Measurement system having a cooperative robot and three-dimensional imager

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10378889-B2
Application number	US-201816001374-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2018
Priority date	Aug 22, 2017
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A measurement system and a method of measuring an object is provided. The system includes a measurement platform having a planar surface. At least two optical sensors are coupled to the measurement platform that emit light in a plane and determines a distance to an object based on a reflection of the light. A linear rail is coupled to the measurement platform. A cooperative robot is coupled to move along the linear rail. A 3D measuring system is coupled to the end of the robot. A controller coupled to the at least two optical sensors, the robot, and the 3D measuring system, the controller changing the speed of the robot and the 3D measuring system to less than a threshold in response to a distance measured by at least one of the at least two optical sensors to a human operator being less than a first distance threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A measurement system, comprising:
a measurement platform having a planar surface;
at least two optical sensors coupled to the measurement platform, the optical sensors each having a light source, an optical sensor, and a processor that causes light from the light source to be emitted in a plane and determines a distance to an object based on a reflection of the light, the at least two optical sensors being arranged to detect a human operator in a 360 degree area about the measurement platform;
a linear rail coupled to the measurement platform;
a cooperative robot coupled to move along the linear rail;
a three-dimensional (3D) measuring system coupled to the end of the cooperative robot, the 3D measuring system comprising:
an imager device having a projector, a first camera and a second camera arranged in a predetermined geometric relationship, the first camera and second camera each having a photosensitive array, the projector projecting a pattern of light that includes at least one element;
one or more first processors operably coupled to the display, the projector, the first camera and the second camera, wherein the one or more first processors are responsive to executable computer instructions for determining a distance to the at least one element; and

a controller operably coupled to the at least two optical sensors, the cooperative robot, and the 3D measuring system, the controller having one or more second processors that are responsive to executable instructions for changing the speed of the robot and the 3D measuring system to be less than a threshold in response to a distance measured by at least one of the at least two optical sensors to a human operator being less than a first distance threshold.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first distance threshold is based at least in part on a speed of the cooperative robot and the 3D measuring system.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more second processors are further responsive for reducing the speed of the robot and 3D measuring system to be less than a speed threshold in response to the distance measured being less than a second threshold.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the speed threshold is equal to or less than 255 mm/second.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first threshold defines a first radius about the measurement platform and the second threshold defines a second radius about the measurement platform, the second radius being less than the first radius.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first radius and second radius are centered on the measurement platform.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the center of the first radius and the second radius moves based on a position of the 3D measurement device.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the center of the first radius and the second radius moves based on a position of the cooperative robot.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least two optical sensors include a first optical sensor coupled to a first corner of the measurement platform and a second optical sensor coupled to a second corner of the measurement platform, the first corner being diagonally opposite the first corner.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one light coupled to an end of the measurement platform and operably coupled to the controller, the at least one light operable to change between a first color, a second color and a third color; and
wherein the controller is responsive to change the color of the at least one light based at least in part on an operational state of the cooperative robot.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operational state of the cooperative robot includes a robot stopped state, a robot waiting state, and an operating state.

12. A method of measuring an object, the method comprising:
placing an object on a measurement platform;
moving a cooperative robot at a first speed along a rail coupled to the measurement platform;
scanning the object with a three-dimensional (3D) measuring system coupled to an end of the cooperative robot, the 3D measuring system including an imager device having a projector, a first camera and a second camera arranged in a predetermined geometric relationship, the first camera and second camera each having a photosensitive array, the projector projecting a pattern of light that includes at least one element;
scanning a plane about the measurement platform with at least one optical sensor;
detecting, with the at least one optical sensor, a human operator at a first distance; and
changing the movement of the robot to a second speed when the first distance is less than a first distance threshold, the second speed being less than the first speed.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining the first distance threshold based at least in part on the first speed.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
detecting, with the at least one optical sensor, that the human operator is at a second distance;
determining a second threshold based at least in part on the second speed; and
changing the movement to a third speed when the second distance is less than the second distance threshold, the third speed being less than the second speed.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the third speed is less than or equal to 255 mm/second.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining a first radius based on the first threshold;
determining a second radius based on the second threshold; and
wherein the second radius is less than the first radius.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising moving a center of the first radius and a center of the second radius based at least in part on a position of the 3D measuring system.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising moving a center of the first radius and a center of the second radius based at least in part on a position of the cooperative robot.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one optical sensor includes a first optical sensor coupled to a first corner of the measurement platform and a second optical sensor coupled to a second corner of the measurement platform, the second corner being diagonally opposite the first corner.

20. The method of claim 12 , further comprising changing a color of an light coupled to an end of the measurement platform based at least in part on an operating state of the cooperative robot.

Assignees

• Faro Tech Inc

Inventors

• Grau Markus

Classifications

• H04N25/61

  the noise originating only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4" · CPC title

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• G01B11/2518

  Projection by scanning of the object · CPC title

• G01B11/2545 Primary

  with one projection direction and several detection directions, e.g. stereo · CPC title

• G06T7/521

  from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light · CPC title