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

• US 10,480,929 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2019
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• 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:
  US16/239,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20190137257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• 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 optically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to direct a beam of light from the laser tracker to a retroreflector with steps including: projecting a first light from a light source disposed on 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, wherein the first sensed data is obtained by imaging the third light onto a photosensitive array disposed on the laser tracker and converting the third light on the photosensitive array into digital form; generating by the user, between a first time and a second time, a predefined temporal pattern, the predefined 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 predefined temporal pattern corresponding to the command; determining by the laser tracker that the first sensed data corresponds to the predefined temporal pattern; and, pointing the beam of light from the laser tracker to the retroreflector.

Claims

1. A method for optically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to direct a beam of light from the laser tracker to a retroreflector with steps comprising:

projecting a first light from a light source disposed on 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, wherein the first sensed data is obtained by imaging the third light onto a photosensitive array disposed on the laser tracker and converting the third light on the photosensitive array into digital form;

generating by the user, between a first time and a second time, a predefined temporal pattern, the predefined 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 predefined temporal pattern corresponding to the command;

determining by the laser tracker that the first sensed data corresponds to the predefined temporal pattern; and

pointing the beam of light from the laser tracker to the retroreflector.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to pointing the beam of light from the laser tracker to the retroreflector, locking onto the retroreflector with the beam of light from the laser tracker.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the generating by the user a predetermined temporal pattern comprises, a decrease followed by an increase in optical power of the first light.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the decrease followed by the increase in optical power of the first light comprises a plurality of a decrease followed by an increase in optical power of the first light in rapid succession.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the rapid succession comprises four times in rapid succession that is representative of a four finger salute.

6. A laser tracker system, comprising:

a retroreflector;

a laser tracker comprising;

a light source;

a photosensitive array; and

a processor responsive to executable instructions which when executed by the processor is operable to facilitate the method of claim 1.

7. The laser tracker system of claim 6, wherein:

the processor is further responsive to the executable instructions to facilitate the method of claim 2.