INTERMEDIATE TWO-DIMENSIONAL SCANNING WITH A THREE-DIMENSIONAL SCANNER TO SPEED REGISTRATION

• US 20150160348A1
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Becker, Bernd-Dietmar, Becker, Reinhard, Zweigle, Oliver
• Granted Patent: US 9,372,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/08 by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/272 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 7/04 involving a vehicle which moves along the profile to be traced
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/36 with phase comparison between the received signal and the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4808 Evaluating distance, position or velocity data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/004 Map manufacture or repair; Tear or ink or water resistant maps; Long-life maps printing processes for maps B41M3/02; by permanently attaching map sections to sheets B42B7/00

Abstract

A method for measuring and registering 3D coordinates has a 3D scanner measure a first collection of 3D coordinates of points from a first registration position. The 3D scanner collects 2D scan sets as 3D measuring device moves from first to second registration positions. A processor determines first and second translation values and a first rotation value based on collected 2D scan sets. 3D scanner measures a second collection of 3D coordinates of points from second registration position. Processor adjusts the second collection of points relative to first collection of points based at least in part on first and second translation values and first rotation value. Processor identifies a correspondence among registration targets in first and second collection of 3D coordinates, and uses this correspondence to further adjust the relative position and orientation of first and second collection of 3D coordinates.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional (3D) measuring device comprising:

a processor system including at least one of a 3D scanner controller, an external computer, and a cloud computer configured for remote network access;

a 3D scanner having a first light source, a first beam steering unit, a first angle measuring device, a second angle measuring device, and a first light receiver, the first light source configured to emit a first beam of light, the first beam steering unit configured to steer the first beam of light to a first direction onto a first object point, the 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 angle measuring device configured to measure the first angle of rotation and the second angle measuring device configured to measure the second angle of rotation, the first light receiver configured to receive first reflected light, the first reflected light being a portion of the first beam of light reflected by the first object point, the first light receiver configured to produce a first electrical signal in response to the first reflected light, the first light receiver configured to cooperate with the processor system to determine a first distance to the first object point based at least in part on the first electrical signal, the 3D scanner configured to cooperate with the processor system to determine 3D coordinates of the first object point based at least in part on the first distance, the first angle of rotation and the second angle of rotation;

a moveable platform configured to carry the 3D scanner;

wherein the processor system is responsive to executable instructions which when executed by the processor system is operable to;

cause the 3D scanner, while fixedly located at a first registration position, to cooperate with the processor system to determine 3D coordinates of a first collection of points on an object surface;

cause the 3D scanner, while moving from the first registration position to a second registration position, to cooperate with the processor system to obtain a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) scan sets, each of the plurality of 2D scan sets being a set of 2D coordinates of points on the object surface, each of the plurality of 2D scan sets being collected by the 3D scanner at a different position relative to the first registration position;

determine a first translation value corresponding to a first translation direction, a second translation value corresponding to a second translation direction, and a first rotation value corresponding to a first orientational axis, wherein the first translation value, the second translation value, and the first rotation value are determined based at least in part on a fitting of the plurality of 2D scan sets according to a first mathematical criterion;

cause the 3D scanner, while fixedly located at the second registration position, to cooperate with the processor system to determine 3D coordinates of a second collection of points on the object surface;

identify a correspondence among registration targets present in both the first collection of points and the second collection of points, the correspondence based at least in part on the first translation value, the second translation value, and the first rotation value; and

determine 3D coordinates of a registered 3D collection of points based at least in part on a second mathematical criterion, the determined correspondence among the registration targets, the 3D coordinates of the first collection of points, and the 3D coordinates of the second collection of points.

2. The 3D measuring device of claim 1 wherein the 3D measuring device further includes a position/orientation sensor, the position orientation sensor includes at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of an inclinometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and an altimeter.

3. The 3D measuring device of claim 1 wherein the moveable platform is a tripod having wheels and a brake.

4. The 3D measuring device of claim 1 wherein the first beam steering unit includes a first mirror configured to rotate about a horizontal axis and a carriage that holds the first mirror configured to rotate about a vertical axis, the rotation about the horizontal axis being driven by a first motor and the rotation about the vertical axis being driven by a second motor.

5. The 3D measuring device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to respond to a stopping signal to cause the 3D scanner, while fixedly located at the second registration position, to automatically begin cooperating with the processor system to determine 3D coordinates of a second collection of points on the object surface.

6. The 3D measuring device of claim 5 wherein the stopping signal is generated in response to a signal received by the processor system from the position/orientation sensor.

7. The 3D measuring device of claim 1, wherein the registration targets are natural features of the object surface.

8. A method for measuring and registering three-dimensional (3D) coordinates comprising:

providing a 3D measuring device that includes a processor system, a 3D scanner, and a moveable platform,

the processor system having at least one of a 3D scanner controller, an external computer, and a cloud computer configured for remote network access,

the 3D scanner having a first light source, a first beam steering unit, a first angle measuring device, a second angle measuring device, and a first light receiver, the first light source configured to emit a first beam of light, the first beam steering unit configured to steer the first beam of light to a first direction onto a first object point, the 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 angle measuring device configured to measure the first angle of rotation and the second angle measuring device configured to measure the second angle of rotation, the first light receiver configured to receive first reflected light, the first reflected light being a portion of the first beam of light reflected by the first object point, the first light receiver configured to produce a first electrical signal in response to the first reflected light, the first light receiver configured to cooperate with the processor system to determine a first distance to the first object point based at least in part on the first electrical signal, the 3D scanner configured to cooperate with the processor system to determine 3D coordinates of the first object point based at least in part on the first distance, the first angle of rotation and the second angle of rotation,

the moveable platform configured to carry the 3D scanner;

determining with processor system, in cooperation with the 3D scanner, 3D coordinates of a first collection of points on an object surface while the 3D scanner is fixedly located at a first registration position;

obtaining by the 3D scanner in cooperation with the processor system a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) scan sets, each of the plurality of 2D scan sets being a set of 2D coordinates of points on the object surface collected as the 3D scanner moves from the first registration position to a second registration position, each of the plurality of 2D scan sets being collected by the 3D scanner at a different position relative to the first registration position;

determining by the processor system a first translation value corresponding to a first translation direction, a second translation value corresponding to a second translation direction, and a first rotation value corresponding to a first orientational axis, wherein the first translation value, the second translation value, and the first rotation value are determined based at least in part on a fitting of the plurality of 2D scan sets according to a first mathematical criterion;

determining with the processor system, in cooperation with the 3D scanner, 3D coordinates of a second collection of points on the object surface while the 3D scanner is fixedly located at the second registration position;

identifying by the processor system a correspondence among registration targets present in both the first collection of points and the second collection of points, the correspondence based at least in part on the first translation value, the second translation value, and the first rotation value;

determining 3D coordinates of a registered 3D collection of points based at least in part on a second mathematical criterion, the correspondence among registration targets, the 3D coordinates of the first collection of points, and the 3D coordinates of the second collection of points; and

storing the 3D coordinates of the registered 3D collection of points.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein, in the element of providing a 3D measuring device that includes a processor system, a 3D scanner, and a moveable platform, the 3D measuring device further includes a position/orientation sensor, the position orientation sensor including at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of an inclinometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and an altimeter.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein, in the element of providing a 3D measuring device that includes a processor system, a 3D scanner, and a moveable platform, the moveable platform is a tripod having wheels and a brake.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein:

in the element of providing a 3D measuring device that includes a processor system, a 3D scanner, and a moveable platform, the moveable platform is further configured to travel over a horizontal plane; and

in the element of obtaining by the 3D scanner in cooperation with the processor system a plurality of 2D scan sets, the 2D scan sets lie in a plane parallel to the horizontal plane over which the moveable platform travels.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein, in the element of providing a 3D measuring device that includes a processor system, a 3D scanner, and a moveable platform, the first beam steering unit includes a first mirror configured to rotate about a horizontal axis and a carriage that holds the first mirror, the carriage configured to rotate about a vertical axis, the rotation about the horizontal axis being driven by a first motor and the rotation about the vertical axis being driven by a second motor.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein, in the element of obtaining by the 3D scanner in cooperation with the processor system a plurality of 2D scan sets, the first mirror rotates about the vertical axis while the horizontal axis is held fixed.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein in the element of determining with the processor system, in cooperation with the 3D scanner, 3D coordinates of a second collection of points on the object, the processor is further configured to respond to a stopping signal to cause the 3D scanner to automatically start measurement of the second collection of points.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein in the element of determining with the processor system, in cooperation with the 3D scanner, 3D coordinates of a second collection of points on the object, the stopping signal is generated in response to a signal received by the processor system from the position/orientation sensor.