Registration calculation between three-dimensional (3D) scans based on two-dimensional (2D) scan data from a 3D scanner

• US 9,513,107 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Zweigle, Oliver, Becker, Bernd-Dietmar, Becker, Reinhard
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, HOA Q
• Application Number:
  US14/882,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20160033643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 356601-623
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• 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 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4808 Evaluating distance, position or velocity data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/004 Map manufacture or repair; Tear or ink or water resistant maps; Long-life maps printing processes for maps B41M3/02; by permanently attaching map sections to sheets B42B7/00

Abstract

A method for measuring and registering three-dimensional (3D) by measuring 3D coordinates with a 3D scanner in a first registration position, measuring two-dimensional (2D) coordinates with the 3D scanner by projecting a beam of light in plane onto the object while the 3D scanner moves from the first registration position to a second registration position, measuring 3D coordinates with the 3D scanner at the second registration position, and determining a correspondence among targets in the first and second registration positions while the 3D scanner moves between the second and third registration positions.

Claims

1. A method for measuring and registering three-dimensional (3D) coordinates comprising:

fixedly locating a measuring device in a first registration position, the measuring device including a 3D scanner on a moveable platform;

obtaining with the 3D scanner, while in the first registration position, 3D coordinates of a first collection of points on an object, the 3D scanner configured to determine the 3D coordinates of the first collection of points by projecting a beam of light onto the object and obtaining for each point in the first collection of points a distance and two angles in response, the distance based at least in part on a speed of light in air;

obtaining by the 3D scanner a first plurality of 2D scan sets while the measuring device moves from the first registration position to a second registration position, each of the first plurality of 2D scan sets being a set of 2D coordinates of points on the object, each of the first plurality of 2D scan sets being collected by the 3D scanner at a different position relative to the first registration position;

determining for the measuring device a first translation value corresponding to a first translation direction, a second translation value corresponding to a second translation direction, and a first rotation value corresponding to a first orientational axis, wherein the first translation value, the second translation value, and the first rotation value are determined based at least in part on a fitting of the first plurality of 2D scan sets according to a first mathematical criterion;

obtaining with the 3D scanner, while in the second registration position, 3D coordinates of a second collection of points on the object;

determining by the measuring device, while the measuring device moves from the second registration position to a third registration position, a correspondence among registration targets present in both the first collection of points and the second collection of points, the correspondence based at least in part on the first translation value, the second translation value, and the first rotation value; and

storing the first translation value, the second translation value, and the first rotation value.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining 3D coordinates of a first registered 3D collection of points based at least in part on a second mathematical criterion, the correspondence among the registration targets present in both the first collection of points and the second collection of points, the 3D coordinates of the first collection of points, and the 3D coordinates of the second collection of points.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein, in determining by the measuring device, while the measuring device moves from the second registration position to a third registration position, a correspondence among registration targets present in both the first collection of points and the second collection of points, the measuring device moves to a revised second registration position, the revised second registration position being closer to the first registration position than the second registration position.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein, in determining by the measuring device, while the measuring device moves from the second registration position to a third registration position, a correspondence among registration targets present in both the first collection of points and the second collection of points, the computing device receives from the 3D scanner the first plurality of 2D scan sets, the 3D coordinates of a first collection of points, and the 3D coordinates of the second collection of points.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein, in determining 3D coordinates of a first registered 3D collection of points based at least in part on a second mathematical criterion, the determining is performed at least in part by an external computing device not a part of the measuring device.

6. The method of claim 2 further including obtaining by the 3D scanner a second plurality of 2D scan sets while the measuring device moves from the second registration position to a third registration position, each of the second plurality of 2D scan sets being collected by the 3D scanner at a different position relative to the second registration position.

7. The method of claim 6 further including obtaining with the 3D scanner, while in the third registration position, 3D coordinates of a third collection of points on the object.

8. The method of claim 7 further including determining by the measuring device a correspondence among registration targets present in both the second collection of points and the third collection of points, the determined correspondence based at least in part on the second plurality of 2D scan sets, the 3D coordinates of the second collection of points on the object, and the 3D coordinates of the third collection of points on the object.

9. The method of claim 8 further including determining 3D coordinates of a second registered 3D collection of points based at least in part on the determined correspondence among the registration targets present in both the second collection of points and the third collection of points, the 3D coordinates of the second collection of points, and the 3D coordinates of the second collection of points.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein, in fixedly locating a measuring device in a first registration position, the moveable platform includes motorized wheels configured to move under computer control.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein, in obtaining with the 3D scanner, while in the second registration position, 3D coordinates of a second collection of points on the object, the measuring device is further configured to respond to a stopping signal to cause the 3D scanner to automatically start measurement of the second collection of points.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein, in obtaining by the 3D scanner a first plurality of 2D scan sets while the measuring device moves from the first registration position to a second registration position, the 2D scan sets are obtained by the 3D scanner by a projecting the beam of light in a horizontal plane onto the object.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein, in obtaining by the 3D scanner a first plurality of 2D scan sets while the measuring device moves from the first registration position to a second registration position, a distance moved between the first registration position and the second registration position is based at least in part on one of the first plurality of 2D scan sets.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein, in determining by the measuring device, while the measuring device moves from the second registration position to a third registration position, a correspondence among registration targets present in both the first collection of points and the second collection of points, the measuring device further determines a quality of the correspondence.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein, in determining by the measuring device, while the measuring device moves from the second registration position to a third registration position, a correspondence among registration targets present in both the first collection of points and the second collection of points, the measuring device provides a notification when the quality of the correspondence is below a quality threshold.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein, in determining by the measuring device, while the measuring device moves from the second registration position to a third registration position, a correspondence among registration targets present in both the first collection of points and the second collection of points, the determining is performed at least in part by a computing device located on the measuring device.