Patents by Inventor Keith G. Macfarlane

Keith G. Macfarlane has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240095944
    Abstract: A method includes providing a measuring device having a projector, a camera with a photosensitive array, and at least one processor, projecting with the projector a line of light onto an object, capturing with the camera an image of the projected line of light on the object within a window subregion of the photosensitive array, and calculating with the at least one processor three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of points on the object based at least in part on the projected line of light and on the captured image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: FARO Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kishore Lankalapalli, Michael Shen, Paul C. Atwell, Keith G. Macfarlane, Jacint R. Barba, Nitesh Dhasmana
  • Publication number: 20240061393
    Abstract: According to some aspects of the invention, auxiliary axis measurement systems for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object are provided as shown and described herein. According to some aspects of the invention, methods for operating auxiliary axis measurement systems for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object are provided as shown and described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Kishore Lankalapalli, Kenneth Steffey, Keith G. Macfarlane, Paul C. Atwell, Dragos M. Stanescu, John Lucas Creachbaum, Brent Bailey, Matthew Mogensen
  • Patent number: 11853028
    Abstract: According to some aspects of the invention, auxiliary axis measurement systems for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object are provided as shown and described herein. According to some aspects of the invention, methods for operating auxiliary axis measurement systems for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object are provided as shown and described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: FARO Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kishore Lankalapalli, Kenneth Steffey, Keith G. Macfarlane, Paul C. Atwell, Dragos M. Stanescu, John Lucas Creachbaum, Brent Bailey, Matthew Mogensen
  • Patent number: 11854219
    Abstract: A method includes providing a measuring device having a projector, a camera with a photosensitive array, and a processor, projecting with the projector a line of light onto an object, capturing with the camera an image of the projected line of light on the object within a window subregion of the photosensitive array, and calculating with the processor three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of points on the object based at least in part on the projected line of light and on the captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: FARO Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kishore Lankalapalli, Michael Shen, Paul C. Atwell, Keith G. Macfarlane, Jacint R. Barba, Nitesh Dhasmana
  • Publication number: 20210165389
    Abstract: According to some aspects of the invention, auxiliary axis measurement systems for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object are provided as shown and described herein. According to some aspects of the invention, methods for operating auxiliary axis measurement systems for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object are provided as shown and described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Kishore Lankalapalli, Kenneth Steffey, Keith G. Macfarlane, Paul C. Atwell, Dragos M. Stanescu
  • Publication number: 20210118167
    Abstract: A method includes providing a measuring device having a projector, a camera with a photosensitive array, and a processor, projecting with the projector a line of light onto an object, capturing with the camera an image of the projected line of light on the object within a window subregion of the photosensitive array, and calculating with the processor three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of points on the object based at least in part on the projected line of light and on the captured image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Kishore Lankalapalli, Michael Shen, Paul C. Atwell, Keith G. Macfarlane, Jacint R. Barba, Nitesh Dhasmana
  • Patent number: 10969760
    Abstract: According to some aspects of the invention, auxiliary axis measurement systems for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object are provided as shown and described herein. According to some aspects of the invention, methods for operating auxiliary axis measurement systems for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object are provided as shown and described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kishore Lankalapalli, Kenneth Steffey, Keith G. Macfarlane, Paul C. Atwell, Dragos M. Stanescu
  • Patent number: 10699442
    Abstract: A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) for measuring the coordinates of an object in space and a method of operating the AACMM is provided. The AACMM includes a laser line probe is having a projector and a camera, the projector projecting a line of light, the camera having a lens assembly and a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly having a filter disposed between a photosensitive array and the lens assembly. The filter has a plurality of red, green and blue pixels in a predetermined arrangement. A controller causes the camera to acquire a metrology image and a color image. 3D coordinates of points on a surface are determined based on the metrology image and a color is assigned to the points based on the color image. The exposure time for the color image is adjusted based on an Exposure To The Right or a Mid-gray color model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jeremy W. Mares, Jacint R. Barba, Christopher M. Riehl, Christopher Michael Wilson, Keith G. Macfarlane, Kishore Lankalapalli, Paul C. Atwell, Michael Shen, Nitesh Dhasmana
  • Patent number: 10663274
    Abstract: An articulated arm coordinate measuring machine includes a first end that clamps to a first extension element of a first measurement probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC
    Inventors: John Lucas Creachbaum, Brent Bailey, Matthew Mogensen, William E. Schoenfeldt, Keith G. MacFarlane
  • Patent number: 10591276
    Abstract: An articulated arm coordinate measuring machine includes a laser line probe. The laser line probe includes a camera that can acquire metrology data and color data. A laser line probe is coupled to a probe end of an articulated arm. The laser line probe having a projector and a camera, the projector being operable to project a line of light at one or more predetermined wavelengths, the camera having a lens assembly optically coupled to a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly has a photosensitive array and a filter disposed between the photosensitive array and the lens assembly. The filter includes a plurality of red, green and blue pixels in a predetermined arrangement. A controller is coupled to the laser line probe and causes the camera to acquire a metrology image and a color image. The controller assigns a color to the three-dimensional coordinate points based on the color image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jacint R. Barba, Christopher Michael Wilson, Nitesh Dhasmana, Michael Shen, Jeremy W. Mares, Keith G. MacFarlane, Randy R. Fields, Paul C. Atwell, Kishore Lankalapalli, Yazid Tohme
  • Publication number: 20190317470
    Abstract: According to some aspects of the invention, auxiliary axis measurement systems for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object are provided as shown and described herein. According to some aspects of the invention, methods for operating auxiliary axis measurement systems for determining three-dimensional coordinates of an object are provided as shown and described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Kishore Lankalapalli, Kenneth Steffey, Keith G. Macfarlane, Paul C. Atwell, Dragos M. Stanescu
  • Publication number: 20190063899
    Abstract: An articulated arm coordinate measuring machine includes a laser line probe. The laser line probe includes a camera that can acquire metrology data and color data. A laser line probe is coupled to a probe end of an articulated arm. The laser line probe having a projector and a camera, the projector being operable to project a line of light at one or more predetermined wavelengths, the camera having a lens assembly optically coupled to a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly has a photosensitive array and a filter disposed between the photosensitive array and the lens assembly. The filter includes a plurality of red, green and blue pixels in a predetermined arrangement. A controller is coupled to the laser line probe and causes the camera to acquire a metrology image and a color image. The controller assigns a color to the three-dimensional coordinate points based on the color image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Jacint R. Barba, Christopher Michael Wilson, Nitesh Dhasmana, Michael Shen, Jeremy W. Mares, Keith G. MacFarlane, Randy R. Fields, Paul C. Atwell, Kishore Lankalapalli, Yazid Tohme
  • Publication number: 20190066337
    Abstract: A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) for measuring the coordinates of an object in space and a method of operating the AACMM is provided. The AACMM includes a laser line probe is having a projector and a camera, the projector projecting a line of light, the camera having a lens assembly and a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly having a filter disposed between a photosensitive array and the lens assembly. The filter has a plurality of red, green and blue pixels in a predetermined arrangement. A controller causes the camera to acquire a metrology image and a color image. 3D coordinates of points on a surface are determined based on the metrology image and a color is assigned to the points based on the color image. The exposure time for the color image is adjusted based on an Exposure To The Right or a Mid-gray color model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Jeremy W. Mares, Jacint R. Barba, Christopher M. Riehl, Christopher Michael Wilson, Keith G. Macfarlane, Kishore Lankalapalli, Paul C. Atwell, Michael Shen, Nitesh Dhasmana
  • Publication number: 20180216923
    Abstract: An articulated arm coordinate measuring machine includes a first end that clamps to a first extension element of a first measurement probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: John Lucas Creachbaum, Brent Bailey, Matthew Mogensen, William E. Schoenfeldt, Keith G. MacFarlane
  • Patent number: 9500469
    Abstract: A method for measuring three-dimensional coordinates of an object surface with a line scanner, the line scanner including a projector and a camera, the projector projecting onto the object surface a first line of light at a first time and a second line of light at a second time, the integrated energy of the second line of light different than the first line of light, the camera capturing the reflections of the first line of light and the second line of light, a processor determining portions of the image that are saturated or have electrical noise, and determining three-dimensional coordinates of the object surface based at least in part on the processed data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Paul C. Atwell, Keith G. Macfarlane
  • Publication number: 20160169661
    Abstract: A method for measuring three-dimensional coordinates of an object surface with a line scanner, the line scanner including a projector and a camera, the projector projecting onto the object surface a first line of light at a first time and a second line of light at a second time, the integrated energy of the second line of light different than the first line of light, the camera capturing the reflections of the first line of light and the second line of light, a processor determining portions of the image that are saturated or have electrical noise, and determining three-dimensional coordinates of the object surface based at least in part on the processed data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Paul C. Atwell, Keith G. Macfarlane
  • Patent number: 9267784
    Abstract: A method for measuring three-dimensional coordinates of an object surface with a line scanner, the line scanner including a projector and a camera, the projector projecting onto the object surface a first line of light at a first time and a second line of light at a second time, the integrated energy of the second line of light different than the first line of light, the camera capturing the reflections of the first line of light and the second line of light, a processor processing the collected data after discarding portions of the image that are saturated or dominated by electrical noise, and determining three-dimensional coordinates of the object surface based at least in part on the processed data and on a baseline distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Paul C. Atwell, Keith G. Macfarlane
  • Publication number: 20150015898
    Abstract: A method for measuring three-dimensional coordinates of an object surface with a line scanner, the line scanner including a projector and a camera, the projector projecting onto the object surface a first line of light at a first time and a second line of light at a second time, the integrated energy of the second line of light different than the first line of light, the camera capturing the reflections of the first line of light and the second line of light, a processor processing the collected data after discarding portions of the image that are saturated or dominated by electrical noise, and determining three-dimensional coordinates of the object surface based at least in part on the processed data and on a baseline distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Paul C. Atwell, Keith G. Macfarlane
  • Patent number: 8171650
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine including 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, a measurement device attached to the first end of the articulated arm coordinate measuring machine, an electronic circuit for receiving the position signals from the transducers and for providing data corresponding to a position of the measurement device, a base coupled to the second end, an upper mount portion disposed on the base, a lower mount portion fixed to a mounting structure and configured to repeatably connect to the upper mount portion and an electronic identification system configured to send identifier information identifying the lower mount portion to the electronic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Faro Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick York, Brent Bailey, Clark H. Briggs, David M. Danielson, Keith G. Macfarlane, Herbert G. Seegers
  • Publication number: 20110173828
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine including 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, a measurement device attached to the first end of the articulated arm coordinate measuring machine, an electronic circuit for receiving the position signals from the transducers and for providing data corresponding to a position of the measurement device, a base coupled to the second end, an upper mount portion disposed on the base, a lower mount portion fixed to a mounting structure and configured to repeatably connect to the upper mount portion and an electronic identification system configured to send identifier information identifying the lower mount portion to the electronic circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Frederick York, Brent Bailey, Clark H. Briggs, David M. Danielson, Keith G. Macfarlane, Herbert G. Seegers