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Method for measuring 3D coordinates of a surface with a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine having a camera

  • US 9,772,173 B2
  • Filed: 06/26/2014
  • Issued: 09/26/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for measuring three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of a surface comprising:

  • providing a base;

    providing a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion being rotationally coupled to the base at the second end, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one angle transducer for producing an angle signal;

    providing a measurement device coupled to the first end, the measurement device including a camera having a lens and a photosensitive array;

    providing a projector coupled to the first end and operable to project an image on the surface;

    providing an electronic circuit configured to receive the angle signal from the at least one angle transducer for the plurality of connected arm segments and to provide data corresponding to a position and an orientation of the measurement device;

    providing a processor;

    sending to the processor from the electronic circuit first data corresponding to a first position and a first orientation of the measurement device, forming with the lens a first image of the surface on the photosensitive array, and sending a first digital signal to the processor in response;

    sending to the processor from the electronic circuit second data corresponding to a second position and a second orientation of the measurement device, forming with the lens a second image of the surface on the photosensitive array, and sending a second digital signal to the processor in response;

    finding with the processor a first set of cardinal points common to the first image and the second image based at least in part on the first digital signal and the second digital signal;

    finding with the processor a first set of locations on the photosensitive array and a second set of locations on the photosensitive array, the first set of locations corresponding to the first set of cardinal points in the first image and the second set of locations corresponding to the first set of cardinal points in the second image;

    calculating a first set of 3D coordinates for the first set of cardinal points, the first set of 3D coordinates including 3D coordinates for each cardinal point of the first set of cardinal points, wherein the 3D coordinates for each cardinal point of the first set of cardinal points is based at least in part on the first data, the first set of locations, the second data, and the second set of locations;

    determining an assumed shape based on the first 3D coordinates;

    projecting at least one of the first image or second image onto the surface based at least in part on the assumed shape;

    determining that the at least one of the first image or second image overlaps with the surface; and

    saving the first 3D coordinates.

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