System and method of defining a path and scanning an environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10914569-B2
Application number	US-201816154240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2018
Priority date	Oct 8, 2018
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A system and method for measuring three-dimensional (3D) coordinate values of an environment is provided. The method including moving a 2D scanner through the environment. A 2D map of the environment is generated using the 2D scanner. A path is defined through the environment using the 2D scanner. 3D scan locations along the path are defined using the 2D scanner. The 2D scanner is operably coupled to a mobile base unit. The mobile base unit is moved along the path based at least in part on the 2D map and the defined path. 3D coordinate values are measured at the 3D scan locations with a 3D scanner, the 3D scanner being coupled to the mobile base unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for measuring three-dimensional (3D) coordinate values of an environment, the system comprising:
a base unit having a plurality of wheels;
a 2D scanner removably coupled to the base unit, the 2D scanner comprising:
a light source, an image sensor and a controller, the light source steers a beam of light within the first plane to illuminate object points in the environment, the image sensor is arranged to receive light reflected from the object points, the controller being operable to determine a distance value to at least one of the object points; and
an inertial measurement unit fixedly coupled relative to the 2D scanner and having a first sensor, the inertial measurement unit generating a signal in response a change in position or orientation of the 2D scanner, the first sensor having a first characteristic;

a 3D scanner coupled to the base unit, the 3D scanner operable to selectively measure 3D coordinates of surfaces in the environment; and
one or more processors operably coupled to the base unit, the 2D scanner and the 3D scanner, the one or more processors being responsive to nontransitory executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
generating a 2D map of the environment using the 2D scanner when the 2D scanner is uncoupled from the base unit;
defining a path through the environment using the 2D scanner;
defining 3D scan locations along the path using the 2D scanner;
causing the mobile base unit to move along the path; and

causing the 3D scanner to measure 3D coordinate values at the 3D scan locations; and
storing the 3D coordinate values in memory.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processors are further responsive for performing a method that comprises localizing the base unit in the environment when the 2D scanner is coupled to the base unit.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the 3D scanner is a time-of-flight (TOF) coordinate measurement device configured to measure the 3D coordinate values in a volume about the 3D scanner.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the 3D scanner is a triangulation scanner.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the 3D scanner is coupled to the base unit by an articulated arm.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the defining of the path includes tracking the location of the 2D scanner within the environment.

7. A method for measuring three-dimensional (3D) coordinate values of an environment, the method comprising:
moving a 2D scanner through the environment;
generating a 2D map of the environment using the 2D scanner;
defining a path through the environment using the 2D scanner;
defining 3D scan locations along the path using the 2D scanner;
operably coupling the 2D scanner to a mobile base unit;
moving the mobile base unit after coupling the 2D scanner, along the path based at least in part on the 2D map and the defined path; and
measuring 3D coordinate values at the 3D scan locations with a 3D scanner, the 3D scanner and 2D scanner being coupled to the mobile base unit.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising scanning the environment with the 2D scanner as the mobile base unit is moved along the path.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising localizing the mobile base unit within the environment based at least in part on the scanning of the environment performed by the 2D scanner as the mobile base unit it moved along the path.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the defining of the path further includes tracking the position of the 2D scanner within the environment.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the 2D scanner includes having a 2D laser scanner, an inertial measurement unit and is sized and weighted to be carried by a single operator, the 2D scanner being configured to sweep a beam of light in a horizontal plane, the inertial measurement unit being configured to determine movement and orientation of the measurement device, the plurality of registration positions including a first registration position and a second registration position.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the 3D scanner is a TOF scanner that is configured to measure 3D coordinate values in a volume about the 3D scanner.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the 3D scanner is a triangulation scanner.

14. The method of claim 7 , further comprising registering the 3D coordinate values measured at each of the 3D scan locations together to define a point cloud.

15. A system for measuring three-dimensional (3D) coordinate values of an environment, the system comprising:
one or more processors;
a mobile base unit having a plurality of wheels, each of the plurality of wheels having an associated motor, the motors being operably coupled to the one or more processors;
a 2D scanner removably coupled to the mobile base unit, the 2D scanner being sized and weighted to be carried by a single person, having a first light source, an image sensor, an inertial measurement unit having a first plurality of sensors, the first light source steers a beam of light within a first plane to illuminate object points in the environment, the image sensor is arranged to receive light reflected from the object points;
a 3D scanner coupled to the base unit, the 3D scanner being configured to measure a 3D coordinate values of point on surfaces in the environment;
wherein the one or more processors are responsive to nontransitory executable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors to:
generating a 2D map of the environment using the 2D scanner when the 2D scanner is uncoupled from the base unit;
defining a path through the environment using the 2D scanner;
defining 3D scan locations along the path using the 2D scanner;
causing the mobile base unit to move along the path;
causing the 3D scanner to measure 3D coordinate values at the 3D scan locations; and
storing the 3D coordinate values in memory.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors are further responsive to nontransitory executable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors are further responsive to localize the base unit in the environment when the 2D scanner is coupled to the base unit.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the 3D scanner is a time-of-flight (TOF) coordinate measurement device configured to measure the 3D coordinate values in a volume about the 3D scanner.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the 3D scanner is a triangulation scanner.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the triangulation scanner is coupled to the mobile base unit by an articulated arm.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the defining of the path includes tracking the location of the 2D scanner within the environment.

Assignees

• Faro Tech Inc

Inventors

• Zweigle Oliver
• Santos João
• Frank Aleksej
• Ramadneh Ahmad
• Tahir Muhammad Umair
• Boehret Tobias

Classifications

• G01C21/3848

  Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors · CPC title

• G01C21/16

  by integrating acceleration or speed, i.e. inertial navigation · CPC title

• G01S17/42

  Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) · CPC title

• G01S17/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• B25J9/162

  Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it · CPC title