a second reading of the first inclinometer, wherein the first reading is in response to at least one of a first force applied to the base and a third force applied to the mounting structure, wherein the second reading is in response to at least one of a second force applied to the base and a fourth force applied to the mounting structure. | 07-21-2011 |
20110178765 | MULTI-FUNCTIONAL COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINES - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) includes a manually positionable arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal, a measurement device attached to a first end of the AACMM, and an electronic circuit which receives the position signals from the transducers and provides data corresponding to a position of the measurement device. Implementing the portable AACMM includes identifying a source device from which data is received by determining a transmission path through which the data is transmitted, the source device removably attached to the first end of the AACMM, determining a data type of the data based upon identification of the source device, performing an action on the data responsive to the data type, and outputting results of performing the action to a destination device. | 07-21-2011 |
20110178764 | Portable Articulated Arm Coordinate Measuring Machine with Multi-Bus Arm Technology - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) with multi-bus arm technology that includes a manually positionable articulated arm portion, a measurement device, and an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit is configured to receive a position signal from the arm portion and to provide data corresponding to a position of the measurement device. The AACMM further includes a probe end, an accessory device, an encoder data bus, and a first device data bus. The encoder data bus is coupled to the arm portion and the electronic circuit, and the encoder data bus is configured to send the position signal to the electronic circuit. The first device data bus is coupled to the accessory device and the electronic circuit. The first device data bus is configured to operate simultaneously with and independently of the encoder data bus for sending accessory device data from the accessory device to the electronic circuit. | 07-21-2011 |
20110178763 | USE OF INCLINOMETERS TO IMPROVE RELOCATION OF A PORTABLE ARTICULATED ARM COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE - A method of relocating a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) from a first location to a second location, wherein the AACMM has, at the first location, a first origin point and a first frame of reference and, at the second location, a second origin point and a second frame of reference, the method including the steps of: measuring an amount of tilt of the portable AACMM along two perpendicular directions, each of which are approximately perpendicular to a gravity vector, with the portable AACMM in each of the first and second locations; measuring a first target and a second target with the portable AACMM in the first location to obtain, in the first frame of reference, a first set of x, y, and z coordinates and a second set of x, y, and z coordinates; measuring the first target and the second target with the portable AACMM in the second location to obtain, in the second frame of reference, a third set of x, y, and z coordinates and a fourth set of x, y, and z coordinates; and finding x, y, and z coordinates of the second origin point with respect to the first frame of reference, wherein the x, y, and z coordinates of the second origin point are found using the first, second, third, and fourth sets of x, y, and z coordinates but without using additional x, y, and z coordinates of a third target measured with the AACMM at the first location and at the second location. | 07-21-2011 |
20110178762 | Portable Articulated Arm Coordinate Measuring Machine with Multiple Communication Channels - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) with multiple communication channels that includes a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal. The portable AACMM also includes a measurement device attached to a first end of the portable AACMM and a plurality of communication channels. The portable AACMM also includes an electronic circuit for receiving the position signals from the transducers and for providing data corresponding to a position of the measurement device. The portable AACMM also includes executable by the electronic circuit for receiving a request from a user to communicate via a selected one of the plurality of communication channels, and for configuring the portable AACMM to communicate via the selected communication channel. | 07-21-2011 |
20110178758 | INTEGRATED PART TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM - Exemplary embodiments include a portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, including a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal, a measurement device attached to a first end of the articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, an electronic circuit for receiving the position signals from the transducers and for providing data corresponding to a position of the measurement device, at least one sensor element, which is disposed on the articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, that is responsive to electromagnetic radiation and produces an electrical signal in response to a temperature of an object and an electronic system that converts the electrical signal into a temperature value. | 07-21-2011 |
20110178755 | Portable Articulated Arm Coordinate Measuring Machine and Integrated Electronic Data Processing System - Implementing a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine includes receiving a first request to perform a function. The portable AACMM includes a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal, a measurement device attached to a first end of the AACMM, and an electronic circuit which receives the position signals from the transducers and provides data corresponding to a position of the measurement device. Implementing the portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine also includes identifying a source device from which the first request is received, implementing the function pursuant to the first request, selecting a destination device as the source device of the first request by identifying from which of a first and second port the first request is received, and transmitting information derived from implementing the function to the destination device. | 07-21-2011 |
20110178754 | Portable Articulated Arm Coordinate Measuring Machine Having Integrated Software Controls - A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) having integrated software controls. The AACMM includes a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing position signals. The AACMM also includes a measurement device attached to the first end of the AACMM, and an electronic circuit having a self-contained operating environment for the AACMM. The self-contained operating environment includes a user interface application, an application programming interface, and logic. The logic is configures for performing data collection including receiving position signals from the transducers, calculating data corresponding to a position of the measurement device, the calculating responsive to the position signals, and outputting the data to at least one of the user interface application and the application programming interface. | 07-21-2011 |
20110178753 | Portable Articulated Arm Coordinate Measuring Machine and Integrated Environmental Recorder - A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) that includes a manually positionable articulated arm, a measurement device attached to a first end of the AACMM, and an electronic circuit for receiving the position signal and for providing data corresponding to a position of the measurement device. The AACMM further includes an environmental recorder. The environmental recorder includes a sensor for outputting a value of a parameter, a memory, and logic executable by the environmental recorder to implement a method. The method includes monitoring the value of the parameter, and determining that the value of the parameter is outside of a programmable threshold. The value of the parameter and a timestamp are stored in the memory in response to the value of the parameter being determined to be outside of the programmable threshold. The contents of the memory are transmitted to the electronic circuit. | 07-21-2011 |
20110176148 | COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE HAVING AN ILLUMINATED PROBE END AND METHOD OF OPERATION - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) is provided. The AACMM includes a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends. The arm includes a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal. A measurement device is attached to a first end of the AACMM. An electronic circuit is provided for receiving the position signals from the transducers and for providing data corresponding to a position of the measurement device. A light source is coupled to the arm and disposed to emit light adjacent the measurement device. | 07-21-2011 |
20110176145 | SPHERE BAR PROBE - Exemplary embodiments include a sphere bar probe apparatus, including a holder, a retroreflector disposed in the holder, a member having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the holder and an end plate attached to the second end of the member. | 07-21-2011 |
20110175745 | EMBEDDED ARM STRAIN SENSORS - A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) can include a manually positionable articulated arm portion, a measurement device attached to the first end, a structural component of the AACMM, wherein the structural component has an axial direction, at least three strain gage sensors, each having a sensitive axis, coupled to the structural component, wherein the sensitive axis of each strain gage sensor is oriented approximately parallel to the axial direction, each strain gage sensor is approximately intersected by a transverse plane perpendicular to the axial direction, each strain gage sensor produces an analog strain gage signal, and the strain gage sensors are disposed to provide data sufficient to determine a bending strain at any point residing on both the structural component and the transverse plane and an electronic circuit that receives the position signal and provides data corresponding to a position of the measurement device. | 07-21-2011 |
20110173828 | INTELLIGENT REPEATABLE ARM MOUNTING SYSTEM - Exemplary embodiments include a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine including a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing position signals, a measurement device attached to the first end of the articulated arm coordinate measuring machine, an electronic circuit for receiving the position signals from the transducers and for providing data corresponding to a position of the measurement device, a base coupled to the second end, an upper mount portion disposed on the base, a lower mount portion fixed to a mounting structure and configured to repeatably connect to the upper mount portion and an electronic identification system configured to send identifier information identifying the lower mount portion to the electronic circuit. | 07-21-2011 |
20110173827 | COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINES WITH REMOVABLE ACCESSORIES - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine is provided. The coordinate measuring machine includes a base with an arm portion. A probe end is coupled to an end of the arm portion distal from the base. The probe end has a fastener and a first connector. A device is removably coupled to the probe end by the fastener, the accessory having a second connector arranged to engage the first connector when the fastener couples the device to the probe end. | 07-21-2011 |
20110173826 | DISPLAY FOR COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE - A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine is provided having a base. A cover is rotatably coupled to the base to move between a closed position and an open position. A display is arranged within the cover. The display includes a screen surface, such as a touch sensitive screen surface, disposed on one side of the housing. The screen surface being adjacent the base in the closed position and disposed on an angle to the base in the open position. | 07-21-2011 |
20110173825 | COUNTER BALANCE FOR COORDINATE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement device is provided. The coordinate measurement device includes a base and an articulated arm portion having at least one arm segment. A biasing member is coupled on a first end to the base and on a second end to the articulated arm portion. The first end of the biasing member is movable between a first position and a second position. An adjuster is coupled between the base and the biasing member. The adjuster is coupled to move the first end of the biasing member from the first position to the second position. | 07-21-2011 |
20110173824 | COORDINATE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A portable coordinate measurement device is provided. The coordinate measurement device includes at least one arm. A bracket is coupled to the arm that includes a magnetic member at one end. A probe is rotationally coupled to one end of the arm, the probe includes a first ferrous member on a first side, the probe is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the ferrous member is adjacent the magnet when in the second position. | 07-21-2011 |
20110173823 | MOUNTING DEVICE FOR A COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE - A mounting device for portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine is provided. The mounting device includes a body having an opening therethrough. A lip is disposed on one side of the opening, the lip is sized to engage a flange on a base portion of the coordinate measurement machine. A portion of the opening includes a thread configured to couple with an external mounting fixture. A first arm is coupled to the body and arranged to rotate in a first direction between a first position and a second position. | 07-21-2011 |
20110170534 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZING MEASUREMENTS TAKEN BY MULTIPLE METROLOGY DEVICES - Apparatus includes at least two devices that communicate with each other, wherein a first one of the at least two devices having an IEEE 1588 precision time protocol interface, the interface including one or more components configured for communications in both a wired manner and a wireless manner with a second one of the at least two devices. The second one of the at least two devices having an IEEE 1588 precision time protocol interface, the interface including one or more components configured for communications in both a wired manner and a wireless manner with the first one of the at least two devices. Wherein one of the at least two devices includes a master clock and the other one of the at least two devices includes a slave clock, wherein the master clock communicates a time to the slave clock and the slave clock is responsive to the communicated time from the master clock to adjust a time of the slave clock if necessary to substantially correspond to the time of the master clock, thereby time synchronizing the at least two devices together. | 07-14-2011 |
20110170113 | LASER-BASED COORDINATE MEASURING DEVICE AND LASER-BASED METHOD FOR MEASURING COORDINATES - A laser based coordinate measuring device measures a position of a remote target. The laser based coordinate measuring device includes a stationary portion, a rotatable portion, and at least a first optical fiber. The stationary portion has at least a first laser radiation source and at least a first optical detector, and the rotatable portion is rotatable with respect to the stationary portion. The first optical fiber system, which optically interconnects the first laser radiation source and the first optical detector with an emission end of the first optical fiber system, has the emission end disposed on the rotatable portion. The emission end emits laser radiation to the remote target and receives laser radiation reflected from the remote target with the emission direction of the laser radiation being controlled according to the rotation of the rotatable portion. | 07-14-2011 |
20110119026 | PORTABLE COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINE WITH INTEGRATED LINE LASER SCANNER - A portable coordinate measurement machine for measuring the position of an object in a selected volume comprises includes an a positionable articulated arm having a plurality of jointed arm segments. The arm includes a measurement probe having an integrated line laser scanner mounted thereon. The laser may be a fiber coupled laser. Wireless data transfer and communication capability for the CMM is also possible. | 05-19-2011 |
20110113170 | INTERFACE - An interface, for communication between an internal device and an external device, includes two bus lines of a bus for bidirectional data transfer and at least a first control line, by means of which a control signal can be transferred from the external device to the internal device. | 05-12-2011 |
20110088271 | MOUNTED SCALE BAR - A scale-bar artifact can include a base, a structural component, at least two nests disposed on the structural component and configured to receive a spherically shaped object having a center, and at least three mounting assemblies, each mounting assembly including a first portion and a second portion. The second portion of each mounting assembly is coupled to the base. The first portion of each mounting assembly is coupled to the structural component. The first portion and second portion of each mounting assembly are in mutual contact. Each mounting assembly has a center of rotation. The centers of rotation of the three mounting assemblies share a common plane with the centers of the spherically shaped objects. | 04-21-2011 |
20110069322 | LASER POINTING MECHANISM - A pointing device for use with a laser tracker or laser scanner may include a tracker or scanner control system and a tracker or scanner plant. The tracker plant may include a plurality of motors configured to apply a torque to a mechanism that steers the laser and a plurality of angular encoders configured to send feedback information on the angular position of the mechanism to the tracker control system. The tracker or scanner control system may be configured such that, when the pointing device is operating in a manual adjustment mode, the tracker or scanner control system controls the plurality of motors to provide a torque to the mechanism opposite to a direction of movement caused by the user. | 03-24-2011 |
20110032509 | ABSOLUTE DISTANCE METER WITH OPTICAL SWITCH - An absolute distance meter (ADM) that determines a distance to a target includes a light source that emits an emitted light beam. The ADM also includes a fiber switching network having at least one optical switch that switches between at least two positions in response to a switch control signal, a first one of the positions enabling a measure mode in which the emitted light beam is emitted from the fiber switching network towards the target and is reflected back as a measure light beam into the fiber switching network, a second one of the positions enabling a reference mode in which the light beam comprises a reference light beam within the fiber switching network. The ADM further includes a single channel detector that detects the measure and reference light beams in a temporally spaced multiplexed manner and provides an electrical signal which corresponds to the detected measure and reflected light beams. Also, the ADM includes a single channel signal processor that processes the electrical signal and provides a conditioned electrical signal in response thereto, and a data processor that processes the conditioned electrical signal to determine the distance to the target. | 02-10-2011 |
20100250175 | SMART PROBE - The present system, method, article of manufacture, software, and apparatus is an “intelligent” probe system and components thereof and may openly encompass, in at least an embodiment, an embedded IC chip located in an interchangeable probe(s) which offers repeatable, fast, easy, and error free probe swapping on a CCM. | 09-30-2010 |
20100195087 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING A DISTANCE FROM AN OBJECT - A device for determining a distance from an object may include a light emitter for emitting an emission light beam, a light receiver for receiving a reception light beam, and an evaluation unit for determining the distance on the basis of a propagation time of the emission and reception light beams. The reception light beam may arise as a result of reflection of the emission light beam at the object. The light receiver may have a reception optical unit comprising a first lens element and a pinhole diaphragm. A light-impermeable element may shade a central region of the reception optical unit in such a way that the reception light beam is incident in the form of a light ring on the pinhole diaphragm. A second lens element, which is substantially hat-shaped in cross section, is arranged between the first lens element and the pinhole diaphragm. | 08-05-2010 |
20100195086 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING A DISTANCE FROM AN OBJECT - A method for determining a distance from an object may include emitting an emission light beam from a light emitter, receiving a reception light beam at a light receiver, and determining the distance on the basis of a propagation time of the emission and reception light beams. The reception light beam may arise as a result of reflection of the emission light beam at the object. The emission light beam may be amplitude-modulated with a rectangular-waveform modulation signal. The modulation signal may have a multiplicity of rectangular pulses which occur in a multiplicity of groups. The groups may occur at varying temporal intervals with respect to one another and have changing numbers of rectangular pulses. | 08-05-2010 |
20100149551 | Structured Light Imaging System and Method - A structured light imaging system for measuring coordinates of a surface may include a first imaging lens, a spatial light modulator provided after the first imaging lens, a second imaging lens provided after the spatial light modulator, and an imaging sensor provided after that second imaging light modulator. A method of measuring coordinates of a surface using a structured light imaging system may include illuminating the surface with structured light from a projector and adjusting light intensity at each pixel of the imaging system by using a feedback loop system such that each pixel of the imaging sensor will operate in a linear response range. | 06-17-2010 |
20100128259 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MEASURING SIX DEGREES OF FREEDOM - A laser tracker system for measuring six degrees of freedom may include a main optics assembly structured to emit a first laser beam, a pattern projector assembly structured to emit a second laser beam shaped into a two-dimensional pattern, and a target. The target may include a retroreflector and a position sensor assembly. A center of symmetry of the retroreflector may be provided on a different plane than a plane of the position sensor assembly. A method of measuring orientation of a target may include illuminating the target with a laser beam comprising a two-dimensional pattern, recording a position of the two-dimensional pattern on a position sensor assembly to create a measured signature value of the two-dimensional pattern, and calculating an orientation of the target based on the measured signature value. | 05-27-2010 |
20100057392 | INDEXED OPTICAL ENCODER, METHOD FOR INDEXING AN OPTICAL ENCODER, AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTING GAIN AND OFFSET IN AN OPTICAL ENCODER - An optical encoder may include an encoder disk, an illumination system, and a detector to detect light diffracted from the encoder disk. The encoder disk may include a signal track comprising a diffraction grating, and an index track comprising a reflective index mark, wherein a width of the index mark is larger than a pitch of the diffraction grating. An indexing method may include providing an encoder disk, providing an illumination system to direct light to the encoder disk, providing a detector structured to detect light diffracted from the encoder disk, calculating an estimated count of quadrature states from a rising edge of an index pulse to a middle of the index interval, and calculating the quadrature state at an approximate center of the index pulse. A dynamic parameter correction method may include calculating a target gain and offset and correcting values based on the target gain and offset. | 03-04-2010 |
20090187373 | PORTABLE COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINE WITH INTEGRATED LINE LASER SCANNER - A portable coordinate measurement machine for measuring the position of an object in a selected volume comprises includes an a positionable articulated arm having a plurality of jointed arm segments. The arm includes a measurement probe having an integrated line laser scanner mounted thereon. The laser may be a fiber coupled laser. Wireless data transfer and communication capability for the CMM is also possible. | 07-23-2009 |
20090147319 | Laser Scanner - A laser scanner may include a measuring head structured to be rotatable around a first axis, a first rotary drive structured to rotate the measuring head, a rotary mirror rotatable around a second axis, a second rotary drive structured to rotate the rotary mirror, a transmitter structured to transmit a light beam, a receiver structured to receive a reflection of the light beam from an object located at a distance from the laser scanner, and a processor structured to process signals embedded within the reflection of the light beam. The measuring head may include a plurality of modules, and the first rotary drive, rotary mirror, second rotary drive, transmitter, and receiver may be provided on one of the plurality of modules. At least two of the plurality of modules may be releasably connected to each other. | 06-11-2009 |
20090109426 | SELF-COMPENSATING LASER TRACKER - A self-compensating laser tracker may include a frame assembly including a laser, and at least two-embedded, non-moveable, reflecting members; and a rotatable mirror. The laser and the mirror are arranged such that a laser beam emitted from the laser may be reflected by the mirror. One of the at least two reflecting members may be a cube corner retroreflector and a second of the at least two reflecting members may be a frame assembly mirror. The cube corner retroreflector and the frame assembly mirror may be fixed in position on the frame assembly relative to the rotatable payload and relative to each other, and are structured to reflect the laser beam in a frontsight mode and a backsight mode. | 04-30-2009 |
20090066932 | ABSOLUTE DISTANCE METER THAT MEASURES A MOVING RETROREFLECTOR - A laser device and method capable of one or more dimensional absolute distance measurements and/or surface scanning and/or coordinate measurements of a moving external retroreflector or other moving target surfaces without using an incremental interferometer. | 03-12-2009 |
20080239281 | ABSOLUTE DISTANCE METER - An absolute distance meter for measuring a distance to a target may include a synthesizer including a first quadrature modulator and structured to receive a reference signal having a reference frequency and output a first signal having a first frequency and a second signal having a second frequency, a laser structured to output a laser beam, wherein the laser beam is modulated by the second signal, an optical system for directing the laser beam toward the target, a reference phase calculating system structured to calculate a reference phase based on signals having the first frequency and the second frequency, a target optical detector structured to receive at least a portion of the laser beam returned from the target and structured to output a measured electrical signal having the second frequency based on the at least a portion of the laser beam, and a measure phase calculating system structured to calculate a measure phase based on the measured electrical signal and the first signal. | 10-02-2008 |