Smart probe

• US 7,735,234 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Barber, Marc, York, Frederick John, Briggs, Clark H., Macfarlane, Keith George
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US11/848,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 335/03, 335/04, 335/56, 335/57, 335/58, 335/59, 335/60, 335/61, 335/02, 73/17.9, 73/18.1, 702/94, 702/95
• US Class Current: 33/561
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/008 using coordinate measuring machines
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/012 Contact-making feeler heads therefor

Abstract

The present system, method, article of manufacture, software, and apparatus is an “intelligent” probe system and components thereof and may openly encompass, in at least an embodiment, an embedded IC chip located in an interchangeable probe(s) which offers repeatable, fast, easy, and error free probe swapping on a CMM.

Claims

1. A removable probe for use with an arm of a coordinate measuring machine and for use with a probe tip section the removable probe comprising:

a smart probe body comprising;

a circuit having a writable memory structured to store probe data regarding the removable probe and/or the coordinate measurement machine;

an electrical connector section structured to connect the probe body and the circuit to the arm of the coordinate measuring machine; and

an area structured to connect the probe tip section;

wherein the probe data comprises calibrations of the smart probe body, the probe tip, and the coordinate measurement machine that are uniquely identified for the combination of the smart probe body, the probe tip, and the coordinate measurement machine.

2. The removable probe for use with an arm of a coordinate measuring machine of claim 1 wherein the probe data is electronically serialized.

3. The removable probe for use with an arm of a coordinate measuring machine of claim 1 wherein the probe data comprises dimensions, or characteristic data of the smart probe body, the probe tip, and/or the coordinate measurement machine.

4. The removable probe for use with an arm of a coordinate measuring machine of claim 1 wherein the removable probe includes a temperature sensor.

5. The removable probe for use with an arm of a coordinate measuring machine of claim 1 wherein the probe data comprises a temperature coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE).

6. The removable probe of claim 1, wherein the smart probe further comprises a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a radio sensor, or a sonic sensor.

7. The removable probe of claim 1, wherein the probe data further comprises a plurality of calibrations for a plurality of combinations of the smart probe body and coordinate measurement machines, and wherein each of the plurality of calibrations is unique to one of the plurality of combinations of the smart probe body and coordinate measurement machines.

8. The removable probe for use with an arm of a coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the calibration data further comprises:

probe tip diameter, coefficient of thermal expansion, probe type, ball diameter, coordinate offsets, or six degrees of freedom for the smart probe body either by itself or when connected to a coordinate measurement machine.

9. A combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system using removable probes comprising:

a coordinate measuring machine having an arm with a probe connector;

a smart probe structured to connect with the probe connector of the arm of the coordinate measuring machine, the smart probe comprising;

a smart probe body comprising;

a circuit having a writable memory structured to store a probe data regarding the removable probe and/or the coordinate measurement machine;

an electrical connector section structured to connect the probe body and the circuit to the arm of the coordinate measuring machine; and

a probe tip section;

wherein the probe data comprises calibrations of the smart probe body, the probe tip section, and the coordinate measurement machine that are uniquely identified for the combination of the smart probe body, the probe tip, and the coordinate measurement machine.

10. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system using removable probes of claim 9 wherein the probe data is electronically serialized.

11. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system using removable probes of claim 9 wherein the probe data comprises a probe dimensions.

12. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system using removable probes of claim 9 wherein the probe data comprises temperature data from a temperature sensor included in the probe.

13. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system using removable probes of claim 9 wherein the probe data comprises a comprises a temperature coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE).

14. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system of claim 9, wherein the smart probe further comprises a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a radio sensor, or a sonic sensor.

15. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system of claim 9, wherein the probe data further comprises a plurality of calibrations for a plurality of combinations of the smart probe body and coordinate measurement machines, and wherein each of the plurality of calibrations is unique to one of the plurality of combinations of the smart probe body and coordinate measurement machines .

16. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system of claim 9, wherein the coordinate measurement machine is structured to automatically recognize the attached smart probe by reading information via a wireless system at least partially located in the smart probe.

17. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system of claim 16 wherein the wireless system comprises an RFID system as at least a component.

18. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system of claim 16 wherein the wireless system comprises a WLAN system as at least a component.

19. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system of claim 16 wherein the wireless system comprises a WPAN system as at least a component.

20. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system of claim 16 wherein the wireless system is a Bluetooth system as at least a component.

21. The combination interchangeable probe and coordinate measuring machine system using removable probes of claim 9, wherein the calibration data further comprises:

probe tip diameter, coefficient of thermal expansion, probe type, ball diameter, coordinate offsets, or six degrees of freedom for the smart probe body either by itself or when connected to a coordinate measurement machine.

22. A method of using a coordinate measurement machine with interchangeable probes and automatic calibration comprising:

connecting a removable smart probe having a memory to a connector of an arm of the coordinate measuring machine; and

automatically recognizing the specific probe connected by reading information stored in the smart probe memory without a selection by an operator; and

automatically obtaining specific probe data based on the information from a database;

wherein the probe data comprises calibrations of the smart probe and the coordinate measurement machine that are uniquely identified for the combination of the smart probe and the coordinate measurement machine.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the information comprises a serial number.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the information comprises probe dimensions.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the information comprises a temperature coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE).

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the probe data further comprises:

probe tip diameter, coefficient of thermal expansion, probe type, ball diameter, coordinate offsets, or six degrees of freedom for the smart probe either by itself or when connected to a coordinate measurement machine.

27. A method of using a coordinate measurement machine with interchangeable probes and automatic calibration comprising:

connecting a removable smart probe to an arm of the coordinate measuring machine;

automatically recognizing the specific probe connected by reading information from a circuit with a memory located in the smart probe without a selection by an operator; and

automatically updating data stored in the probe by writing updated data to the probe from the coordinate measurement machine;

wherein the information comprises calibrations of the smart probe and the coordinate measurement machine that are uniquely identified for the combination of the smart probe and the coordinate measurement machine.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the information comprises a serial number.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the information comprises probe dimensions.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the information further comprises:

probe tip diameter, coefficient of thermal expansion, probe type, ball diameter, coordinate offsets, or six degrees of freedom for the smart probe either by itself or when connected to a coordinate measurement machine.

31. A method of using a coordinate measurement machine with interchangeable probes and automatic calibration comprising:

connecting a removable smart probe to an arm of the coordinate measuring machine; and

automatically recognizing the specific probe connected by reading information via a wireless system at least partially located in the smart probe without a selection by an operator;

wherein the information comprises calibrations of the smart probe and the coordinate measurement machine that are uniquely identified for the combination of the smart probe and the coordinate measurement machine.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the wireless system comprises an RFID system as at least a component.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the wireless system comprises a WLAN system as at least a component.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the wireless system comprises a WPAN system as at least a component.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the wireless system is a Bluetooth system as at least a component.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the information further comprises:

probe tip diameter, coefficient of thermal expansion, probe type, ball diameter, coordinate offsets, or six degrees of freedom for the smart probe either by itself or when connected to a coordinate measurement machine.

37. A calibration method comprising:

providing a coordinate measuring machine having an arm with a probe connector;

providing a smart probe structured to connect with the probe connector of the arm of the coordinate measuring machine, the smart probe comprising a circuit having a writable memory structured to store a probe data regarding the removable probe and/or the coordinate measurement machine;

attaching the smart probe to the coordinate measurement machine via the arm with the probe connector to form a combined coordinate measurement machine and smart probe;

performing a calibration of the combined coordinate measurement machine and smart probe to generate calibration data; and

storing the calibration data in the writable memory of the smart probe;

wherein the calibration data are uniquely identified for the combined coordinate measurement machine and smart probe.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the coordinate measurement machine automatically recognizes the attached smart probe by reading information via a wireless system at least partially located in the smart probe.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the wireless system comprises an RFID system as at least a component.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the wireless system comprises a WLAN system as at least a component.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the wireless system comprises a WPAN system as at least a component.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein the wireless system is a Bluetooth system as at least a component.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein the calibration data further comprises:

probe tip diameter, coefficient of thermal expansion, probe type, ball diameter, coordinate offsets, or six degrees of freedom for the smart probe body either by itself or when connected to a coordinate measurement machine.

44. A smart probe adapter for use with an arm of a coordinate measuring machine and for use with a probe tip section comprising:

a circuit having a writable memory structured to store probe data regarding the removable probe and/or the coordinate measurement machine;

an electrical connector section structured to connect the smart probe adapter to the arm of the coordinate measuring machine; and

an area structured to connect the probe tip section;

wherein the probe data comprises calibrations of the smart probe adapter and the coordinate measurement machine that is uniquely identified for the combination of the smart probe adapter and the coordinate measurement machine.

45. The smart probe adapter of claim 44, wherein the probe data further comprises a plurality of calibrations for a plurality of combinations of the smart probe adapter and coordinate measurement machines, and wherein each of the plurality of calibrations is unique to one of the plurality of combinations of the smart probe body and coordinate measurement machines.