Method and device for exact measurement of objects

• US 8,497,901 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hexagon Technology Center GmbH (Hexagon AB)
• Original Assignee: Hexagon Metrology AB (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Pettersson, Bo
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN, FRANTZ B
• Application Number:
  US12/594,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20100208062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,945 Days
• Field of Search: 348/140, 348/135, 348/137, 348/45, 382/106, 702/127
• US Class Current: 348/135
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/04 by measuring coordinates of points

Abstract

A method and a device for the accurate measurement of objects, where, according to the invention, a camera (4) is arranged on a manually operated portable jointed arm (1) in order to take two-dimensional images of the object that is to be measured and where the measurements are carried out based on the two-dimensional images taken with the camera (4) and based on the displacements that are carried out by the jointed arm (1) during the measurements.

Claims

1. A method for the accurate measurement of objects, comprising:

arranging a camera (4) on a manually operated portable jointed arm (1) mounted under a support (7) that is immobile during the measurement, in order to take two-dimensional images of the object that is to be measured and where the measurements are carried out based on the two-dimensional images taken with the camera (4) and based on displacements that are carried out by jointed arm (1) during the measurements.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the measurements are made relative to a reference scale arranged on or at the object that is to be measured.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein measurement of large objects is carried out by compilation of several images taken with the camera.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the method is used in order to create a three-dimensional image of the object with photogrammetry and images taken from different views of the same object.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the camera is provided with a means for measuring distance and in that the measurement result is calculated based on a distance measured between the object and the camera.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the method is used in order to create a three-dimensional image of the object with photogrammetry and images taken from different views of the same object.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the method is used in order to create a three-dimensional image of the object with photogrammetry and images taken from different views of the same object.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein measurement of large objects is carried out by compilation of several images taken with the camera.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is used in order to create a three-dimensional image of the object with photogrammetry and images taken from different views of the same object.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein an exact displacement for an attachment point of the camera is calculable at all times.

11. A device for the accurate measurement of objects, comprising:

a camera (4) arranged on a manually operated portable jointed arm (1); and

a support (7) that is immobile during the measurement, with which camera (4) two-dimensional images of the object that is to be measured can be taken and which images, together with displacements that are carried out by jointed arm (1) are used as a basis for measuring the object.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the jointed arm (1) comprises joints (6) within which integral sensors arranged to record not only changes in angle, but also rotation of the joints (6) of the arm.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the camera (4) is arranged such that the camera can pivot at a free end (5) of the jointed arm, and sensors are arranged in order to record a pivoting movement of the camera (4) relative to the arm (1).

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein device also comprises a means of measuring distance between the camera (4) and the object that is to be measured.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein the device also comprises an illumination arrangement in order to illuminate the object that is to be measured.

16. The device according to claim 12, wherein the device also comprises a means for measuring distance between the camera (4) and the object that is to be measured.

17. The device according to claim 12, wherein the device also comprises an illumination arrangement in order to illuminate the object that is to be measured.

18. The device according to claim 11, wherein the device also comprises a means for measuring distance between the camera (4) and the object that is to be measured.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the device also comprises an illumination arrangement in order to illuminate the object that is to be measured.

20. The device according to claim 11, wherein the device also comprises an illumination arrangement in order to illuminate the object that is to be measured.