Method and apparatus for following an operator and locking onto a retroreflector with a laser tracker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9885771-B2
Application number	US-201715625347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2017
Priority date	Apr 21, 2010
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

A method for measuring three-dimensional (3D) coordinates includes providing a retroreflector and a laser tracker. An operator gives a follow-operator gesture, and the laser tracker responds by following movement of the operator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A three-dimensional (3D) coordinate measurement system, comprising:
a retroreflector;
a laser tracker including:
a first light source configured to emit a first beam of light from the laser tracker;
a structure rotatable about a first axis and a second axis;
a second light source;
a first camera proximate the second light source; and
a processor responsive to executable instructions which when executed by the processor is operable to determine that a follow-operator gesture has been given by an operator and in response rotate the structure to follow movement of the operator.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the follow-operator gesture is selected from the group consisting of: a movement of the retroreflector in space and a temporal change in returned light from the retroreflector.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the laser tracker is further configured to illuminate the retroreflector with the second light source during the follow-operator gesture and to capture an image of the illuminated retroreflector in response.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the follow-operator gesture is performed with the retroreflector held in a hand of the operator.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the follow-operator gesture is based on a position of an arm of the operator relative to a torso of the operator.

6. A method for measuring three-dimensional (3D) coordinates comprising:
providing a retroreflector and a laser tracker, the laser tracker including a first light source configured to emit a first beam of light, a structure rotatable about a first axis and a second axis, a second light source, a first camera proximate the second light source, and a processor;
giving by an operator a follow-operator gesture; and
responding with the processor, executing executable instructions, to the follow-operator gesture by rotating the structure to follow movement of the operator.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein, in giving the follow-operator gesture, the follow-up gesture is selected from the group consisting of: a movement of the retroreflector in space and a temporal change in returned light from the retroreflector.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein, during the follow-operator gesture, the laser tracker illuminates the retroreflector with the second light source and captures an image of the illuminated retroreflector in response.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the follow-operator gesture is performed with the retroreflector held in a hand of the operator.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the follow-operator gesture is based on a position of an arm of the operator relative to a torso of the operator.

Assignees

• Faro Tech Inc

Inventors

• Nagalla Kalyan
• Mehler Robert C
• Bridges Robert E

Classifications

• G01S17/86

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

• G01B11/002 Primary

  for measuring two or more coordinates · CPC title

• G01B5/004

  for measuring coordinates of points · CPC title

• G01S17/66

  Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves · CPC title

• G01C15/002

  Active optical surveying means (optical plumbing G01C15/105) · CPC title