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Position measurement device

  • US 9,976,947 B1
  • Filed: 11/24/2015
  • Issued: 05/22/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A position measurement device comprising:

  • a) a light transmitter comprising;

    i) a first light source that transmits a beam of light, which is a polarized beam of light;

    b) a light receiver comprising;

    i) an aperture for receiving light;

    ii) a rotating polarizing optical platform comprising;

    1) a polarizing optic;

    2) a polarization platform rotation measurement device; and

    3) a polarization platform motor;



    wherein said polarizing optic, said polarization platform rotation measurement device and said polarization platform motor are coupled such that said polarization platform motor rotates said polarizing optic nominally around a polarizing optical axis of rotation;



    whereby said polarization platform rotation measurement device provides feedback on a measured rotation position for said polarization platform rotation measurement device, which is a polarization rotation measurement angle;

    iii) a reference coordinate system comprising;

    1) a first radial measurement axis defined with respect to said polarizing optical axis of rotation;

    2) a first transverse measurement axis that intersects and is perpendicular to said first radial measurement axis;

    3) a second transverse measurement axis that intersects with and is perpendicular to both said first transverse measurement axis and said first radial measurement axis; and

    4) a defined first measurement origin where said first radial measurement axis, said first transverse measurement axis, and said second transverse axis intersect;

    iv) a first measurement photo sensor, which is a first measurement position sensing device comprising;

    1) a first measurement intensity signal; and

    2) a first measurement position signal;

    v) a processor comprising;

    1) a beam intensity calculation algorithm comprising;

    a. a measurement intensity input; and

    b. a polarization intensity output;

    2) a beam position calculation algorithm comprising;

    a. a measure beam position data input; and

    b. a measure beam position output;

    3) a polarization control algorithm comprising;

    a. a polarization control reference;

    b. a polarization beam intensity feedback; and

    c. a polarization motor output signal;

    4) a device position calculation algorithm comprising;

    a. a polarization rotation measurement input;

    b. a beam position input; and

    c. a position output comprising a measurement selected from the group consisting of;



    i. distance from said first measurement origin along said first radial measurement axis;



    ii. distance from said first measurement origin along said first transverse measurement axis;



    iii. distance from said first measurement origin along said second transverse measurement axis;



    iv. rotation about said radial measurement axis;



    v. rotation about said first transverse measurement axis; and



    vi. rotation about said second transverse measurement axis;

    vi) a communication interface;



    wherein said polarized beam of light impinges on said polarizing optic which will transmit a first measurement beam of an intensity that is a function of said polarization rotation measurement angle;



    wherein said first measurement beam impinges on said first measurement position sensing device producing said first measurement intensity signal and said first measurement position signal;



    wherein said first measurement intensity signal is coupled to said measurement intensity input whereby said beam intensity calculation algorithm produces said polarization intensity output;



    wherein said polarization intensity output is coupled to said polarization beam intensity feedback, which is coupled to said polarization control reference, whereby said polarization control algorithm generate said polarization motor output signal 

    wherein said polarization motor output signal is coupled to a motor input data of said polarization platform motor thus rotating said polarizing optic thereby changing the relationship of said polarizing optic to said polarized beam of light;



    wherein said polarization platform rotation measurement device produces a first rotation signal that corresponds to the position of said polarizing optic; and



    wherein said first rotation signal is coupled to said polarization rotation measurement input and said first measurement position signal is coupled to said beam position input whereby said device position calculation algorithm generates said position output.

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