Optical 6D measurement system with two fan shaped beams rotating around one axis
First Claim
1. A system for determining position and orientation of an object, comprising:
- a) transmitter means for emitting two beams of light including a first beam and a second beam skewed with respect to said first beam, said beams extending from a common point;
b) drive means for rotating said transmitter means whereby said beams rotate as well;
c) a receiver attachable to an object within a space, said receiver carrying at least three sensors spaced in a prescribed configuration;
d) connection means for connecting said sensors to computer means whereby signals are conveyed to said computer means from said sensors indicative of each moment at which each respective beam intersects each respective sensor;
e) said computer means being programmed for calculating, from said signals, position and orientation of said receiver including x, y and z coordinates as well as pitch, roll and yaw.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for the determination of the distance and orientation of an object carrying at least three light sensors from a fixed reference point when the object is irradiated by two modulated scanning beams of known angular orientation and rotational frequency. Timing circuitry located in the control processor determines the time interval Δt, between successive interceptions of the object by each of the beams. Knowledge of this time interval and the scanning beams'"'"' relative positions and angular orientations permits calculation of the object'"'"'s spatial coordinates. The optical beams utilized are fan-shaped in cross-section. The method of operation is also disclosed.
274 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for determining position and orientation of an object, comprising:
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a) transmitter means for emitting two beams of light including a first beam and a second beam skewed with respect to said first beam, said beams extending from a common point; b) drive means for rotating said transmitter means whereby said beams rotate as well; c) a receiver attachable to an object within a space, said receiver carrying at least three sensors spaced in a prescribed configuration; d) connection means for connecting said sensors to computer means whereby signals are conveyed to said computer means from said sensors indicative of each moment at which each respective beam intersects each respective sensor; e) said computer means being programmed for calculating, from said signals, position and orientation of said receiver including x, y and z coordinates as well as pitch, roll and yaw. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for determining position and orientation of an object in six degrees of freedom, including the steps of:
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a) attaching a receiver on an object, said receiver having three sensors spaced in a prescribed configuration; b) providing a transmitter for transmitting first and second beams, said first and second beams being skewed with respect to one another and extending from a common point; c) rotating said transmitter whereby respective said beams periodically intersect respective said sensors; d) measuring each time a respective beam intersects a respective sensor; e) calculating position and orientation of said object. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for determining position and orientation of an object, comprising:
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a) transmitter means for emitting two beams of light including a first beam and a second beam skewed with respect to said first beam, said beams emanating from a single light source conveyed through a beam splitter; b) drive means for rotating said transmitter means whereby said beams rotate as well, said drive means comprising a motor having a rotary drive shaft defining a common axis from which said beams emanate; c) a receiver attachable to an object within a space, said receiver carrying three sensors spaced in a prescribed configuration; d) connection means for connecting said sensors to computer means whereby signals are conveyed to said computer means from said sensors indicative of each moment at which each respective beam intersects each respective sensor; e) said computer means being programmed for calculating, from said signals, position and orientation of said receiver including x, y and z coordinates as well as pitch, roll and yaw.
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Specification