Measurement system and method for operating a measurement system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11674978-B2
Application number	US-202016864700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2020
Priority date	May 1, 2020
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

A measurement system is described. The measurement system comprises a measurement device and a probe unit, wherein the measurement device comprises an image analysis circuit or module. The probe unit comprises at least one image sensor, wherein the at least one image sensor is connected to the image analysis module in a signal transmitting manner. The image sensor is configured to capture an image of a measurement area being associated with a device under test. The image analysis module is configured to analyze the image captured and to determine at least one characteristic quantity of the image captured via an image analysis technique. The image analysis module is further configured to gather an information concerning a test position of the probe unit from the at least one characteristic quantity. Further, a method for operating a measurement system is described.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A measurement system, comprising:
a measurement device
comprising an image analysis circuit; and
a probe unit comprising a probe tip and at least two image sensors, wherein said at least two image sensors are connected to said image analysis circuit in a signal transmitting manner, said at least two image sensors being configured to capture an image of a measurement area being associated with a device under test, respectively;
said image analysis circuit being configured to analyze said images captured and to determine at least one characteristic quantity of said images captured via an image analysis technique, wherein said image analysis circuit is further configured to gather an information concerning a test position of said probe unit from said at least one characteristic quantity wherein the test position is the location to which the probe tip of the probe unit is moved manually by a user in order to perform a measurement,
said image analysis circuit further being configured to determine at least one of a current location of the probe unit relative to the test position, an orientation of the probe unit relative to the test position, or a distance of the probe unit from the test position;
a memory;
a data set stored in said memory, said data set comprising information on properties of said device under test, wherein said data set comprises a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of said device under test;
wherein the image analysis circuit is configured to determine three-dimensional image data based on the images captured by the at least two image sensors, and wherein the image analysis circuit is configured to compare the three-dimensional image data with the three-dimensional model so as to gather the information concerning the test position of the probe unit; and
a display configured to display the at least one of the current location of the probe unit relative to the test position, the orientation of the probe unit relative to the test position, or the distance of the probe unit from the test position, such that the user can move the probe unit until the correct test position is reached,
wherein said measurement system is configured to automatically adapt properties of an electrical signal that is provided to said device under test via said probe unit for performing said measurement based on said at least one characteristic quantity.

2. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one characteristic quantity comprises at least one of a shape, a geometrical pattern, a color pattern, and an object class.

3. The measurement system of claim 1 , further comprising a measurement circuit, said measurement circuit being configured to at least one of adapt at least one measurement parameter of said measurement device and to perform a measurement automatically based on said at least one characteristic quantity determined.

4. The measurement system of claim 3 , wherein said image sensor and said measurement circuit are configured to capture said image together with at least one measurement value obtained.

5. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein said image analysis circuit is configured to determine at least one of a location of said probe unit and a position of said probe unit based on said image.

6. The measurement system of claim 5 , wherein said image analysis circuit is configured to determine at least one of a location of said probe unit relative to a test point and a position of said probe unit relative to said test point based on said image.

7. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein said data set comprises a measurement protocol for said device under test.

8. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein said display is configured to display at least said test position.

9. A method for operating a measurement system, said measurement system comprising a probe unit a measurement device with an image analysis circuit, and a memory, said probe unit comprising a probe tip and at least two image sensors, said method comprising:
capturing an image of a measurement area being associated with a device under test by said at least two image sensors, respectively;
analyzing said images captured by said image analysis circuit;
determining at least one characteristic quantity of said images;
gathering an information concerning a test position of said probe unit from said at least one characteristic quantity by said image analysis circuit, wherein the test position is the location to which the probe tip of the probe unit is moved manually by a user in order to perform a measurement, wherein a data set comprising information on properties of said device under test is stored in said memory, and wherein said data set comprises a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of said device under test,
said gathering an information concerning a test position of said probe unit from said at least one characteristic quantity by said image analysis circuit includes determining, by the image analysis circuit, three-dimensional image data based on the images captured by the at least two image sensors and comparing the three-dimensional image data with the three-dimensional model;
determining, by the image analysis circuit, at least one of a current location of the probe unit relative to the test position, an orientation of the probe unit relative to the test position, or a distance of the probe unit from the test position; and
displaying, by a display, the at least one of the current location of the probe unit relative to the test position, the orientation of the probe unit relative to the test position, or the distance of the probe unit from the test position, such that a user can move the probe unit until the correct test position is reached.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said at least one characteristic quantity comprises at least one of a shape, a geometrical pattern, a color pattern and an object class.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one measurement parameter of said measurement device is adapted based on said at least one characteristic quantity.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of a location of said probe unit and a position of said probe unit is determined based on said image.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one of a location of said probe unit relative to a test point and a position of said probe unit relative to said test point is determined based on said image.

14. A measurement system, said measurement system comprising a measurement device and a probe unit,
said measurement device comprising an image analysis circuit;
said probe unit comprising a probe tip and at least two image sensors, wherein said at least two image sensors are connected to said image analysis circuit in a signal transmitting manner,
said at least two image sensors being configured to capture an image of a measurement area being associated with a device under test respectively; and
said image analysis circuit being configured to analyze said images captured and to determine at least one characteristic quantity of said images captured via an image analysis technique, wherein said image analysis circuit is further configured to gather an information concerning a test position of said probe unit from said at least one characteristic quantity, wherein the test position is the location to which the probe tip of the probe unit has to be moved manually by a user in order to perform a measurement,
wherein said at least one characteristic quantity comprises an object class, wher

Assignees

• Rohde & Schwarz

Inventors

• Sterzbach Bernhard

Classifications

• G06T7/70

  Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) · CPC title

• G01R1/06794 Primary

  Devices for sensing when probes are in contact, or in position to contact, with measured object · CPC title

• G06T2207/30164

  Workpiece; Machine component · CPC title