Method, device and computer program for evaluating an object using a virtual representa- tion of said object

• US 20070032901A1
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3D Scanners Ltd. (Nikon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3D Scanners Ltd. (Nikon Corporation)
• Inventors: Van Coppenolle, Bart, De Jonge, Lieven
• Granted Patent: US 7,672,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/181
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/047 Accessories, e.g. for positioning, for tool-setting, for measuring probes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/401 characterised by control arrangements for measuring, e.g. calibration and initialisation, measuring workpiece for machining purposes G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36002 Dimensional measurement interface specification dmis standard
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37066 Image from object together with references on background
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37193 Multicoordinate measuring system, machine, cmm

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for evaluating an object by reading and commands of a macro normally used in measurement equipment for evaluating a physical object, and applying said commands to a numerical (virtual) representation of a physical object. Said method provides a evaluation of the physical object, by applying said macro to a virtual representation of said object.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating a physical object, the method comprising:

reading instructions of a macro,

said macro configured for use with measurement equipment, said measurement equipment being capable of performing measurements of a physical object,

said macro comprising instructions for said equipment to perform an evaluation of a physical object;

performing the instructions of said macro upon a numerical representation of the surface of said object so as to generate macro results; and

obtaining from the macro results, an evaluation of the physical object.

2. Method according to claim 1 wherein said numerical representation of the surface is obtained by scanning part or all of the physical object using an object scanner.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein said numerical representation of the surface is any of point cloud data, triangulated mesh data, rendered surface data, and polyline data.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein said measurement equipment is a Coordinate Measuring Machine, CMM.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein said macro comprises Dimensional Measuring Interface Standard, DMIS, commands.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein said macro comprises CMM commands.

7. Method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating said evaluation by part of a DMIS-measurement program or by using DMIS commands format.

8. Method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating the said evaluation in the format of CMM measurement results.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the instructions of said macro that are performed relate to measurement of data from the numerical representation of the surface.

10. Method according to claim 1, further comprising performing translations through the surface of the object.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the macro comprises instructions for performing a measurement comprising:

(a) determining elements of data that numerically represent the object, and that correspond to the position on the physical object to be measured, without increasing the resolution by calculating the co-ordinates of any additional points;

(b) calculating additional points by interpolation of the determined elements, wherein the additional points increase the resolution in an area of a position to be measured;

(c) calculating from the area of increased resolution a measurement of the object.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein one or more instructions of said macro have been created by using said numerical representation of the physical object.

13. Method according to claim 12 wherein said instructions are recorded to the macro by way of a DMIS-measurement program or using the DMIS commands format.

14. Method according to claim 12, wherein said instructions are part of a measurement sequence generated by recording commands of a Coordinate Measuring Machine measurement program.

15. Method according to claim 12, wherein said instructions are part of a measurement sequence in a Coordinate Measuring Machine measurement program.

16. Method according to claim 1, wherein said evaluation comprises the execution of steps on a computer in an automatic way without interaction with the user of said computer during the execution of said steps.

19. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the computer to perform the method according to claim 1.

20. A computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions which, when executed cause the computer to receive a numerical representation of the physical object from a remote computer.

21. A computer readable medium according to claim 20 wherein the numerical representation is received from the remote computer across any of the Internet, email, wireless link, public switched telephone network, ISDN, satellite link, or by physical transport of a computer readable storage medium holding said numerical representation.

22. A computer readable medium according to claim 21 wherein said computer readable storage medium comprises any of optical disk, magnetic disk, optic magnetic disk, magnetic tape.

23. A computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions, which, when executed cause the computer to display a user interface on a web browser of a remote computer connected to the Internet, said interface allowing a user to send the numerical representation of the physical object over the Internet to a computer configured to perform said method.

24. A computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions, which, when executed, cause the computer to display a user interface on a web browser of a remote computer connected to the Internet, said interface allowing a user to send said macro over the Internet to a computer configured to perform said method.

25. A computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions, which, when executed, cause the computer to display a user interface on a web browser of a remote computer connected to the Internet, said interface allowing a user to send the title of said macro or an indication of said macro over the Internet to a computer configured to perform said method.

26. A computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions, which, when executed, cause the computer to display a user interface on a web browser of a remote computer connected to the Internet, said interface allowing a user to receive an evaluation report of a physical object generated by said method.

27. A computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions, which, when executed, cause the computer to display a pay-per-use interface on a web browser of a remote computer connected to the Internet, said pay-per-use interface configured to perform one or more of the following:

(a) requesting a username and password to the remote computer user so as to enable a user to access an account for using the method;

(b) requesting billing information of the remote computer user;

(c) indicating a billing amount to the remote computer user, the billing amount relating to the number of evaluations performed; and

(d) providing a username and password to the remote computer user so as to enable a user to access an account for using the method.

28. A device configured to performing the method claim 1, the device comprising:

means for reading the instructions of a macro,

said macro configured for use with measurement equipment, said measurement equipment being capable of performing measurements of a physical object,

said macro comprising instructions for said equipment to perform an evaluation of a physical object;

means for performing the instructions of said macro upon a numerical representation of the surface of said object so as to generate macro results; and

means for obtaining from the macro results, an evaluation of the physical object.

29. A device according to claim 28, wherein the device is integrated with measurement equipment, the measurement equipment being capable of performing measurements of a physical object.

30. A device according to claim 29, wherein said measurement equipment is a CMM.

17. Method for virtually measuring an object using a cloud of points virtually representing said object and calculating the value or values that approximate the value or values that would result from the measurement of said object by a measuring device.

18. Method for virtually probing an object using a cloud of points virtually representing said object and calculating or selecting the point that approximates the point that would result from the probing of a CMM on the said object.