METHOD TO CONTROL A DRIVE MECHANISM OF AN AUTOMATED MACHINE HAVING A CAMERA

• US 20160364869A1
• Filed: 04/29/2016
• Published: 12/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hexagon Technology Center GmbH (Hexagon AB)
• Original Assignee: Hexagon Technology Center GmbH (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: SIERCKS, Knut, JORDIL, Pascal
• Granted Patent: US 10,234,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/047 Accessories, e.g. for positioning, for tool-setting, for measuring probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/008 using coordinate measuring machines
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/012 Contact-making feeler heads therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

The invention relates to a method to control a drive mechanism of an automated machine for approaching a point of interest on an object, the object having a surface on which a reference information of the object is provided as a one- or two-dimensional pattern, the method comprising capturing at least one image of the object by means of at least one camera of the automated machine, identifying the reference information in the at least one image, determining a position and orientation of the reference information relative to the at least one camera, determining a position and orientation of the object based on the determined position and orientation of the reference information, and controlling the drive mechanism based on the determined position and orientation of the object.

Claims

1. A method to control a drive mechanism of an automated machine for approaching a point of interest on an object, the object having a surface on which a reference information of the object is provided as a one- or two-dimensional pattern, the method comprising:

capturing at least one image of the object using at least one camera of the automated machine;

identifying the reference information in the at least one image;

determining a position and orientation of the reference information relative to the at least one camera;

determining a position and orientation of the object based on the determined position and orientation of the reference information; and

controlling the drive mechanism based on the determined position and orientation of the object.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the automated machine is a coordinate measuring machine, and

the point of interest is a measuring point on an object to be measured by the coordinate measuring machine,

wherein the drive mechanism is adapted to drive a probe head of the coordinate measurement machine in a manner such that the probe head is capable to approach the measurement point, and

wherein the coordinate measuring machine is adapted for determining at least one spatial coordinate of the measurement point.

3. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the reference information is printed on the object or on a sticker that is applied on the object, and

wherein the reference information is provided as a barcode or a QR code.

4. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the reference information is engraved on the object, and

wherein the reference information is provided as a barcode or a QR code.

5. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the reference information is laser-engraved on the object, and

wherein the reference information is provided as a barcode or a QR code.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein

wherein the reference information comprises object-related information, information about the object type, a serial number, or dimensions of the object,

wherein identifying the reference information comprises reading the object-related information, and

wherein the object-related information is encoded in the reference information, and reading the object-related information comprises decoding the reference information.

7. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the reference information comprises object-related information, information about the object type, a serial number, or dimensions of the object,

wherein identifying the reference information comprises reading the object-related information, and

wherein providing object data comprising data sets of a plurality of objects, each data set comprising the reference information of an object and position information related to a position and orientation of the reference information on the object, wherein determining the position and orientation of the object is based on the position and orientation of the reference information and on the provided position information.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the reference information comprises position information related to a position and orientation of the reference information on the object,

identifying the reference information comprises reading the position information, and

determining the position and orientation of the object is based on the position and orientation of the reference information and on the position information.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the position and orientation of the reference information relative to the at least one camera comprises determining a distortion of the reference information by means of image recognition.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

an image of the object is presented to a user, and

wherein the method comprises an augmented reality step, in the course of which digital information of the object is presented in the image of the object, wherein the position and orientation of the digital information in the image relative to the object is based on the determined position and orientation of the reference information.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the digital information comprises CAD data of the object and/or is superposed on the object in the image.

12. An automated machine comprising:

a base;

a drive mechanism for approaching a point of interest on an object;

a frame structure being movable in a horizontal and a vertical direction, wherein the base, the drive mechanism, and the frame structure define a measuring volume inside which the at least one spatial coordinate of the measurement point is determinable, and the automated machine further comprises

at least one camera that is adapted to be directed to the measuring volume for providing at least a first image of at least a first part of the measuring volume; and

a controller adapted to control the drive mechanism on the basis of image data derived from the at least first image;

wherein the at least one camera is adapted to identify in the at least first image a reference information of an object in the measuring volume and to determine a position and orientation of the reference information relative to the at least one camera; and

wherein the controller is adapted to determine a position and orientation of the object based on the position and orientation of the reference information and to control the drive mechanism on the basis of the determined position and orientation of the object.

13. The automated machine according to claim 12, wherein:

the point of interest is a measurement point of an object to be measured,

the automated machine is a coordinate measuring machine for determining at least one spatial coordinate of the measurement point,

the drive mechanism is adapted to drive a probe head in a manner such that the probe head is capable to move relative to the base for approaching the measurement point, and

the probe head is attached to the frame structure.

14. The automated machine according to claim 12, wherein

the reference information is provided on the object by means of a one- or two-dimensional pattern, wherein the pattern is

printed on the object or on a sticker that is applied on the object, or engraved on the object.

15. The automated machine according to claim 12, wherein:

the reference information comprises object-related information, information about the object type, a serial number or dimensions of the object, and

the least one camera is adapted to read the object-related information from the identified reference information,

16. The automated machine according to claim 12, wherein:

the object-related information is encoded in the reference information, and

the least one camera is adapted to decode the reference information.

17. The automated machine according to claim 16, further comprising:

a data storage device that is adapted to store and to provide object data comprising data sets of a plurality of objects, each data set comprising the reference information of an object and position information related to a position and orientation of the reference information on the object, wherein the controller is adapted to determine the position and orientation of the object based on the position and orientation of the reference information and on the provided position information.

18. The automated machine according to claim 12, wherein:

the reference information comprises position information related to a position and orientation of the reference information on the object;

the least one camera is adapted to read the position information from the identified reference information; and

the controller is adapted to determine the position and orientation of the object based on the position and orientation of the reference information and on the position information.

19. The automated machine according to claim 12, wherein

the at least one camera is adapted to determine a distortion of the reference information and to determine the position and orientation of the reference information based on the determined distortion, wherein the controller is adapted to determine the position and orientation of the object in six degrees of freedom.

20. A non-transitory computer program product, comprising program code which is stored on a machine-readable medium, and having computer-executable instructions for performing:

capturing at least one image of the object by means of at least one camera of the automated machine,

identifying the reference information in the at least one image,

determining a position and orientation of the reference information relative to the at least one camera,

determining a position and orientation of the object based on the determined position and orientation of the reference information, and

controlling the drive mechanism based on the determined position and orientation of the object.