Portable Articulated Arm Coordinate Measuring Machine with Multiple Communication Channels

• US 20110178762A1
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: York, Frederick
• Application Number:
  US13/006,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20110178762A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/007 feeler heads therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/047 Accessories, e.g. for positioning, for tool-setting, for measuring probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/012 Contact-making feeler heads therefor
• 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 19/406 characterised by monitoring or safety G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24067 Processor stores variables, events and date in eeprom, for external monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37193 Multicoordinate measuring system, machine, cmm
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40233 Portable robot
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40596 Encoder in each joint
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45061 Measuring robot

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM), comprising:

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;

a measurement device attached to a first end of the portable AACMM;

a plurality of communication channels;

an electronic circuit for receiving the position signals from the transducers and for providing data corresponding to a position of the measurement device; and

logic 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.

2. The portable AACMM of claim 1, wherein the logic is further for receiving a second request to communicate via another one of the plurality of communication channels and for configuring the portable AACMM to communicate via the another one of the plurality of communication channels to provide multiple simultaneously operable communication channels.

3. The portable AACMM of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication channels include a universal serial bus (USB).

4. The portable AACMM of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication channels include a wireless network.

5. The portable AACMM of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication channels includes an Ethernet.

6. The portable AACMM of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication channels include Bluetooth.

7. The portable AACMM of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication channels include a USB, a wireless network, an Ethernet, and a Bluetooth.

8. The portable AACMM of claim 1, wherein the logic is further for receiving a request from a remote device attached to the selected communication channel to perform a function and for performing the function in response to receiving the request to perform the function.

9. The portable AACMM of claim 8, wherein the logic is further for transmitting results of performing the function to the remote device.

10. A method of implementing a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM), the method comprising:

receiving a request from a user to communicate via a selected communication channel, the receiving at the portable AACMM comprised of 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 portable AACMM, a plurality of communication channels including the selected communication channel, and an electronic circuit which receives the position signal from the transducers and provides data corresponding to a position of the measurement device; and

configuring the portable AACMM to communicate via the selected communication channel.

11. The method claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a second request to communicate via another one of the plurality of communication channels; and

configuring the portable AACMM to communicate via the another one of the plurality of communication channels to provide multiple simultaneously operable communication channels.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of communication channels include a universal serial bus (USB).

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of communication channels include a wireless network.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of communication channels includes an Ethernet.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of communication channels include Bluetooth.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of communication channels include a USB, a wireless network, an Ethernet, and a Bluetooth.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request from a remote device attached to the selected communication channel to perform a function; and

performing the function in response to receiving the request to perform the function.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting results of performing the function to the remote device.

19. A computer program product for implementing a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM), the computer program product comprising a storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied thereon, which when executed by an electronic circuit located on the portable AACMM causes the computer to implement a method, the method including:

receiving a request from a user to communicate via a selected communication channel, the receiving at the portable AACMM, the portable AACMM comprised of 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 portable AACMM, a plurality of communication channels including the selected communication channel, and the electronic circuit which receives the position signal from the transducers and provides data corresponding to a position of the measurement device; and

configuring the portable AACMM to communicate via the selected communication channel.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second request to communicate via another one of the plurality of communication channels; and

configuring the portable AACMM to communicate via the another one of the plurality of communication channels to provide multiple simultaneously operable communication channels.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the plurality of communication channels include a USB, a wireless network, an Ethernet, and a Bluetooth.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a request from a remote device attached to the selected communication channel to perform a function; and

performing the function in response to receiving the request to perform the function.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises transmitting results of performing the function to the remote device.