Patents by Inventor Rolf Heidemann

Rolf Heidemann 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: 20190186905
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) coordinate measuring system is provided. The system includes an aerial measuring device that has an aerial drone and a 3D measurement device. The 3D measurement device being rotatably attached to the aerial drone, the aerial drone is movable from a first position to a stationary second position. The 3D measurement device being configured to optically measure points on the surface of an object. The system further includes one or more processors configured to execute nontransitory computer readable instructions. The computer readable instructions comprise: moving the aerial measuring device from the first position; landing the aerial measuring device at the second position; rotating the 3D measurement device to optically measure a first object point; and determining a first 3D coordinates of the first object point with the 3D measuring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Rolf Heidemann, Denis Wohlfeld, Robert E. Bridges, Helmut Kramer
  • Publication number: 20190113334
    Abstract: A triangulation scanner includes a projector, a camera, and a processor, the projector projecting a first pattern of light on a first point during first intervals and a no light during second intervals, the camera including an optical detector, a first accumulator, and a second accumulator, the optical detector receiving reflected light from the first point, the first and second accumulators summing signals from the optical detector during the first and second intervals, respectively, the processor determining 3D coordinates of the first point based at least in part on the first pattern, the summed signals from the first and second accumulators, and a speed of light in air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Matthias Wolke, Rolf Heidemann, Gerrit Hillebrand, Daniel Döring
  • Patent number: 10234278
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) coordinate measuring system is provided. The system includes an aerial measuring device that has an aerial drone and a 3D measurement device. The 3D measurement device being rotatably attached to the aerial drone, the aerial drone is movable from a first position to a stationary second position. The 3D measurement device being configured to optically measure points on the surface of an object. The system further includes one or more processors configured to execute nontransitory computer readable instructions. The computer readable instructions comprise: moving the aerial measuring device from the first position; landing the aerial measuring device at the second position; rotating the 3D measurement device to optically measure a first object point; and determining a first 3D coordinates of the first object point with the 3D measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Rolf Heidemann, Denis Wohlfeld, Robert E. Bridges, Helmut Kramer
  • Publication number: 20190017806
    Abstract: A dimensional measuring device includes an overview camera and a triangulation scanner. A six-DOF tracking device tracks the dimensional measuring device as the triangulation scanner measures three-dimensional (3D) coordinates on an exterior of the object. Cardinal points identified by the overview camera are used to register in a common frame of reference 3D coordinates measured by the triangulation scanner on the interior and exterior of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Bernd-Dietmar Becker, Robert E. Bridges, Ariane Stiebeiner, Rolf Heidemann, Matthias Wolke
  • Patent number: 10126116
    Abstract: A dimensional measuring device includes an overview camera and a triangulation scanner. A six-DOF tracking device tracks the dimensional measuring device as the triangulation scanner measures three-dimensional (3D) coordinates on an exterior of the object. Cardinal points identified by the overview camera are used to register in a common frame of reference 3D coordinates measured by the triangulation scanner on the interior and exterior of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Bernd-Dietmar Becker, Robert E. Bridges, Ariane Stiebeiner, Rolf Heidemann, Matthias Wolke
  • Patent number: 10126415
    Abstract: A system includes a measurement device configured to measure a distance, a first angle, and a second angle to a retroreflector target. The system further includes a probe having the retroreflector target, an inclinometer sensor, a camera, and a processor, the inclinometer sensor configured to determine a two-dimensional inclination of the probe relative to a gravity vector, the camera configured to capture an image of a light emitted from or reflected by the measurement device, the processor configured to determine six degrees of freedom of the probe based at least in part on the distance, the first angle, the second angle, the two-dimensional inclination, and the captured image of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Bernd-Dietmar Becker, Rolf Heidemann, Oliver Zweigle, Matthias Wolke
  • Publication number: 20180321383
    Abstract: A projector projects an uncoded pattern of uncoded spots onto an object, which is imaged by a first camera and a second camera, 3D coordinates of the spots on the object being determined by a processor based on triangulation, the processor further determining correspondence among the projected and imaged spots based at least in part on a nearness of intersection of lines drawn from the projector and image spots through their respective perspective centers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Rolf Heidemann, Mark Brenner, Simon Raab
  • Patent number: 10088296
    Abstract: A method for scanning and obtaining three-dimensional (3D) coordinates is provided. The method includes providing a 3D measuring device having a projector, a first camera and a second camera. The method records images of a light pattern emitted by the projector onto an object. A deviation in a measured parameter from an expected parameter is determined. The calibration of the 3D measuring device may be changed when the deviation is outside of a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Gerrit Hillebrand, Rolf Heidemann, Martin Ossig
  • Publication number: 20180274910
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) coordinate measuring system is provided. The system includes an aerial measuring device that has an aerial drone and a 3D measurement device. The 3D measurement device being rotatably attached to the aerial drone, the aerial drone is movable from a first position to a stationary second position. The 3D measurement device being configured to optically measure points on the surface of an object. The system further includes one or more processors configured to execute nontransitory computer readable instructions. The computer readable instructions comprise: moving the aerial measuring device from the first position; landing the aerial measuring device at the second position; rotating the 3D measurement device to optically measure a first object point; and determining a first 3D coordinates of the first object point with the 3D measuring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Rolf Heidemann, Denis Wohlfeld, Robert E. Bridges, Helmut Kramer
  • Patent number: 10070116
    Abstract: A method for scanning and measuring an environment is provided. The method includes providing a three-dimensional (3D) measurement device having a controller. Images of the environment are recorded and a 3D scan of the environment is produced with a three-dimensional point cloud. A video image of the environment is recorded. The video image is displayed on a first portion of a display. A portion of the three-dimensional point cloud is displayed on a second portion of the display, the second portion of the display being arranged about the periphery of the first portion of the display. Wherein a portion of the 3D point cloud displayed in the second portion represents a portion of the environment outside of a field of view of the video image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Gerrit Hillebrand, Rasmus Debitsch, Rolf Heidemann
  • Publication number: 20180238681
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) scanner having two cameras and a projector is detachably coupled to a device selected from the group consisting of: an articulated arm coordinate measuring machine, a camera assembly, a six degree-of-freedom (six-DOF) tracker target assembly, and a six-DOF light point target assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Yazid Tohme, Rolf Heidemann, Markus Grau, Robert E. Bridges
  • Publication number: 20180224270
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) measuring system includes a triangulation scanner having a projector and a first triangulation camera, the projector including a first circular polarizer, the first triangulation camera including a second circular polarizer, the second circular polarizer having handedness opposite the first circular polarizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Matthias Wolke, Rolf Heidemann, Matthew Amstrong
  • Publication number: 20180164090
    Abstract: A method for scanning and obtaining three-dimensional (3D) coordinates is provided. The method includes providing a 3D measuring device having a projector, a first camera and a second camera. The method records images of a light pattern emitted by the projector onto an object. The 3D measuring device is moved from a first position and a second position along a second path. A gesture and a corresponding control function are determined based at least in part on the first position and the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Gerrit Hillebrand, Rolf Heidemann, Martin Ossig
  • Patent number: 9989357
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) coordinate measuring system includes an external projector that projects a pattern of light onto an object and an aerial drone attached to a 3D imaging device, the 3D imaging device and the external projector cooperating to obtain 3D coordinates of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Rolf Heidemann, Denis Wohlfeld, Robert E. Bridges, Helmut Kramer
  • Publication number: 20180149469
    Abstract: A dimensional measuring device includes an overview camera and a triangulation scanner. A six-DOF tracking device tracks the dimensional measuring device as the triangulation scanner measures three-dimensional (3D) coordinates on an exterior of the object. Cardinal points identified by the overview camera are used to register in a common frame of reference 3D coordinates measured by the triangulation scanner on the interior and exterior of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Bernd-Dietmar Becker, Robert E. Bridges, Ariane Stiebeiner, Rolf Heidemann, Matthias Wolke
  • Publication number: 20180135965
    Abstract: A method for scanning and obtaining three-dimensional (3D) coordinates is provided. The method includes providing a 3D measuring device having a projector, a first camera and a second camera. The method records images of a light pattern emitted by the projector onto an object. A deviation in a measured parameter from an expected parameter is determined. The calibration of the 3D measuring device may be changed when the deviation is outside of a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Gerrit Hillebrand, Rolf Heidemann, Martin Ossig
  • Patent number: 9964402
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) scanner having two cameras and a projector is detachably coupled to a device selected from the group consisting of: an articulated arm coordinate measuring machine, a camera assembly, a six degree-of-freedom (six-DOF) tracker target assembly, and a six-DOF light point target assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Yazid Tohme, Rolf Heidemann, Markus Grau, Robert E. Bridges
  • Publication number: 20180071914
    Abstract: A safety sensor system and method is provided. The method includes projecting from a projector a pattern of light to a first position. The pattern of light being generated by a shape control element with each of the first pattern of light having a pattern pose. A first image is captured with a camera of the first pattern of light. The pose or shape of the pattern of light is changed using the shape control element. A pattern pose or shape information is determined from both images. It is determined that the second image is valid based on the pattern pose or shape information differing by more than predetermined measurement errors or the pattern pose or shape information differing less than predetermined measurement errors from values that are based on the control values transmitted to the pattern pose and shape control element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Rolf Heidemann, Bernd-Dietmar Becker
  • Patent number: 9915521
    Abstract: A method for scanning and obtaining three-dimensional (3D) coordinates is provided. The method includes providing a 3D measuring device having a projector, a first camera and a second camera. The method records images of a light pattern emitted by the projector onto an object. The 3D measuring device is moved from a first position and a second position along a second path. A gesture and a corresponding control function are determined based at least in part on the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Gerrit Hillebrand, Rolf Heidemann, Martin Ossig
  • Patent number: 9909855
    Abstract: A dimensional measuring device includes an overview camera and a triangulation scanner. A six-DOF tracking device tracks the dimensional measuring device as the triangulation scanner measures three-dimensional (3D) coordinates on an exterior of the object. Cardinal points identified by the overview camera are used to register in a common frame of reference 3D coordinates measured by the triangulation scanner on the interior and exterior of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Bernd-Dietmar Becker, Robert E. Bridges, Ariane Stiebeiner, Rolf Heidemann, Matthias Wolke