Method and apparatus for using gestures to control a laser tracker

• US 8,654,355 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Steffensen, Nils P., Steffey, Kenneth, Hoffer, John M. Jr., Bridges, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Punnoose, Roy M
• Application Number:
  US13/803,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20130208128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 356/614
• US Class Current: 356/614
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/20 intensity of the measured or reference value being varied to equalise their effects at the detectors, e.g. by varying incidence angle
• 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: 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: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming

Abstract

A laser measurement system includes a laser tracker having a structure rotatable about first and second axes, a first light source that launches a light beam from the structure, a distance meter, first and second angular encoders that measure first and second angles of rotation about the first and second axes, respectively, a processor, and a camera system. Also, a communication device that includes a second light source and an operator-controlled device that controls emission of a light from the second light source; a retroreflector target not disposed on the communication device. Also, the camera system is operable to receive the second light and to convert it into a digital image, and the processor is operable to determine a command to control operation of the tracker based on a pattern of movement of the second light source between first and second times and the digital image.

Claims

1. A method for optically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to control operation of the laser tracker, with steps comprising:

providing the laser tracker having a structure rotatable about a first axis and a second axis, a first motor that rotates the structure about the first axis, a second motor that rotates the structure about the second axis, a first angular encoder that measures a first angle of rotation about the first axis, a second angular encoder that measures a second angle of rotation about the second axis, a first light source that launches a first light beam that is directed by the structure, a retroreflector target that reflects a portion of the first light beam as a second light, a distance meter that receives a portion of the second light and measures a distance from the laser tracker to the retroreflector based at least in part on a speed of the second light, a position detector that measures a position of the first beam on the retroreflector, a camera system rotatable about the first axis by the first motor, and a processor in communication with the first encoder, the second encoder, the first motor, the second motor, the distance meter, the position detector, and the camera;

providing a communications device that includes a second light source and an operator-controlled device that controls emission of a third light by the second light source;

providing a rule of correspondence between each of a plurality of commands and each of a plurality of spatial patterns;

selecting by the user a first command from among the plurality of commands;

activating the operator-controlled device by the user, causing the second light source to emit the third light for at least a fraction of time between a first time and a second time;

moving by the user, between the first time and the second time, the communications device in a first spatial pattern from among the plurality of spatial patterns, wherein the first spatial pattern corresponds to the first command;

acquiring by the camera between the first time and the second time a plurality of images of the communications device;

determining the first spatial pattern by the processor, based at least in part on the plurality of images;

determining the first command by the processor, based at least in part on the rule of correspondence and the determined first spatial pattern; and

executing the first command by the processor, based at least in part on the determined first command.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

measuring a first distance from the laser tracker to the retroreflector by the distance meter; and

determining first three-dimensional coordinates of the retroreflector, based at least in part on the first distance, the first angle of rotation, and the second angle of rotation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing a communications device, the communications device is attached to a hammer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing a communication device, the communications device is attached to the retroreflector.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing a communications device, the communications device is separate from the retroreflector.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the laser tracker, the camera is rotatable about the second axis by the second motor.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the laser tracker, the structure is a mirror.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the laser tracker, the structure is a payload with electronics attached.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the laser tracker, the structure is a payload with a lens attached.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of acquiring a plurality of images, the acquiring is initiated by the step of activating the operator-controlled device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of activating the operator-controlled device, the third light is emitted continuously between the first time and the second time.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of activating the operator-controlled device, the third light is pulsed between the first time and the second time.

13. The method of claim 2 further comprising a step of tracking the retroreflector by rotating the structure by the first motor and the second motor, based at least in part on the position measured by the position detector.