Device for optically scanning and measuring an environment

• US 8,699,036 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Ditte, Andreas, Ossig, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, HOA Q
• Application Number:
  US13/699,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20130070250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 356614-623, 356445-448, 356/4.01, 356/5.01, 356/141.5, 701/23, 701/25, 701/33.7, 701/41, 701/48, 701/28, 358/505, 358/511, 358/474, 438/135
• US Class Current: 356/614
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/02 by conversion into electric waveforms and subsequent integration, e.g. using tachometer generator G01C22/002, G01C22/004, G01C22/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/025 Differential odometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging

Abstract

A device for optically scanning and measuring and environment, with a laser scanner, having a base and a measuring head which is rotatable relative to the base, with a light emitter, which emits an emission light beam, a light receiver which receives a reception light beam which is reflected by an object in the environment of the laser scanner or scattered otherwise, and a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines at least the distance to the object, has a manually movable trolley, on which the laser scanner is mounted by means of its base and which can be taken from a resting state to a moving state, wherein the trolley has a path measuring device for measuring its path.

Claims

1. Device for optically scanning and measuring and environment with a laser scanner, having a base and a measuring head which is rotatable relative to the base, with a light emitter, which emits an emission light beam, a light receiver which receives a reception light beam which is reflected by an object in the environment of the laser scanner or scattered otherwise, and a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines at least the distance to the object, characterized in that the device has a manually movable trolley, on which the laser scanner is mounted by means of its base and which can be taken from a resting state to a moving state, wherein the trolley has a path measuring device for measuring its path and a carriage which is provided with at least two wheels, which are rotatable independently of one another, particularly about a common axis, wherein the path measuring device has at least two encoders, each of which is assigned to one of the at least two wheels;

wherein the multitude of measuring points includes a first plurality of measuring points measured from a first location and a second plurality of measuring points measured from a second location; and

wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to translate the first plurality of measuring points and the second plurality of measuring points to a common coordinate frame of reference based at least in part on the path measured by the path measuring device.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the carriage is provided with a support foot or a third wheel which particularly is steerable, wherein supporting of the support foot or of the third wheel at the ground defines a stand.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the trolley has an arm which bears the laser scanner, wherein the arm particularly protrudes from the carriage.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the arm bears a mounting device, particularly on a mounting plate which is fixed to the arm, wherein the mounting device must be connected with the base of the laser scanner.

5. Device according to claims 4, characterized in that the mounting device, during the rest state of the trolley, is vertically above the stand.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the arm is inclined obliquely towards the line connecting the mounting device and the stand in the rest state of the trolley.

7. Device according to any of claims 4, characterized in that the mounting device, in the moving state of the trolley is vertically above the axis of the wheels or, while the trolley gets inclined from the rest state to the moving state, has passed the vertical through the axis of the wheels.

8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the trolley has adjusting possibilities for adjusting the alignment of the laser scanner and/or of the trolley.

9. A device for optically scanning and measuring and environment comprising:

a laser scanner, having a base and a measuring head which is rotatable relative to the base about a first axis, the measuring head including a mirror rotatable about a second axis, the second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis, a light emitter, which emits an emission light beam towards the mirror, a light receiver which receives a reception light beam from the mirror which is reflected by an object in the environment, and a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines at least the distance to the object;

a manually movable trolley, on which the laser scanner is mounted and which can be taken from a resting state to a moving state, the trolley having a carriage with at least two wheels that rotate independently about a common ax;

a path measuring device coupled to the trolley and operably coupled to the control and evaluation unit, the path measuring device having at least two encoders, each of which is assigned to one of the at least two wheels

wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to translate a first plurality of measuring points from a first location and a second plurality of measuring points from a second location to a common coordinate frame in response to a signal from the path measuring device.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the carriage is provided with a support foot.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the trolley has an arm to which the laser scanner is mounted by a mounting device, and wherein the mounting device, during a rest state of the trolley, is positioned vertically above the stand.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the control and evaluation unit is further configured to operate in a first mode of operation to acquire the first plurality of measuring points at both the first location and the second location by simultaneously rotating the measuring head about the first axis and the mirror about the second axis.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the control and evaluation unit is further configured to operate in a second mode of operation wherein the first plurality of measuring points are acquired by rotating the mirror about the second axis in response to the device being moved from the first location to the second location.