Patent application number | Description | Published |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |