Patents Assigned to FARO TECHNOLOGIES
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Publication number: 20120260512Abstract: A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine for measuring the coordinates of an object in space is provided. The AACMM includes a base and a arm portion having an opposed first end and second end. The arm portion includes a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal. An electronic circuit is provided that receives the position signal from the at least one position transducer. A probe member is disposed is coupled to the first end. A noncontact three-dimensional measuring device is coupled to the probe member, the device having an electromagnetic radiation transmitter and is configured to determine a distance to an object based at least in part on the propagation time of the emitted and reflected light beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Klaus Kretschmer, Robert E. Bridges, Clark H. Briggs
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Publication number: 20120262692Abstract: Coordinate measurement device configured to send a first beam of light to a target includes first and second light sources configured to emit first and second lights having differing first and second wavelengths; fiber-optic coupler that includes three ports, a first port configured to accept a first portion of the first light, a second port configured to accept a second portion of the second light, a third port configured to transmit a third light which includes a portion of the first and second portions; first and second angle measuring devices configured to measure first and second angles of rotation; distance meter configured to measure a first distance from the device to the target based at least in part on a third portion of the second beam received by an optical detector; and a processor configured to provide 3D coordinates of the target.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Robert E. Bridges, Jacob J. Mertz
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Publication number: 20120236320Abstract: Measuring with a system having retroreflector targets and a laser tracker includes storing a list of nominal coordinates for targets and one added point; capturing on a tracker photosensitive array a portion of the light emitted by a light beam and reflected off the targets; obtaining spot positions on a tracker camera photosensitive array from light reflected off the targets; determining a correspondence between three spot positions on the tracker photosensitive array and the nominal coordinates of the targets; directing a beam of light from the tracker to the targets based on the nominal coordinates of the first target and the first spot position; measuring 3-D coordinates of the targets with the tracker; determining 3-D coordinates of the at least one added point based on the measured 3-D coordinates of the targets and the nominal coordinates of the one added point.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2012Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Kenneth Steffey, Nils P. Steffensen, Robert E. Bridges
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Publication number: 20120229788Abstract: In a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, which device is designed as a laser scanner, with a light emitter, which, by means of a rotary mirror, emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam which is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner, and with a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines at least the distance to the object, the rotary mirror is part of a rotor, which is configured as a hybrid structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2010Publication date: September 13, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Philipp Schumann, Alexander Greiner
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Publication number: 20120206808Abstract: A target includes a cube corner retroreflector including three planar reflectors, each planar reflector capable of reflecting light, each planar reflector perpendicular to the other two planar reflectors, each planar reflector intersecting the other two planar reflectors in a common vertex, and each planar reflector having two intersection junctions, each intersection junction shared with an adjacent planar reflector for a total of three intersection junctions within the cube corner retroreflector. The target further includes a non-reflecting portion of each intersection junction, wherein, for at least one intersection junction, the non-reflecting portion is wider in a first region than in a second region.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Lawrence B. Brown, Daniel G. Lasley, Jeremy M. Garey, Nils P. Steffensen
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Publication number: 20120206716Abstract: A target includes a contact element having a region of spherical curvature, a retroreflector rigidly connected to the contact element, a transmitter configured to emit an electromagnetic signal, a temperature sensor disposed on the target, configured to measure an air temperature, and configured to send the measured air temperature to the transmitter.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 29, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Peter G. Cramer, Robert E. Bridges, Nils P. Steffensen, Robert C. Mehler, Kenneth Steffey, John M. Hoffer, JR., Daniel G. Lasley
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Publication number: 20120204436Abstract: A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) includes a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal resulting in the articulated arm having a plurality of position transducers. The AACMM also includes a base section connected to the second end; and a probe assembly connected to the first end, the probe assembly having a probe end, an inner core, and a handle; wherein the probe end is fixed with respect to the inner core, the handle is configured to rotate about the inner core, and the probe end is configured to measure a three-dimensional coordinate of a point in space.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Simon Raab, Paul C. Atwell
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Publication number: 20120188559Abstract: In a laser scanner for optically scanning and measuring an environment, the scanner having a center which defines for a scan the stationary reference system of the scanner and the center of the scan, a light emitter which emits an emission light beam, a light receiver which receives a reception light beam reflected by an object in the environment of the scanner, a control and evaluation unit which determines, for a multitude of measuring points of the scan, at least the distance between the center of the scan and the object, the scanner, for registering a scene with several scans having different centers, being movable between the centers of the scans, and a scanner mouse for registering the path followed by the scanner between the different centers of the scans, the scanner mouse optically registering the movement of the laser scanner relative to a reference surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2010Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Reinhard Becker, Martin Ossig
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Publication number: 20120180565Abstract: A case for a device configured to couple with a mounting fixture is provided. The case includes a first housing and a second housing. The first housing and the second housing are cooperatively shaped to enclose a first portion of the device when the device is coupled to the mounting fixture. The first housing and the second housing form an opening when coupled together and expose a second portion of the device that comprises the coupling hardware for attaching the device to the mounting fixture. A third housing is removably coupled to the opening wherein the third housing is cooperatively shaped to receive the second portion of the device and enclose the device when the device is removed from the mounting fixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2011Publication date: July 19, 2012Applicants: GATOR CASES, INC., FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Brent Bailey, Clark H. Briggs, Marc M. Barber, Casey Keough, David M. Rudd
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Publication number: 20120144685Abstract: A method for performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure on a portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM). The AACMM includes a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing position signals. The AACMM also includes an electronic circuit having a self-contained operating environment that includes a user interface application and a display device in communication with the user interface application. In addition, a measurement device is attached to the first end of the AACMM. The user interface application and display device are configured to facilitate performing and displaying results of a diagnostic or calibration procedure on the AACMM.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2012Publication date: June 14, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Paul C. Atwell, Clark H. Briggs, Burnham Stokes
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Publication number: 20120140244Abstract: A method for optically scanning and measuring an environment of a laser scanner includes the steps of emitting an emission light beam by a light emitter, reflecting the emission light beam by a mirror into the environment, wherein several complete revolutions are made during rotation of the measuring head, receiving a reception light beam by a light receiver via the mirror, which reception light beam is reflected by an object in the environment of the laser scanner , and determining for a multitude of measuring points of the scan, at least the distance of the center to the object, wherein the measuring head makes more than half a revolution for the scan, and wherein at least some measuring points are doubly determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2010Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Jürgen Gittinger, Reinhard Becker, Martin Ossig
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Publication number: 20120133953Abstract: In a method for optically scanning and measuring an object by a laser scanner by a procedure in which a emission light beam modulated with a target frequency is emitted by means of a light emitter, a reception light beam reflected or otherwise scattered in some way from an object in the surroundings of the laser scanner is received, with a measuring clock, as a multiplicity of samples by means of a light receiver and in each case at least the distance from the object is determined from the phase angles of the multiplicity of samples for a plurality of measuring points by means of a control and evaluation device, for determining the distances, a phase shift caused by a distance difference of temporal adjacent samples is corrected in order to correct the distances.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2010Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Martin Ossig, Philipp Schumann
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Publication number: 20120120415Abstract: A method for mechanically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to control operation of the laser tracker includes providing the tracker with an angular encoder, providing a rule of correspondence between each command and each rotational pattern of a portion of a tracker, and selecting a first command. Also, rotating by the user, between first and second times, the portion of the tracker in a first rotational pattern, the first rotational pattern corresponds to the first command, and obtaining a collection of first angular readings from the angular encoder, wherein the angular readings are obtained between the first and second times. Also, determining the first command based at least in part on processing the first angular readings according to the rule of correspondence, and executing the first command with the tracker.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2011Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Nils P. Steffensen, David H. Parker
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Publication number: 20120099119Abstract: A laser based coordinate measuring device measures a position of a remote target. The laser based coordinate measuring device includes a stationary portion, a rotatable portion, and at least a first optical fiber. The stationary portion has at least a first laser radiation source and at least a first optical detector, and the rotatable portion is rotatable with respect to the stationary portion. The first optical fiber system, which optically interconnects the first laser radiation source and the first optical detector with an emission end of the first optical fiber system, has the emission end disposed on the rotatable portion. The emission end emits laser radiation to the remote target and receives laser radiation reflected from the remote target with the emission direction of the laser radiation being controlled according to the rotation of the rotatable portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2012Publication date: April 26, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Robert E. Bridges, Lawrence B. Brown, James K. West, D. Scott Ackerson
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Publication number: 20120099100Abstract: A method for determining when a laser tracker is stable includes performing a plurality of first frontsight measurements and a plurality of first backsight measurements on a first target with the laser tracker, wherein the plurality of first frontsight measurements and the plurality of first backsight measurements are alternated in time, calculating a plurality of first two-face errors based on the plurality of first frontsight measurements and the plurality of first backsight measurements, determining at least one first stability metric based at least in part on the plurality of first two-face errors, the at least one first stability metric being a value defined by a rule, determining whether the laser tracker is stable based at least in part on the at least one first stability metric and a first termination criterion and generating an indication whether the laser tracker is stable or not stable.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2011Publication date: April 26, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INCInventors: Peter G. Cramer, Kenneth Steffey, John M. Hoffer, JR.
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Publication number: 20120099096Abstract: A laser based coordinate measuring device measures a position of a remote target. The laser based coordinate measuring device includes a stationary portion, a rotatable portion, and at least a first optical fiber. The stationary portion has at least a first laser radiation source and at least a first optical detector, and the rotatable portion is rotatable with respect to the stationary portion. The first optical fiber system, which optically interconnects the first laser radiation source and the first optical detector with an emission end of the first optical fiber system, has the emission end disposed on the rotatable portion. The emission end emits laser radiation to the remote target and receives laser radiation reflected from the remote target with the emission direction of the laser radiation being controlled according to the rotation of the rotatable portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2012Publication date: April 26, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Robert E. Bridges, Lawrence B. Brown, James K. West, D. Scott Ackerson
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Publication number: 20120069352Abstract: A method for optically scanning and measuring a scene by means of a laser scanner which, for making a scan having a certain center, optically scans and measures its environment provided with targets, whereby two adjacent scans having different centers and scanning the same scene overlap within a range of measuring points so that some targets are scanned by any of the two scans, whereby, for registering the two adjacent scans, the targets are localized in the measuring points during a first step and, during a second step, candidates of correspondence among the localized targets of the two adjacent scans are looked for and, during a third step, a test registration of the two adjacent scans is made which, if there is a sufficient compliance of the measuring points within the overlapping range, is taken over for registration, thus identifying the targets.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2010Publication date: March 22, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Martin Ossig, Reinhard Becker, Alexander Kramer
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Publication number: 20120070077Abstract: With a method for optically scanning and measuring an environment by means of a laser scanner, which has a center, and which, for making a scan, optically scans and measures its environment by means of light beams and evaluates it by means of a control and evaluation unit, wherein a color camera having a center takes colored images of the environment which must be linked with the scan, the control and evaluation unit of the laser scanner, to which the color camera is connected, links the scan and the colored images and corrects deviations of the center and/or the orientation of the color camera relative to the center and/or the orientation of the laser scanner by virtually moving the color camera iteratively for each colored image and by transforming at least part of the colored image for this new virtual position and/or orientation of the color camera, until the projection of the colored image and the projection of the scan onto a common reference surface comply with each other in the best possible way.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2010Publication date: March 22, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Martin Ossig, Ivan Bogicevic, Norbert Bücking
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Publication number: 20120057174Abstract: A laser scanner or a laser tracker includes a light source that emits a light beam within an environment, and a data capture component that captures the light beam reflected back to the laser scanner or tracker from the environment. The laser scanner or tracker also includes a projector integrated within a body of the laser scanner or tracker or mounted to the body of the laser scanner or tracker at a predetermined location, the projector being operable to project visible information onto an object located within the environment, the projected visible information being indicative of images, data or information, the projected visible information being at least one of design intent information, information acquired by the laser scanner or tracker, or guidance to an operator.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2011Publication date: March 8, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventor: Clark H. Briggs
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Publication number: 20120050712Abstract: A laser based coordinate measuring device measures a position of a remote target. The laser based coordinate measuring device includes a stationary portion, a rotatable portion, and at least a first optical fiber. The stationary portion has at least a first laser radiation source and at least a first optical detector, and the rotatable portion is rotatable with respect to the stationary portion. The first optical fiber system, which optically interconnects the first laser radiation source and the first optical detector with an emission end of the first optical fiber system, has the emission end disposed on the rotatable portion. The emission end emits laser radiation to the remote target and receives laser radiation reflected from the remote target with the emission direction of the laser radiation being controlled according to the rotation of the rotatable portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2011Publication date: March 1, 2012Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Robert E. Bridges, Lawrence B. Brown, James K. West, D. Scott Ackerson