Abstract: A method for monitoring a control system is disclosed comprising a plurality of control units, preferably for an optical measurement device or observation device. In a method of this type, it is provided that at least one control unit with master capability is incorporated in the communication between the control station and the rest of the control units and communicates with at least one of the control units for purposes of detecting status data and communicates with the control station for purposes of conveying the detected status data. In this way, polling for determining the current status is not the exclusive responsibility of the control station but, rather, can be taken over—at least partially or so as to be limited to determined processes—by the control unit with master capability enabled for this purpose. A control system for accomplishing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: In a coordinate measurement device with a base frame, a measurement table supported at the latter for holding an object to be measured, a sensing device for sensing the surface of this object, and with a positioning device for moving the sensing device in three spatial axes over the measurement table, which positioning device is mounted at the base frame and carries the sensing device, the positioning device has a first slide which is guided at the base frame in a first direction and which is movable on one side of the measurement table toward and away from the latter and on which a second slide is movable in a second direction vertical to the first direction, this second slide being provided at its end area remote of the measurement table (considered in its movement direction) with a supporting portion which projects lateral to the measurement table and at which there is arranged a stirrup arm which projects over the measurement table in a direction vertical to a principal work plane of the measurement table