Method and apparatus for following an operator and locking onto a retroreflector with a laser tracker

• US 9,885,771 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2017
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Nagalla, Kalyan, Mehler, Robert C., Bridges, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Punnoose, Roy M
• Application Number:
  US15/625,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20170285127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 235 Days
• Field of Search: 356 401, 356138, 35613903, 35613904, 3561411, 3561412, 3561415, 3561523, 356154, 356 49, 356 8, 356614, 356620, 356622, 356623, 702150, 702151, 702152, 702153
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/047 Accessories, e.g. for positioning, for tool-setting, for measuring probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/004 for measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• 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: G01S 3/786 the desired condition being maintained automatically
• 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: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386

Abstract

A method for measuring three-dimensional (3D) coordinates includes providing a retroreflector and a laser tracker. An operator gives a follow-operator gesture, and the laser tracker responds by following movement of the operator.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional (3D) coordinate measurement system, comprising:

a retroreflector;

a laser tracker including;

a first light source configured to emit a first beam of light from the laser tracker;

a structure rotatable about a first axis and a second axis;

a second light source;

a first camera proximate the second light source; and

a processor responsive to executable instructions which when executed by the processor is operable to determine that a follow-operator gesture has been given by an operator and in response rotate the structure to follow movement of the operator.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the follow-operator gesture is selected from the group consisting of:

a movement of the retroreflector in space and a temporal change in returned light from the retroreflector.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the laser tracker is further configured to illuminate the retroreflector with the second light source during the follow-operator gesture and to capture an image of the illuminated retroreflector in response.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the follow-operator gesture is performed with the retroreflector held in a hand of the operator.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the follow-operator gesture is based on a position of an arm of the operator relative to a torso of the operator.

6. A method for measuring three-dimensional (3D) coordinates comprising:

providing a retroreflector and a laser tracker, the laser tracker including a first light source configured to emit a first beam of light, a structure rotatable about a first axis and a second axis, a second light source, a first camera proximate the second light source, and a processor;

giving by an operator a follow-operator gesture; and

responding with the processor, executing executable instructions, to the follow-operator gesture by rotating the structure to follow movement of the operator.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein, in giving the follow-operator gesture, the follow-up gesture is selected from the group consisting of:

a movement of the retroreflector in space and a temporal change in returned light from the retroreflector.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein, during the follow-operator gesture, the laser tracker illuminates the retroreflector with the second light source and captures an image of the illuminated retroreflector in response.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the follow-operator gesture is performed with the retroreflector held in a hand of the operator.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the follow-operator gesture is based on a position of an arm of the operator relative to a torso of the operator.