Method and apparatus for using gestures to control a laser tracker

• US 8,654,354 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2012
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Steffensen, Nils P., Wilson, Todd P., Steffey, Kenneth, Hoffer, John M. Jr., Bridges, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Gregory J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Decenzo, Shawn
• Application Number:
  US13/653,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20130037694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 356/614, 356/4.01, 356/4.02, 702/152, 702/153, 250/559.29, 250/559.3
• US Class Current: 356/614
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/20 intensity of the measured or reference value being varied to equalise their effects at the detectors, e.g. by varying incidence angle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming

Abstract

A method for optically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to control tracker operation includes providing a rule of correspondence between commands and temporal patterns, and selecting by the user a first command. Also, projecting a first light from the tracker to the retroreflector, reflecting a second light from the retroreflector, the second light being a portion of the first light, obtaining first sensed data by sensing a third light which is a portion of the second light, creating by the user, between first and second times, a first temporal pattern which includes a decrease in the third optical power followed by an increase in the third optical power, the first temporal pattern corresponding to the first command, determining the first command based on processing the first sensed data per the rule of correspondence and executing the first command with the tracker.

Claims

1. A method for optically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to control operation of the laser tracker with steps comprising:

providing a rule of correspondence between each of a plurality of commands and each of a plurality of temporal patterns;

providing a target that includes a retroreflector, a target light source that projects a fourth light, and a user-controlled device that controls emission of the fourth light;

selecting by the user a first command from among the plurality of commands;

projecting a first light from the laser tracker to the retroreflector;

reflecting a second light from the retroreflector, the second light being a portion of the first light

obtaining first sensed data by sensing a third light, the third light being a portion of the second light;

creating by the user, between a first time and a second time, a first temporal pattern, the first temporal pattern including at least a decrease in optical power of the third light followed by an increase in the optical power of the third light the first temporal pattern corresponding to the first command;

activating the user-controlled device;

obtaining, in response to the activation of the user-controlled device, second sensed data by sensing a portion of the fourth light;

determining the first command based at least in part on processing the first sensed data and the second sensed data according to the rule of correspondence; and

executing the first command with the laser tracker.

2. A laser measurement system, comprising:

a laser tracker having a structure rotatable about a first axis and a second axis, a first light source that launches a first light beam from the structure, a distance meter, a first angular encoder that measures a first angle of rotation about the first axis, a second angular encoder that measures a second angle of rotation about the second axis, a processor, and a camera system;

a communication device that includes a second light source and an operator-controlled device that controls emission of a second light from the second light source;

a retroreflector target separate from the communication device;

wherein the camera system is operable to receive the second light and to convert the second light into a digital image, and

wherein the processor is operable to determine a command to control operation of the laser tracker based, at least in part, on a change in an optical power of the second light between a first time and a second time.