Laser measurement apparatus

• US 7,022,971 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Soatec Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Soatec Incorporated
• Inventors: Ono, Makoto, Ohno, Yasuomi, Ura, Haruo
• Primary Examiner(s): PYO, KEVIN K
• Application Number:
  US10/823,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20040232317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 2502031-2033, 250/203.6, 250/203.7, 250/206.1, 250/206.2, 250/221, 250/222.1, 35613901-13907, 356/141.1, 356/141.3, 356/141.4, 356/614
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4815 using multiple transmitters

Abstract

In a laser measurement apparatus capable of measuring a moving object or a designated object to be measured by tracking an object to be tracked and detecting the position of the tracked object as needed, optical signal processing units 103 through 105 output laser beams having different wavelengths via a common optical path A toward a corner cube 100 attached to an object to be measured, and detect the laser beams being reflected on the corner cube 100. A control unit 102 controls motors 110, 111 so that the laser beams return to a predetermined position of an optical position sensitive detector 117 of an optical signal processing unit 103, by which the direction of a reflecting mirror 112 is controlled so that the laser beams track the object. The control unit 102 computes the distance, shape, position, speed etc. of the object to be measured based on signals detected via the optical signal processing units 104, 105 while having the laser beams output from optical signal processing units 104, 105 track the object to be tracked.

Claims

1. A laser measurement apparatus comprising:

a measuring laser beam generating means for outputting a measuring laser beam used to measure a characteristic of an object to be measured;

an optical guiding means for controlling the direction in which the measuring laser beam travels;

a measuring means for measuring the property of the object to be measured using the measuring laser beam returning from the object to be measured;

a position detecting means for detecting the position of an object to be tracked; and

a control means for controlling the optical guiding means so that the measuring laser beam is radiated to the object to be tracked based on the position of the object to be tracked detected by the position detecting means;

wherein

the position detecting means comprises a tracking laser generating means for radiating a tracking laser beam to the object to be tracked via the optical guiding means, and an optical position sensitive detector for detecting the tracking laser beam returning via the optical guiding means from the object to be tracked; and

the measuring means measures the property of the object to be measured using the measuring laser beam returning from the object to be measured in a state where the measuring laser beam is controlled to be radiated to the object to be measured.

2. The laser measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position detecting means comprises a tracking laser generating means for radiating a tracking laser beam to the object to be tracked via the optical guiding means, and an optical position sensitive detector for detecting the tracking laser beam returning via the optical guiding means from the object to be tracked;

and

the control means controls the optical guiding means so that the tracking laser beam returning from the object to be tracked is returned to a predetermined position of the optical position sensitive detector.

3. The laser measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical guiding means includes an optical fiber cable.

4. The laser measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position detecting means has a color identification device that detects a predetermined color via the optical guiding means, and the control means controls the optical guiding means so that the object to be tracked having the predetermined color is detected by the color identification device.

5. The laser measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position detecting means has a sound detecting means for detecting a loudness and direction of a sound, and the control means controls the optical guiding means so That a predetermined sound set as the object to be tracked is detected by the sound detecting means.

6. The laser measurement apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising an intimidating means for intimidating the direction from which the sound is detected when the sound detecting means detects the loudness and direction of a predetermined sound.

7. The laser measurement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the optical guiding means includes an optical fiber cable.