Three-dimensional imager

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10455216-B2
Application number	US-201615233415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2016
Priority date	Aug 19, 2015
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) measuring device includes a cooling fan and an enclosure attached to a projector and a camera. The camera images a pattern of light projected by the projector onto an object to determine 3D coordinates points on the object. A fan draws air through an opening in the front of the enclosure, across a plurality of components in the enclosure and out a second opening in the enclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A three-dimensional (3D) measuring system comprising:
a first set of 3D imagers including two or more 3D imagers, each 3D imager of the first set of 3D imagers is designated by an index j between 1 and an integer N equal to or greater than 2, each 3D imager j configured to determine 3D coordinates of an object in an imager frame of reference, each 3D imager j having a 3D imager pose j within a system frame of reference, each 3D imager j including:
a projector j configured to project a patterned light over an area onto the object;
a camera j configured to capture an image of the patterned light on the object, the camera j including a lens j and a photosensitive array j, the camera j configured to image the patterned light on the object onto the photosensitive array j;
a processor j mechanically coupled to the projector j and the camera j, the processor j configured to determine the 3D coordinates of the object in the imager frame of reference based at least in part on the projected patterned light, the image of the patterned light on the object captured by the camera j, and a relative pose of the projector j with respect to the camera j;
a first mounting frame coupled to each 3D imager j in the first set of 3D imagers; and
a system controller configured to obtain a system collection of 3D coordinates, the system collection of 3D coordinates being 3D coordinates of the object in the system frame of reference, the system collection of coordinates based at least in part on the determined 3D coordinates of the object provided by the first set of 3D imagers and on the 3D imager pose j in the system frame of reference of each 3D imager j in the first set of 3D imagers, wherein the system controller is configured to receive position and orientation information of the first mounting frame from each processor j of the two or more 3D imagers, wherein the system controller is configured to register the system collection of 3D coordinates.

2. The 3D measuring system of claim 1 further comprising:
a second set of the 3D imagers, each designated by an index j between N +1 and an integer M, the integer M being equal to or greater than N +1, each 3D imager j of the second set of 3D imagers being coupled to a second mounting frame,
wherein the first set of 3D imagers and the second set of 3D imagers are arranged to measure different sides of the object,
wherein the first mounting frame is further attached to a mover device, the mover device being configured to change a pose of the first mounting frame, wherein the mover device is selected from the group consisting of: a robot and a mobile platform,
wherein a portion of the system controller is coupled to the first mounting frame,
wherein the system controller includes an external computer not connected to the first mounting frame, wherein the system controller includes a collection of networked computers configured to perform parallel processing of the 3D coordinates provided by the first set of 3D imagers, and
wherein the object is coupled to a conveyor device, the conveyor device configured to move the object relative to the first set of 3D imagers.

3. The 3D measuring system of claim 1 further comprising:
a wide field-of-view (FOV) camera having a wider FOV than any camera j within the first set of 3D imagers, wherein the wide FOV camera is a color camera, the system controller being further configured to add color to a representation of the system collection of 3D coordinates,
wherein each 3D imager j in the first set of 3D imagers further includes a color camera j in addition to the camera j, and
wherein each processor j is further configured to integrate color into the determined 3D coordinates of the object.

4. The 3D measuring system of claim 1 further comprising a standoff structure coupled to the first mounting frame, the standoff structure configured to hold first targets configured to be imaged by the cameras j of the 3D imagers j, wherein the system controller is further configured to adjust the mover device to bring the standoff structure into proximity of the object so that at least one camera j captures an image that includes at least one first target and the object.

5. A three-dimensional (3D) measuring system comprising:
a first set of 3D imagers including two or more 3D imagers, each 3D imager of the first set of 3D imagers is designated by an index j between 1 and an integer N equal to or greater than 2, each 3D imager j configured to determine 3D coordinates of an object in an imager frame of reference, each 3D imager j having a 3D imager pose j within a system frame of reference, each 3D imager j including:
a projector j configured to project a patterned light over an area onto the object;
a camera j configured to capture an image of the patterned light on the object, the camera j including a lens j and a photosensitive array j, the camera j configured to image the patterned light on the object onto the photosensitive array j;
a processor j mechanically coupled to the projector j and the camera j, the processor j configured to determine the 3D coordinates of the object in the imager frame of reference based at least in part on the projected patterned light, the image of the patterned light on the object captured by the camera j, and a relative pose of the projector j with respect to the camera j;
a first mounting frame coupled to each 3D imager j in the first set of 3D imagers; and
a system controller configured to obtain a system collection of 3D coordinates, the system collection of 3D coordinates being 3D coordinates of the object in the system frame of reference, the system collection of coordinates based at least in part on the determined 3D coordinates of the object provided by the first set of 3D imagers and on the 3D imager pose j in the system frame of reference of each 3D imager j in the first set of 3D imagers;
wherein the first set of 3D imagers includes a first group of 3D imagers and a second group of 3D imagers, each 3D imager of the first group of 3D imagers associated with a corresponding first area of the object, each 3D imager of the second group of 3D imagers associated with a corresponding second area of the object, the 3D measuring system configured to:
in a first time interval, project patterned light by each 3D imager of the first group of 3D imagers onto the corresponding first area of the object, each of the corresponding first areas receiving no projected patterned light from any other 3D imager in the first set of 3D imagers, each 3D imager in the first group of 3D imagers further configured to determine 3D coordinates of the corresponding first area; and
in a second time interval, project patterned light by each 3D imager of the second group of 3D imagers onto the corresponding second area of the object, each of the corresponding second areas receiving no projected patterned light from any other 3D imager in the first set of 3D imagers, each 3D imager in the second group of 3D imagers further configured to determine 3D coordinates of the corresponding second area, and to read out electrical signals corresponding to at least a portion of images obtained by the first set of 3D imagers,
wherein during the first time interval, the system controller blanks each projector j in the second group of 3D imagers and determines at least a portion of the system collection of 3D coordinates collected based at least in part on 3D coordinates provided during a first time interval by the first set of 3D imagers
wherein during the second time interval, the system controller blanks each projector j in the first group of 3D imagers, and
wherein the first set of 3D imagers includes a third group of 3D imagers and a fourth group of 3D imagers, each 3D imager of the third group of 3D imagers associated with a cor

Assignees

• Faro Tech Inc

Inventors

• Raab Simon
• Pfeffer Charles
• Tohme Yazid
• Mcardle Duncan Andrew
• Bridges Robert E
• Choi Jae-Woo

Classifications

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/52

  Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements · CPC title

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• G01B11/2513

  with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g. grids, patterns · CPC title