System and method for measuring by laser sweeps

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10060730-B2
Application number	US-201415033011-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2014
Priority date	Nov 1, 2013
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A method of performing geometrical measurements of remote objects includes performing a laser sweep of a measurement object with a handheld sensor device including a distance measurement unit and an inertial measurement unit. The method includes activating the distance measurement unit to perform a plurality of distance measurements during the laser sweep, and activating the inertial measurement unit to perform an inertial measurement in association with each of the distance measurements. A processor is used to process the distance measurements with reference to the associated inertial measurements to determine a geometric characteristic of the measurement object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of performing geometrical measurements of remote objects, the method comprising:
performing a laser sweep of a measurement object with a handheld sensor device, the handheld sensor device including a distance measurement unit and an inertial measurement unit, the distance measurement unit being configured to measure a distance to a point on the object in a measurement direction, the measurement direction being defined by an orientation of the handheld sensor device;
activating the distance measurement unit to perform a plurality of distance measurements during the laser sweep;
activating the inertial measurement unit to perform an inertial measurement in association with each of the distance measurements;
using a processor to process the distance measurements, wherein the inertial measurements include position and orientation data pertaining to the handheld measuring device, with reference to the associated inertial measurements to determine a geometric characteristic of the measurement object;
using the processor to generate a three-dimensional (3D) point collection for the measurement object from the distance measurements and the associated inertial measurements;
further comprising:
using the processor to reduce the 3D point collection to a collection of two-dimensional (2D) points;
using the processor for the detection and segmentation of 2D lines in the 2D point collection;
using the processor to compute intersection points between the 2D lines; and
using the processor estimate at least one of:
a dimension of a wall based on the Euclidian distance between the intersection points; and
an angle between two walls based on an angle between two intersecting 2D lines.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distance measurement unit comprises a laser range finder.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distance measurement unit and the inertial measurement unit are activated at a frequency of at least 30 Hz.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to take user characteristics into consideration in determining the geometric characteristic of the measurement object, the user characteristics comprising at least one of a forearm length and a distance between a wrist of the user and the laser range finder.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein activating the distance measuring unit further comprises:
activating the distance measuring unit via a user interface of the handheld measuring device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen interface.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
wirelessly transmitting at least one of the distance measurements, the inertial measurements, and the geometric characteristic to a remote device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the remote device comprises a smart device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the handheld sensing device further comprises an image capturing device, and the method further comprises:
activating the image capturing device to capture a panoramic image during the laser sweep; and
using the processor to associate distance measurements with points in the panoramic image.

10. A handheld sensing device comprising:
a portable housing defining a measurement direction:
a distance measurement unit supported by the housing and configured to measure a distance to a remote point in the measurement direction;
an inertial measurement unit supported by the housing and configured to perform an inertial measurement in association with each distance measurement and comprising at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a compass; and
a processor configured
to process the distance measurements with reference to the associated inertial measurements to determine a geometric characteristic of a measurement object,
to generate a three-dimensional (3D) point collection for the measurement object from the distance measurements and the associated inertial measurements;

wherein the processor is further configured:
to reduce the 3D point collection to a collection of two-dimensional (2D) points;
to perform detection and segmentation of 2D lines in the 2D point collection:
to compute intersection points between the 2D lines; and
to estimate at least one of:
a dimension of a wall based on the Euclidian distance between the intersection points; and
an angle between two walls based on an angle between two intersecting 2D lines.

11. The handheld sensing device of claim 10 , wherein the distance measurement unit comprises a laser range finder.

12. The handheld sensing device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to generate a 3D point collection for the measurement object from the distance measurements and the associated inertial measurements.

13. The handheld sensing device of claim 10 , further comprising an image capturing device configured to capture a panoramic image of the measurement object, and
wherein the processor is configured to associate distance measurements with points in the panoramic image.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert
• Roland Matthias
• Pitzer Benjamin
• Roan Philip
• Dammertz Ralph
• Schmidt Hauke
• Flaig Alexander
• Bosch Tool Corp

Inventors

• Roland Matthias
• Pitzer Benjamin
• Roan Philip
• Dammertz Ralph
• Schmidt Hauke
• Flaig Alexander

Classifications

• G01S17/86

  Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders · CPC title

• G01S7/4808

  Evaluating distance, position or velocity data · CPC title

• G01C3/08

  Use of electric radiation detectors · CPC title

• G01B11/14 Primary

  for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00) · CPC title

• G01B11/24

  for measuring contours or curvatures · CPC title