Method and system for creating a user-selectable arbitrary coordinate frame

• US 6,662,103 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2000
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Metrology NV (Nikon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Arc Second, Inc. (Nikon Corporation)
• Inventors: Wells, Roger, Skolnick, Jeffrey F., Beliveau, Sean M., Barrientos, Edward R., Hedges, Thomas M., Pendleton, Edmund S., Lundberg, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US09/532,026
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200-213, 701/216, 335/56, 335/57, 335/58, 335/53, 335/54, 335/55, 335/59, 356/3.01, 356/3.03, 356/622
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/54 Narrow-beam systems producing at a receiver a pulse-type envelope signal of the carrier wave of the beam, the timing of which is dependent upon the angle between the direction of the receiver from the beacon and a reference direction from the beacon; Overlapping broad beam systems defining a narrow zone and producing at a receiver a pulse-type envelope signal of the carrier wave of the beam, the timing of which is dependent upon the angle between the direction of the receiver from the beacon and a reference direction from the beacon
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A method and system allows conversion of three-dimensional data from a default coordinate frame to an arbitrary user-selected coordinate frame. The method includes obtaining position data in a default coordinate frame and transforming the data into an alternate coordinate frame defined by the user. The alternate coordinate frame can be defined by allowing the user to select a plane, an origin, and an axis, using any desired coordinate system and in any desired orientation. The transformed data allows presentation of position measurements in a form that is relevant to the user'"'"'s specific application.

Claims

1. A system for creating a user-selectable arbitrary coordinate system from position data generated by a position measurement apparatus comprising a position calculating engine, said system comprising:

an input for receiving position data from said position measurement apparatus defining a position of said position measurement apparatus in a default coordinate system;

a user interface that allows a user to select position data from the position measurement apparatus in said default coordinate system to define an alternate coordinate system; and

a processor that transforms the position data from the default coordinate system to the alternate coordinate system,

wherein the processor includes;

a point collection module for receiving position data from the position measurement apparatus;

transformation module coupled to the point collection module that generates at least one transformation matrix corresponding to the alternate coordinate system, wherein the transformation matrix transforms position data from the default coordinate system to the alternate coordinate system; and

a plane calculation module that determines a user-selected plane based on at least three points from the point collection module, and wherein the transformation module generates a transformation matrix corresponding to the user-selected plane.

2. A system for creating a user-seletable arhitrary coordinate system from position data generated by a position measurement apparatus comprising a position calculation engine, said system comprising:

an input for receiving position data from said position measurement apparatus defining a position said position measurement apparatus in a default coordinate system;

a user interface that allows a user to select position data from the position measurement apparatus in said default coordinate system to define an alternate coordinate system; and

a processor that transforms the position data from the default coordinate system to the alternate coordinate system,

wherein the processor includes

a point collection module for receiving position data from the position measurement apparatus;

a transformation module coupled to the point collection module that generates at least one transformation matrix corresponding to the alternate coordinate system, wherein the transformation matrix transforms position data from the default coordinate system to the alternate coordinate system; and

an origin calculation module that determines a user-selected origin based on one point from the point collection module, and wherein the transformation module generates a transformation matrix corresponding to the user-selected origin.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor further includes an axis calculation module that determines a user-selected axis based on the origin and a second point from the point calculation module, and wherein the transformation module generates a transformation matrix corresponding to the user-selected origin and axis.

4. A system for creating a user-selectable arhitrary coordinate system from position data generated by a position measurement apparatus comprising a position calculation engine, said system comprising:

an input for receiving position data from said position measurement apparatus defining a position of said position measurement apparatus in a default coordinate system;

a user interface that allows a user to select position data from the position measurement apparatus in said default coordinate system to define an alternate coordinate system; and

a processor that transforms the position data from the default coordinate system to the alternate coordinate system,

wherein the processor includes;

a point collection module for receiving position data from the position measurement apparatus;

a transformation module coupled to the point collection module that generates at least one transformation matrix corresponding to the alternate coordinate system, wherein the transformation matrix transforms position data from the default coordinate system to the alternate coordinate system;

a plane calculation module that determines a user-selected plane based on at least three points from the point collection module;

an origin calculation module that determines a user-selected origin based on one point from the point collection module; and

an axis calculation module that determines a user-selected axis based on the origin and a second point from the point calculation module,

wherein the transformation module generates at least one transformation matrix corresponding to the user-selected plane, origin and axis.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the axis calculation module determines the user-defined axis by connecting the origin and the second point with a line and projecting the line to the user-defined plane.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the user interface uses nomenclature corresponding to a user-specific application.

7. A system for creating a user-selectable arbitrary coordinate system from position data generated by a position measurement apparatus, comprising:

a user interface that allows a user to select position data from the position measurement apparatus in a default coordinate system to define an alternate coordinate system; and

a processor that transforms the position data from the default coordinate system to the alternate coordinate system;

wherein the processor comprises;

a plane calculation module that determines a user-selected plane based on at least three points identified with the position measurement apparatus;

an origin calculation module that determines a user-selected origin based on one point identified with the position measurement apparatus; and

an axis calculation module that determines a user-selected axis based on the origin and a second point identified with the position measurement apparatus, wherein the axis calculation module determines the user-defined axis by connecting the origin and the second point with a line and projecting the line to the user-defined plane;

wherein the processor generates at least one transformation matrix corresponding to the user-selected plane, origin and axis.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor includes:

a point collection module for receiving position data from the position measurement apparatus; and

a transformation module coupled to the point collection module that generates at least one transformation matrix corresponding to the alternate coordinate system,

wherein the transformation matrix transforms position data from the default coordinate system to the alternate coordinate system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor generates a first transformation matrix corresponding to the user-selected plane.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor generates a second transformation matrix corresponding to the user-selected origin.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor generates a third transformation matrix corresponding to the user-selected origin and axis.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the user interface uses nomenclature corresponding to a user-specific application.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the user interface uses nomenclature corresponding to a user-specific application.

14. A system for erecting user-selectable arbitrary coordinate system from position data generated by a position measurement apparatus comprising:

means for receiving electronic position data from said position measurement apparatus defining a position of said position measurement apparatus in a default coordinate system;

means for electronically selecting position data from the position measurement apparatus in said default Coordinate system to define an alternate coordinate system;

processor means for transforming the position data from the default coordinate system to the alternate coordinate system;

means for identifying at least three points in a measurement field to define a plane; and

means for generating a first transformation matrix corresponding to the plane.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for identifying an origin in said measurement field; and

means for generating a second transformation matrix corresponding to the origin.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for identifying an axis by identifying a second point relative to the origin; and

means for generating a third transformation matrix corresponding to the origin and axis.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for combining said first, second and third transformation matrices to generate a final transformation matrix for transforming position data from the default coordinate system to the alternate coordinate system.