Laser tracker with enhanced illumination indicators

• US 8,558,992 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2012
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Steffey, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): RATCLIFFE, LUKE D
• Application Number:
  US13/447,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 356 301- 315, 356 401- 41, 356 501- 515, 356 6- 22, 356/28, 356/28.5
• US Class Current: 356/4.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/03 by measuring coordinates of points
• 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 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4808 Evaluating distance, position or velocity data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4818 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/491 Details of non-pulse systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A coordinate measurement device includes: first and second angle measuring devices; a distance meter; a position detector; a first collection of illuminators rotatable about the first axis and fixed with respect to the second axis, the first collection configured to provide a first light selected from among at least two different colors of light in a visible spectrum, the first collection configured to make the first light visible from first and second points along the second axis and external to the device, the first and second points on opposite sides of the device; a second collection of illuminators rotatable about the first and second axes, the second collection configured to provide at least a second light selected from among two different colors of illumination in the visible spectrum; and a processor configured to provide a pattern of illumination for the first and second collections.

Claims

1. A coordinate measurement device that sends a first beam of light to a remote retroreflector target, the retroreflector target having a position in space, the retroreflector target returning a portion of the first beam as a second beam, the measurement device comprising:

a first motor and a second motor configured together to direct the first beam of light to a first direction, the first direction determined by a first angle of rotation about a first axis and a second angle of rotation about a second axis, the first angle of rotation produced by the first motor and the second angle of rotation produced by the second motor, the first beam rotating about the second axis in a plane;

a first angle measuring device configured to measure the first angle of rotation and a second angle measuring device configured to measure the second angle of rotation;

a distance meter configured to measure a first distance from the coordinate measurement device to the retroreflector target based at least in part on a first portion of the second beam received by a first optical detector;

a position detector configured to produce a first signal in response to a position of a second portion of the second beam on the position detector;

a control system configured to send a second signal to the first motor and a third signal to the second motor, the second signal and the third signal based at least in part on the first signal, the control system configured to adjust the first direction of the first beam to the position in space of the retroreflector target;

a first collection of illuminators, the first collection rotatable about the first axis and fixed with respect to the second axis, a first portion of the first collection on a first side of the measurement device and a second portion of the first collection on a second side of the measurement device, the plane being between the first side of the measurement device and the second side of the measurement device, the first collection configured to provide a first light selected from among a first of at least two different colors of light, the first of at least two different colors in a visible spectrum, the first light simultaneously visible from a first location and a second location, the first location and the second location along the second axis and external to the measurement device, the first location and the second location on opposite sides of the measurement device;

a second collection of illuminators, the second collection rotatable about the first axis and the second axis, the second collection configured to provide at least a second light selected from among a second of at least two different colors of light, the second of at least two different colors in the visible spectrum; and

a processor configured to provide a three-dimensional coordinate of the retroreflector target, the three-dimensional coordinate based at least in part on the first distance, the first angle of rotation, and the second angle of rotation, the processor further configured to provide a pattern of illumination for the first collection of illuminators and the second collection of illuminators.

2. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1, wherein the first collection is further configured to make the first light visible at a third location on a line perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, the third location external to the measurement device and on a side of the measurement device opposite the first beam, the first beam not coincident with the first axis.

3. The coordinate measurement device of claim 2, wherein the first collection is further configured to make the first light visible from any direction external to the measurement device.

4. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1, wherein some of the first collection of illuminators are light emitting diodes.

5. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1, wherein a first illuminator from the first collection of illuminators emits the same color light as a second illuminator from the second collection of illuminators.

6. The coordinate measurement device of claim 5, wherein the first light emitted by the first illuminator is synchronized with the second light emitted by the second illuminator.

7. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1, wherein the first collection of illuminators is covered by a diffusing material.

8. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1, wherein the first axis is an azimuth axis and the second axis is a zenith axis.

9. The coordinate measurement device of claim 8, wherein the first collection of illuminators is fixedly attached to a zenith carriage and the second collection of illuminators is fixedly attached to a payload, the zenith carriage configured to rotate about the first axis and the payload configured to rotate about the first axis and the second axis.

10. The coordinate measurement device of claim 9, wherein the zenith carriage includes a first support and a second support, the payload attached to the zenith carriage by the first support and the second support, the zenith carriage having a front side and a back side, the front side being in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, the back side being a direction opposite the front side.

11. The coordinate measurement device of claim 10, wherein the first support is on the first side and the second support is on the second side.

12. The coordinate measurement device of claim 10, wherein the first collection of illuminators includes a first segment, a second segment, a third segment, and a fourth segment, the first segment positioned on the front side of the first support, the second segment positioned on the back side of the first support, the third segment positioned on the front side of the second support, and the fourth segment positioned on the back side of the second support.

13. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1, wherein at least one illuminator is a multi-color LED component, the at least one illuminator selected from the group consisting of the first collection of illuminators and the second collection of illuminators.

14. The coordinate measurement device of claim 13, wherein the at least one illuminator is configured to produce colors that include red, green, and blue.

15. The coordinate measurement device of claim 14, wherein the at least one illuminator is configured to produce combinations of the colors red, green, and blue.

16. The coordinate measurement device of claim 15, wherein the at least one illuminator is configured to produce a combination of the colors red, green, and blue that includes white.

17. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1, wherein an illuminator includes a light pipe originating from one or more light sources, the illuminator selected from the group consisting of the first collection of illuminators and the second collection of illuminators, the light pipe further configured to emit a third light along a length of the light pipe, the third light derived from the one or more light sources.

18. The coordinate measurement device of claim 17, wherein the one or more light sources includes an LED.