System for acquiring data relating to position of spray gun relative to surface arranged in space

Abstract

There is provided a system for acquiring data relating to a position of a spray gun relative to a surface to be coated disposed in a space, comprising a data acquisition device. The data acquisition device comprises: a lance holder arranged to rigidly connect the device to a lance; a beacon sensor module arranged to receive beacon data from one or more reflective beacons located in the space; a surface scanning module configured to scan a surface and to provide scan data through the scanning surface; and a processing unit. The processing unit is arranged to: receive beacon data; determining positioning data based on the beacon data, the positioning data indicating a position of the device in the space; and determining position data based on the positioning data and the scanning data, the position data indicating a position of the spray gun relative to the surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sensor kit for a spray gun and the processing of data received from the sensor kit. Background Art

[0002] Spray painting is a technique whereby a coating is applied through the air onto a surface using a spray gun. The coating can be paint, ink, varnish, clearcoat or any other type of coating. The operator may hold the spray gun in hand and may require great skill to apply a thin layer of coating with consistent layer thickness. Regardless of the skill of the operator, the final thickness of the layer may vary, which may have an impact on the durability of the coating and the reliability of the sensors covered by the coating, such as a car's proximity radar system. Summary of the invention

[0003] In order to track the results of the coating process, it is desirable to obtain data on the available final coating, in particular on the amount of coating material available per unit area on the surface to be coated. In order to obtain such data, it is desirable to be able to determine the proper positioning of the spray gun or the spray cone emitted by the spray gun relative to the object or surface to be coated.

[0004] A first aspect provides a system for acquiring data related to the position of a spray gun relative to a surface to be coated arranged in space, comprising a data acquisition device. The data acquisition device comprises: a spray gun support, configured to rigidly connect the device to the spray gun; a beacon sensor module, configured to receive beacon data from one or more reflective beacons located in space; a surface scanning module, configured to scan the surface and provide scanning data by scanning the surface; and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to: receive the beacon data; determine positioning data based on the beacon data, the positioning data indicating the position of the device in space; and determine position data based on the positioning data and the scanning data, the position data indicating the position of the spray gun relative to the surface.

[0005] The beacon provides a fixed reference relative to the surface to be coated. By moving a device mounted on a spray gun (arranged to provide a spray of coating fluid) relative to the beacon, the position of the device (and thereby the spray gun) relative to one or more beacons can be determined by monitoring the beacon and subsequently processing the acquired beacon data. By scanning the surface with the same device and determining the position of the device relative to the surface based on the scan data and the positioning data, the actual position of the spray gun relative to the surface can be determined, for example, over time. The scanning hardware and the beacon positioning hardware can be arranged in the same housing or in different housings, in which case the device consists of two separate modules. The advantage of using a reflective beacon is that there is no need to use an active beacon. This has the advantage that such a beacon can be used, for example, in a paint booth without the need to requalify the paint booth, for example, for explosion hazards or other risks that may be introduced by active beacons.

[0006] In one example, the beacon sensor module includes a first optical sensor configured to capture light reflected by a visual beacon and to provide first image data representing the reflected light; and the processing unit is further configured to: identify data related to the beacon in the first image data as received first beacon data; obtain beacon reference data; compare the received beacon data with the beacon reference data; based on the comparison, determine the relative position of the device relative to the beacon; and provide the determined position as positioning data. Depending on the distance of the device and the sensor, in particular to the beacon, and depending on the angle of the sensor relative to one or more beacons, the visual data related to the beacon is captured in a specific manner. Depending on the angle and distance, the received image may provide a certain distorted view of the marker, and / or may capture more or less area of ​​the captured image. By comparing the captured data with the reference data, one or both of the distance and angle of the device relative to the beacon can be determined by determining the distortion and / or size relative to the reference image.

[0007] In another example, the beacon sensor module includes a first optical sensor and a second optical sensor, the first optical sensor having a first field of view, the second optical sensor having a second field of view, the first field of view at least partially overlapping the second field of view; and the processing unit is further configured to: identify data related to the beacon in the first image data as received first beacon data; identify data related to the beacon in the second image data as received second beacon data; compare at least one of the received second beacon data and the reference beacon data with the received first beacon data; determine the relative position of the device relative to the beacon based on the comparison; and provide the determined position as positioning data. The reference image can be stored in a memory before the spraying operation. Alternatively or additionally, the two images are preferably acquired by adjacent image sensors, and a difference is determined. Based on the difference, one or both of the distance and angle of the sensor (and thereby the device and the spray gun) relative to the beacon can be determined.

[0008] In another example, the device further comprises an angular position sensor, which is configured to determine a first angular position of the device, wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine the device angular position of the device relative to the beacon based on the first angular position and the positioning data. Such an angular position sensor may be a gyroscope. This example enables additional information to be provided for reconstructing the surface to be coated. To this end, the data acquired by the angular position sensor may be combined with other acquired data, and the total data obtained may be processed together.

[0009] In yet another example, the scanning surface module includes a first distance sensor, the first distance sensor is configured to provide a first distance signal, the first distance signal indicates a first distance to the surface in a first direction, the first signal includes scanning data; and the processing unit is further configured to determine the distance between at least one of the device and the spray gun and the surface based on the first distance signal. Maintaining an appropriate distance between the spray gun and the surface to be coated is important for the quality of the coating. By monitoring the distance, the quality can be monitored. If the distance exceeds a lower boundary or an upper boundary, an error signal can be generated as a feedback signal to a user. In addition, in combination with the positioning data, the distance can be used to determine the position of the surface relative to one or more beacons.

[0010] In yet another example, the scanning surface module further comprises: a second distance sensor, the second distance sensor being configured to provide a second distance signal, the second distance signal indicating a second distance to the surface in a second direction; a third distance sensor, the third distance sensor being configured to provide a third distance signal, the third distance signal indicating a third distance to the surface in a third direction; wherein the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are substantially parallel to each other; and the processing unit is further configured to: determine scanning angle data based on the first distance signal, the second distance signal and the third distance signal, the scanning angle data indicating an angle of the device relative to the surface. Substantially parallel means that at least one of the distance difference obtained from the distance sensor and the change of these distances over time can obtain the angle of the device and / or the spray gun relative to the surface to be coated.

[0011] In another example, the processing unit is further configured to: obtain the time-varying positioning data and the scanning data; and determine the time-varying trajectory of the spray gun relative to the surface based on the time-varying positioning data and the scanning data. By determining the time-varying trajectory of the spray gun relative to the surface, the time-varying deposition of the coating fluid on the surface can be determined or reconstructed.

[0012] In yet another example, the processing unit is further configured to: acquire at least one of the time-varying scan angle data and the device angular position; and determine a time-varying trajectory of the spray gun relative to the surface further based on at least one of the time-varying scan angle data and the angular device data. This example enables a more accurate determination of the trajectory.

[0013] In yet another example, the processing unit is further configured to: acquire positioning data and scanning data over time; and determine the structure of the surface relative to the beacon. This enables modeling of the surface to be coated. This, in turn, helps to reconstruct the coating to be deposited or already deposited on the surface.

[0014] In yet another example, the processing unit is further configured to: acquire at least one of the time-varying scan angle data and the device angular position; and determine a time-varying trajectory of the spray gun relative to the surface further based on at least one of the time-varying scan angle data and the angular device data. This example enables a more accurate determination of the trajectory.

[0015] In another example, the apparatus includes a first accelerometer and a second accelerometer, the first accelerometer being used to determine a first acceleration substantially perpendicular to a spraying direction, the second accelerometer being used to determine a second acceleration substantially perpendicular to the spraying direction, the first direction being substantially perpendicular to the second direction; wherein the processing unit is further configured to: integrate the first acceleration twice over time in time to obtain first displacement data in the first direction as a first part of the accelerometer position data; integrate the second acceleration twice over time in time to obtain second displacement data in the second direction as a second part of the accelerometer position data; and determine positioning data based on the beacon data and the accelerometer position data. This example enables, for example, filling in gaps in the positioning data at time intervals where beacon data may be missing.

[0016] In yet another example, the processing unit is further configured to: retrieve from an electronic memory a three-dimensional coating model data of a cone associated with the spray gun; and calculate, based on the trajectory and the three-dimensional coating model, coating deposition area data of the position sprayed coating deposited on the area of ​​the physical surface per unit time. This example provides data capable of reconstructing the deposited coating.

[0017] In another example, the trajectory is provided with first time stamp data, and the processing unit is further configured to: obtain coating fluid flow data with second time stamp data, the fluid flow data providing an indication of mass flow rate of coating fluid through the spray gun; adjust coating model data based on the coating fluid flow data; match the fluid flow data and the trajectory based on the first time stamp data and the second time stamp data; and calculate coating deposition area data of the position spray coating deposited on the area of ​​the surface per unit time based on the scan data. This example enables reconstruction of the deposited coating, enabling detailed feedback to an operator or customer, for example.

[0018] In another example, the processing unit is further configured to: obtain curing data related to the coating fluid; calculate the thickness of the coating fluid layer on the physical surface based on the coating deposition area data of the position spray coating deposited on the area of ​​the physical surface per unit time; and determine the cured thickness of the cured layer of the coating fluid on the surface based on the curing data. The thickness of the final layer after deposition and curing can be different from the thickness of the actual deposited coating fluid layer, and the actual final thickness of the layer is particularly important to customers or other interested parties (such as insurance companies). This example solves this problem.

[0019] A second aspect provides a method for acquiring data related to a position of a spray gun relative to a surface disposed in space. The method comprises: receiving beacon data from a beacon sensor module, the beacon sensor module being configured to receive beacon data from one or more reflective beacons located in space; receiving scanning data from a surface scanning module, the surface scanning module being configured to scan a surface and provide scanning data by scanning the surface; determining position data based on the positioning data and the scanning data, the position data indicating the position of the spray gun relative to the surface.

[0020] A third aspect provides a computer program product comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed by a processor comprised by the computer, cause the computer to perform a method for obtaining data relating to a position of a spray gun relative to a surface arranged in space, for example, according to the method of the second aspect.

[0021] A fourth aspect provides a non-transitory medium having a computer program product stored thereon, the computer program product comprising computer executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor included in the computer, cause the computer to execute a method for obtaining data related to the position of a spray gun relative to a surface set in space, which method may, for example, be the method of the second aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Various aspects and embodiments will now be discussed in more detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings illustrate possible implementations of various aspects and embodiments, which are provided only as examples and not as any limitation to the subject matter of the claims. In the accompanying drawings,

[0023] Figure 1 : A schematic overview showing an example of a sensor kit, spray gun and surface;

[0024] Figure 2 : A flow chart showing a method for generating a feedback signal in a sensor kit of a spray gun;

[0025] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3F : Various examples of the orientation of the nozzle and the cross-section of the surface to be coated and the spray cone are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Figure 1A schematic overview of an embodiment of a sensor kit 100 as an implementation of the apparatus of the first aspect is shown. The sensor kit 100 comprises a sensor kit body 102 as a housing. The sensor kit body 102 comprises a spray gun connector 104 as a connection module. A spray gun 140 is connected to the body 102 via the connector 104. The spray gun 140 comprises a spray gun housing 141. The spray gun 140 may be, for example, a high volume low pressure (HVLP) spray gun.

[0027] Despite Figure 1 1 and 2. The sensor kit body 102 is schematically depicted as a rectangle, but in different embodiments, the body 102 can have different shapes. For example, the body 102 can be formed around the shape of a spray gun housing 141 that is configured to be connected to the body. The shape of the body 102 and / or the center of gravity of the sensor kit 100 can also be adjusted so that when attached to the spray gun 140, the center of gravity of the spray gun 140 remains within a desired range. Therefore, by connecting the sensor kit 100, the operation of the spray gun 140 is minimally affected.

[0028] The spray gun 140 can be used to apply a paint layer 142 as a coating on a body part 144 as a surface. The spray gun 140 includes a nozzle 146, and an inlet, from which a mist of aerosol paint 148 can be sprayed, and an inlet for receiving the paint as a coating material. The spray gun 140 can be a handheld spray gun 140, including a trigger that a user can operate to control the paint 148 to spray from the spray gun 140 at a certain rate.

[0029] The trigger can control the throughput area of ​​a conduit that directs paint or another coating fluid to the nozzle. Alternatively or additionally, the trigger (or another trigger or control knob) can control the position of a control needle in a throughput hole (e.g., nozzle 146 or another hole). In one embodiment, the control needle can be used to precisely control the flow of the coating fluid, and the trigger can be used to switch between an "on" and "off" state of the nozzle. In addition to the precision control mechanism, the flow of the coating fluid can also be controlled by changing the pressure at which the coating fluid is provided. One or more of the precision control setting, coating fluid pressure, and trigger state can be considered as optional spraying operation parameters.

[0030] The user can move and reorient the spray gun 140 as desired to move the spray gun further away from the body part 144 or closer to the body part 144 at a certain speed and acceleration. The user can further orient the spray gun 140 as desired to change the direction of the nozzle 146 relative to the body part 144 so that paint can be applied from different approach angles.

[0031] Disposed in the sensor kit body 102 is a distance sensor module 106, which includes one or more time-of-flight sensors as proximity sensors of the distance sensor module 106. The time-of-flight sensors are configured to obtain distance data as spraying operation parameter values ​​of the distances d1, d2, and d3 between each sensor and the body part 144 and / or the paint layer 142. Therefore, when the sensor kit 100 is connected to the spray gun 140, the time-of-flight sensors in the distance sensor module 106 preferably face the same direction as the nozzle 146, since the nozzle 146 will also face the body part 144 and / or the paint layer 142. In other words, the distances are determined in directions that are substantially parallel to each other.

[0032] The time-of-flight sensor as a proximity sensor may include a laser or an LED as a light emitter, the light emitter being configured to emit a laser beam as the emitted light signal. The time-of-flight sensor may also include a light receiver for receiving the reflected light signal as a reflection of the laser beam. The proximity processor may be configured to determine the spraying distance between the time-of-flight sensor and the surface 144 based on the relationship between the emitted laser beam and the reflected laser beam.

[0033] The emitted optical signal may have a near infrared wavelength spectrum, for example between 800nm ​​and 1140nm, more specifically between 900nm and 1000nm, and most preferably 940nm. Electromagnetic radiation of this wave is invisible; it can pass through a substance that appears opaque to the human eye but is transparent to electromagnetic radiation between 900nm and 1000nm (especially 940nm).

[0034] The sensor assembly body 102 may include a non-transparent material, and thus the light emitted by the time-of-flight sensor may be blocked by the sensor assembly body 102. Figure 1 In an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor assembly body 102 includes an at least partially transparent window 108 as an option, through which light emitted by the time-of-flight sensor and light reflected back to the time-of-flight sensor can pass. Alternatively, at least a portion of the sensor assembly body 102 through which light can pass can be made of a material that is at least partially transparent to the wavelength of light used by the time-of-flight sensor (for example, a wavelength in the infrared spectrum).

[0035] In one embodiment, the spacing of the time-of-flight sensors is such that their lights do not interfere with each other at normal spraying distances between 20 cm and 50 cm. Thus, different distance values ​​d1, d2 and d3 can be obtained, especially if the sensor assembly 100 is tilted relative to the surface of the body part 144. Optionally, two, three, four, five or more time-of-flight sensors are operated intermittently in time to avoid crosstalk. Additionally or alternatively, two, three, four, five or more time-of-flight sensors are operated at different frequencies, wherein narrowband sensors can only operate in the spectrum of the applicable transmitter and not in the frequency band of other sensors.

[0036] Additionally or alternatively, other distance sensors may be used for the distance sensor module 106, such as a stereoscopic optical data capture sensor, an ultrasonic distance sensor, etc., or any combination of two or more thereof.

[0037] The sensor suite 100 may also include a first camera 152 having a first field of view 154 and a second camera 156 having a second field of view 158. The first camera 152 and the second camera 156 are arranged so that the first field of view 154 intersects the second field of view 158. This means that a first viewing plane of the first camera 152 intersects the second viewing plane, and the first viewing plane and the second viewing plane are defined as the intersection of a plane (such as a surface) with the first field of view 154 and the intersection of a plane with the second field of view 158, respectively. The first camera 152 and the second camera 154 provide data to the output module 118.

[0038] The first camera 152 and the second camera 156 are configured to capture visual data associated with the visual marker 150 as a passive reflective beacon. Figure 1 As shown, the visual indicia 150 may be a two-dimensional binary visual indicia. Figure 1 The illustrated visual indicia 150 may be interpreted as a relatively simple Quick Response (QR) code.

[0039] In another implementation, the visual marker 150 can be implemented as a geometric figure, such as a square, a circle, a triangle, etc., or a combination of two or more of these geometric figures. The visual marker 150 is preferably attached to the wall or top plate of the spray cabin where the spraying operation is performed. In another implementation, the visual marker 150 (or another passive reflective beacon) is otherwise set at a fixed position relative to the surface to be coated. For example, the visual marker 150 is connected to the roof of a car whose hood is to be coated. In another example, one or more visual markers 150 are connected to a ship, a dock where a ship is docked, or a pier where a ship is moored, and the hull or deck of the ship is to be coated.

[0040] One or more visual markers 150 may be provided. Typically, there is sufficient light in the spray booth so that the light used to illuminate the booth and the surface to be sprayed can be reflected by the visual markers so that the reflected light can be captured by the camera.

[0041] In another implementation, only one camera is provided. Such a camera may have a fisheye lens with a very large field of view. The sensor kit 100 may include one or more fisheye lenses. In another implementation, the sensor kit 100 includes multiple groups of two or more cameras with overlapping fields of view. One or more cameras (optionally in groups of two) are connected to the sensor kit 100 or integrated in the sensor kit body 102, so that during normal spraying operation, the data of one or more visual markers in the one or more visual markers 150 can be captured by one or more cameras (preferably, at least by the first camera 152 and the second camera 156), so that the visual marker 150 is visible in the intersection of the first field of view and the second field of view.

[0042] In another implementation, other reflective (preferably passive reflective) beacons are used. This can be a beacon that reflects light or other electromagnetic waves, a beacon that reflects ultrasound, other beacons, or a combination of two or more of these beacons. For the avoidance of doubt, the light reflected by the beacon that can be detected by the first camera 152 and the second camera 156 can be light visible to the human eye, near ultraviolet light, or near infrared light.

[0043] In one implementation, beacons may be used that are configured to receive electromagnetic waves in the radio frequency domain, store the energy of the received waves, use the energy to generate a signal identifying the beacon, and transmit an electromagnetic wave on which the generated signal is modulated. The modulation may be one of frequency modulation, amplitude modulation, phase modulation, other modulation, or a combination of two or more of these modulations. The modulation may be digital, binary, analog, or a combination of these modulations.

[0044] exist Figure 1 In an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor suite 100 includes a microcontroller 110 as a processing unit. The microcontroller 110 includes a data input 112 as an input module, which is configured to receive one or more reference parameter values. The received reference parameter values ​​can be stored on a memory 114. The distance data can be sent by the time-of-flight sensor 106 to the data input 112 of the microcontroller 110, and optionally also stored on the memory 114.

[0045] In an embodiment of the sensor kit 100, the microcontroller 110 is disposed within the sensor kit body 102. Embodiments of the sensor kit 100 are also contemplated in which another microcontroller as part of the processing unit is disposed external to the sensor kit body 102. The other microcontroller may, for example, be comprised of one or more external computer devices (e.g., a server, a smartphone, a tablet, any other computer device, or any combination thereof).

[0046] When at least a portion of the processing unit is disposed outside the sensor kit body 102, a wired or wireless connection may be provided between the sensor module and the microcontroller 110 to enable data exchange. When a wireless connection is used, data exchange may be performed using protocols such as NFC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or any other protocol.

[0047] As a processing unit, the microcontroller 112 also includes a comparison module 116, which is configured to compare at least a portion of the obtained spraying operation parameter value with one or more corresponding reference parameter values. Therefore, the comparison module 116 can be configured to receive at least a portion of the spraying operation parameter value and at least a portion of the reference parameter value from the data input 112, and / or retrieve at least a portion of the spraying operation parameter value and at least a portion of the reference parameter value from the memory 114, for example.

[0048] To obtain directional data indicating the orientation of the spray gun 140, an embodiment of the sensor assembly 100 may include a direction sensor 130, which may be an absolute or relative direction sensor 130. The direction sensor 130 may include a magnetometer, an accelerometer, a compass, a gyroscope, any other sensor, or any combination thereof. The direction sensor 130 is configured to measure an angle of the sensor assembly, preferably an angle relative to a horizontal plane. Preferably, the direction sensor is configured to provide three signals indicating a first rotation φ on a first axis perpendicular to the spraying direction of the nozzle 146, a second rotation θ on a second axis perpendicular to the spraying direction and perpendicular to the first axis, and a third rotation ψ on a third axis parallel to the spraying direction.

[0049] Thus, the orientation data may include data indicative of the roll, yaw, and pitch of the spray gun 140. Since the housing body 102 is preferably rigidly connected to the spray gun 140, the roll, yaw, and pitch of the orientation sensor 130 may substantially correspond to, or at least be converted to, the roll, yaw, and pitch of the spray gun 140. Any one or more output parameters of the orientation sensor 130 may be considered optional spraying operation parameters.

[0050] Additionally or alternatively, the direction sensor 130 is arranged to determine at least one angle of the direction sensor relative to a reference plane. The reference plane may be, for example, a horizontal plane, a vertical plane, or a plane representing the surface 144 to which the coating 142 is to be applied.

[0051] In order to obtain movement data indicating the movement of the spray gun 140, as an example of a movement sensor, an embodiment of the sensor kit 100 may include an accelerometer 132. The accelerometer 132 is preferably configured to provide three signals indicating acceleration in three directions. In a preferred implementation, the first acceleration is measured in a first direction x, a second direction y, and a third direction z. In a more preferred embodiment, each direction is parallel to the axis of rotation as described above. For example, the first direction is parallel to the first axis, the second direction is parallel to the second axis, and the third direction is parallel to the third axis, although other options are possible.

[0052] The movement data may include data indicating the velocity and / or acceleration and / or displacement of the spray gun 140 in one or more directions. Since the housing body 102 is preferably rigidly connected to the spray gun 140, the velocity and / or acceleration of the movement sensor 132 may substantially correspond to, or may at least be converted to, the velocity and / or acceleration of the spray gun 140. One or more of the velocity, acceleration, and displacement (scalar or vector) may be considered optional spraying operation parameters.

[0053] To power components of the sensor assembly 100 that require electrical energy, the sensor assembly 100 may include a battery 134 that can store electrical energy. In particular embodiments, the sensor assembly housing 102 is substantially sealed, for example to prevent fluids from entering the housing and / or to prevent electrical components from being exposed to paint fumes. Because it is substantially sealed, it may not be possible to use a wired connection to charge the battery 134 and / or to easily replace a depleted battery.

[0054] The sensor kit 100 may include a coil 136 as a wireless charging module for charging the battery 134, and the coil 136 may be placed in the sensor kit housing 102 together with the battery 134. By using, for example, inductive charging, electrical energy may be supplied to the battery 134 through the coil 136. Because this transmission of electrical energy is wireless, there is no need to place a connector in the housing 102, and no electrical components must be exposed to ambient air that may contain flammable coating substances in aerosols.

[0055] The system also includes a server 160, which may include a processing unit 162 and at least have access to a mass storage 164, on which a database including reference parameter values ​​is stored. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the reference parameter values ​​may already exist in the memory 114 of the sensor suite 100.

[0056] The server 160 may include a memory 164, which may be located at the site where the spray gun 140 is used or anywhere else; the mass storage 164 may also be located at another location. The mass storage 164 may also have computer executable code stored thereon for programming the processing unit 162 to perform the method discussed below in conjunction with FIG. 22. Therefore, the mass storage 164 preferably includes non-volatile memory.

[0057] The server 160 includes a communication module 166 for communicating with the sensor suite 100 , in particular with the data output 118 and the data input 112 .

[0058] The server 160 also includes a server processing unit 162, which includes various subunits for dedicated tasks. The subunits can be hard-wired or programmed in the processing unit through non-volatile (re)programmable memory or volatile memory. The server processing unit 162 may include an integration unit 170, a spatial calculation unit 172, a convolution unit 174, a synchronization unit 176, and a processing calculation unit 178, which is used to perform the combined flow chart 200 ( Figure 2 ) to discuss various features.

[0059] The reference parameter value may include a set of coating types and corresponding preferred spraying parameters. The spraying parameters may be specific to a type of coating. For example, for a specific first coating type, the preferred spraying distance between the nozzle 146 and the surface 144 is within a first distance interval. When the operator selects a specific coating through the server 160, the preferred spraying parameters may be provided to the sensor suite.

[0060] In an example, the reference parameter values ​​may include data related to minimum and / or maximum speed, direction and / or acceleration of the spray gun 140, minimum or maximum operating temperature and / or pressure, minimum or maximum flow rate of the coating fluid, and / or any other data or any combination thereof that may be relevant to the spraying operation.

[0061] During use of the spray gun 140 , which period of time may be referred to as a spraying operation, the time-of-flight sensor 106 acquires distance data indicating a distance d between the time-of-flight sensor 106 and a surface 144 facing the time-of-flight sensor 106 .

[0062] Figure 2 A second flowchart 200 for reconstructing paint data is depicted, which may be executed in a server system 160 for communicating with the sensor suite 100 of the spray gun 140, or on a different computer device such as a smart phone or tablet computer. The various portions of the flowchart 200 may be executed on at least one of the microcontroller 110 and the processing unit 162. The various portions of the second flowchart 200 are briefly summarized as follows: 202: Start 204: Get coating data 206: Get paint model data 208: Monitoring acceleration data 210: Zero crossing? 212: Monitoring traffic data 214: Traffic? 216: Monitoring distance data 218: Monitoring rotation data 220: Monitoring acceleration data 222: Monitoring beacon data 224: Monitoring traffic data 226: Calculating Mobile Data 228: Determine positioning data 320: Determine surface orientation 432: Determine the angle with the surface 234: Determine location data 236: Calculate the intersection with the spray cone 238: Determining coating parameters in intersecting planes 240: Synchronize flow data and sensor kit data 242: Calculating coating deposition rates in intersecting planes 244: Calculate coating thickness on a surface 246: Calculate the thickness of the cured layer on the surface 248: Monitoring traffic data 250: Traffic? 252: End

[0063] The process begins in terminator 202 and continues to step 204, where coating data is acquired. The coating data may be acquired based on data received from a user of the spray gun 140. Input may be provided manually by receiving data from a keyboard, by a barcode scanner, by icon selection, or the like, or a combination thereof. The coating data includes properties specifically associated with at least one coating fluid, such as viscosity, brand name, solution liquid content, data related to the reduction in layer thickness during curing, a desired distance to a surface to be coated, or the like, or a combination thereof.

[0064] In step 206, the paint model data is acquired. The paint model data includes data mainly related to the spray gun 140. The paint model data includes data related to the structure of the spray gun 140 and the structure of the spray cone provided by the nozzle 146. The data can be two-dimensional, only perpendicular to the spraying direction, or it can also be three-dimensional. The paint model data can include the average flow density, the median flow density, the maximum flow density, the minimum flow density, the flow density as a function of the position in the cone, the cone vertex, the cone shape (circular or non-circular elliptical), and the value of one or more of these parameters depends on the distance from the spray gun 140 or the nozzle 141 to the surface of the body part, the coating material properties, the air pressure, the air flow, the air flow speed, etc. or a combination thereof.

[0065] The actual data of the spray cone may depend on the properties of the coating material, the air pressure, the movement of the trigger of the spray gun 140, the distance to the body part 144, etc. or a combination thereof. The spray paint model data may be obtained in the same manner as the coating material data. The above-mentioned acquired data may be acquired from the mass storage 214 by the processing unit 162.

[0066] In step 208, the acceleration data received from the accelerometer 132 included in the sensor kit 100 is monitored. When the spray gun 140 is held by the operator, if the acceleration in a specific direction (particularly in a direction perpendicular to the spraying direction and in the left-right direction) exceeds zero at least once (preferably twice or more times), it is detected in step 210 that the spray gun 140 is being used for spraying.

[0067] To reduce the risk of false detection, zero crossing detection of the acceleration value may be combined with determining that the time periods between two or more subsequent zero crossings are substantially the same. In this way, an oscillating movement of the spray gun 140 may be detected as an indication that the operator is performing a painting operation.

[0068] Alternatively or additionally, flow data may be monitored. Flow data may be monitored by monitoring whether the trigger of the spray gun 140 is pulled, for example by receiving a signal from a trigger sensor (not shown), which may be binary or a digital or analog continuous signal. The flow rate may be time-stamped, providing an indication of the flow rate at multiple (e.g., consecutive) moments in time.

[0069] From the flow data, a mass flow rate or volume flow rate through the nozzle can be determined, for example, based on a stored value of the density of the coating fluid. By determining whether the trigger is open and combining the determined trigger state with the nominal flow rate of the nozzle, optionally at one or more air pressures of the air supplied to the spray gun 140, the total mass flow rate or total volume flow rate can be determined at a specific moment when the trigger is manipulated. By determining the degree or magnitude of the trigger operation, combined with the relationship between the trigger operation and the mass flow rate or volume flow rate, the actual flow rate at a specific moment can be determined. The flow between the coating fluid reservoir and the spray gun 140 can also be sensed.

[0070] Alternatively or additionally, in step 224, at least one of the gas flow and the coating material flow may be monitored by a sensor (not shown), and a signal provided by such a sensor may be monitored by the processing unit 162. Thus, total flow data (mass flow (flow rate) or volume flow (flow velocity)) may be directly acquired by the sensor.

[0071] If at least one of air flow, depression of the trigger, and flow of coating material is detected, then it is determined that the spraying operation has begun in step 214. In one embodiment, the determination is made only if a signal is detected for a period of time longer than a predetermined time interval.

[0072] If, based on the evaluation of the sensor data, it has been determined that the painting operation has begun, then the distance data provided by the distance sensor module 106 is monitored in step 216, the rotation data provided by the orientation sensor 130 is monitored in step 218, the acceleration data provided by the accelerometer 130 is monitored in step 220, and the flow data provided by the sensors described above is monitored in step 224.

[0073] In step 222, beacon data is monitored. Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the first camera 152 and the second camera 156 receive (light) image data from the visual beacon 150 and convert the received image data into electronic signals. The (digital or analog) electronic signals are transmitted to the microcontroller 110. Subsequently, the electronic signals can be transmitted to the processing unit 162 of the server 160, or the processing or at least part of the processing is completed locally in the microcontroller 110.

[0074] Visual data may be collected multiple times per second, for example 5, 10, 20, 25, 40, 50, 75 or 100 times per second. Preferably, the image frames have a timestamp for synchronization purposes. This enables comparison or other processing of images acquired by various cameras at the same time. The monitoring steps may be performed in parallel, or intermittently and repeatedly (interleaved) in series.

[0075] Based on the accelerometer data, in step 226, the speed at which the operator moves the spray gun 140 and the distance the operator moves the spray gun 140 can be calculated by integrating the time-varying data received from the accelerometer once or twice; this action can be performed by the integration unit 170. Prior to integration, the data provided by the accelerometer can be processed using statistical parameters, such as by removing outliers, smoothing the time-varying signal, such as by determining a moving average or average median, such as determining outliers based on a (e.g., time-varying) standard deviation. Alternatively or additionally, the acceleration data signal can be filtered, such as using a Kalman filter. Alternatively or additionally, the displacement data is acquired in a different manner, such as using a beacon in the spray chamber.

[0076] If the spray gun is correctly aimed at the body part 144, then acceleration data in a direction parallel to the body part 144 is sufficient because the spray direction is always perpendicular to the surface of the body part. However, this may not always be the case, so it is preferred to process acceleration in all directions.

[0077] In step 228, positioning data is determined. Positioning data is determined based on the beacon data. Figure 1 In the illustrated implementation, image data of the visual marker 150 that has been acquired by the first camera 152 (first image data) and the second camera 156 (second image data) is analyzed. Within the image frames acquired at the same time, data received from the visual marker 150 is identified. Image analysis and data enhancement techniques may be used to analyze the data within the acquired image frames to identify data associated with the visual marker 150 within the image frames. Next, the data associated with the visual marker 150 may be compared with at least one of the reference data and the data associated with the visual marker 150.

[0078] Based on the difference between the acquired image data (e.g., the first image data) and the reference (the reference image or the second image data retrieved from the device memory 114 or the server memory 164), the orientation of the spray gun 140 in the spray chamber can be determined. Based on the comparison and difference between the image to be compared and the reference image, the skew, rotation, pitch change, roll change, height change, size difference, etc. or any combination of two or more thereof, the distance between the camera and the visual marker 150 can be determined. Additionally or alternatively, the angular position of the sensor suite 100 relative to the visual marker 150 can be determined. The angular position thus determined can be corrected, adjusted, or refined using data from the rotation sensor 132 to provide updated positioning data.

[0079] Furthermore, additionally or alternatively, the actual position of the first camera 152 and the second camera 156 (and thereby the spray gun 140) relative to the visual marker 150 having a fixed position in the spray chamber can be determined. The result of this determination step can be provided in at least one of Cartesian coordinates or polar coordinates, where there are two or three numbers in a set of coordinates. Additionally or alternatively, the rotation on one, two or three axes can be determined based on a comparison of the beacon data provided by the first camera 152 and the second camera 156 and the image data acquired by the cameras.

[0080] In the spray cabin, multiple visual markers may be provided. The markers may be identical or have different shapes depicted thereon. In the latter case, with fixed or predetermined known positions of the visual markers, a more accurate position determination may be obtained since more data is available. Additionally or alternatively, fewer cameras may be required on the sensor kit 100. The reason for the latter point is that in order to correctly determine the position of the sensor kit 100, and thereby the position of the spray gun 140, at least one camera is capable of capturing an image of at least one visual marker. In the case where multiple visual markers are available, the probability of a single camera capturing at least one visual marker is higher than in the case of having only a single marker in the spray cabin, regardless of the position and angle of the sensor kit 100.

[0081] In step 230, the orientation of the surface of the body component 144 may optionally be determined. In one implementation, the surface is assumed to be either horizontal or vertical.

[0082] In another implementation, it is assumed that the spray gun is held primarily perpendicular to the surface. Assuming that the spray gun 140 follows the surface at least on average, based on the direction data provided by the direction sensor 130, the direction of the surface can be determined.

[0083] In step 232, the direction of the spray gun 140 relative to the surface of the body part 144 can be determined. In one implementation, data regarding the distance to the surface can be considered. If the distance sensor module 106 includes multiple time-of-flight sensors or other sensors with equivalent functionality, and all measured distances are the same, then the spray gun 140 is aimed perpendicularly at the surface. If the distances are different, then it can be determined that the direction of the spray gun 140 or the direction of the spray cone provided by the nozzle 146 is not perpendicular.

[0084] In implementations where the surface is assumed to be horizontal or vertical, data from the orientation sensor 130 in one or more axes is used to determine the orientation of the spray gun relative to the surface.

[0085] In another implementation, where data from the direction sensor module 130 is used to determine the direction of the surface, the direction of the spray gun 140 relative to the surface can be determined by detecting the deviation of the signal from the direction sensor from an average taken over time (e.g., 2 seconds, 5 seconds, or 10 seconds).

[0086] In step 234, position data is determined, which indicates the position of the spray gun 140 relative to the body part 144 (particularly its surface). In this example, the determination is based on the positioning data determined in step 232 and the scanning data acquired by the distance sensor module 106. The position data indicates the position of the spray gun 140 relative to the body part 144 (particularly its surface).

[0087] Although position can be calculated by double integration over time using data from the accelerometer 132, using the time-varying beacon data to calculate the time-varying position data can be more reliable in determining in a more accurate manner the trajectory of the spray gun 140 (and thereby, the spray cone emitted by the nozzle 146) relative to the surface of the body part 144. The accelerometer can be used to one or more of: enhance, refine, correct, supplement or adjust the position data determined based on the beacon data, and vice versa.

[0088] In the case of supplemental data, data received from an accelerometer (e.g., data that has been processed twice over time or unprocessed) can be used to supplement data for a particular data interval during which no beacon data is available or only unreliable beacon data is available. If too many changes and / or too large changes are sensed within a particular time frame, then the beacon data can be characterized as unreliable. This implementation can also be used in reverse, and if it is determined that accelerometer data is unavailable or unreliable, then beacon data can be used to supplement accelerometer data.

[0089] In the case of adjustments, determining position based on the double integration of acceleration over time may result in drift in the positioning data. The beacon data can be used to adjust or correct the positioning data, thereby eliminating or at least reducing the effects of drift.

[0090] The angle of the spray gun 140 and the nozzle 146, in particular, relative to the surface of the body part 144 can be determined using data provided by at least one of the direction sensor 130 and the distance sensor module 106. Using the distance sensor module 106, the angle of the spray gun 140 relative to the surface of the body part 144 can be determined by obtaining the difference between the distances determined by the different sensors provided in the distance sensor module 106. With the data from three or more sensors, the angles in two directions can be determined as part of the position data, and additionally or alternatively, data related to the distance between the spray gun 140 and the surface of the body part can also be determined.

[0091] The acquired instantaneous position data of the spray gun (including at least one of the angle and distance relative to the surface of the body part 144) combined with the acquired positioning data over time can be used to model the shape of the body part 144 (e.g., in a spray cabin).

[0092] Based on the data calculated in at least one of steps 232 and 234, data from the distance sensor module 106, paint model data, paint data, etc. or a combination thereof, the intersection or intersection plane of the spray cone with the surface of the body part 144 is determined in step 236; this action can be performed by the spatial calculation unit 172. By means of the information of the intersection plane, the paint model data and optionally the paint data can be taken into account to determine the paint parameters in the intersection plane.

[0093] Using a painting model that includes flow density data as a function of position in the cone (the painting model is presented in the form of a numerical representation, an analytical representation, etc. or a combination thereof), coating parameters, particularly data related to flow density, can be determined in step 238. For a specific position in the intersection plane, the mass or coating volume per reference point per second (or other time unit) can be determined. In this way, the mass, volume, or both of the coating deposited per unit area per unit time can be determined in step 242.

[0094] Optionally, if flow data is available and varies over time, the flow data may be considered in the deposition model. Preferably, before determining the deposition rate per unit area per time, the flow data and the data from the sensor suite 100 are synchronized over time in step 240; this may be handled by the synchronization unit 176. The data from the sensor suite 100 and the data from the sensor providing the signal indicative of the coating material flow may be time stamped using network data from the network over which the two sensors encapsulate the data provided to the server 160. Other time sources may also be considered, preferably a single time source or multiple synchronized time sources.

[0095] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3F The result of step 238 is depicted. Figure 3A Nozzle 146 is shown providing a spray cone 148 at a first distance toward the surface of body component 144 where coating material layer 142 is deposited. Figure 3B An indication of the flow density in the plane where the spray cone 148 intersects the surface is shown. The darker the color, the greater the flow density. Figure 3B In the embodiment of the present invention, it is assumed that the spray cone has an elliptical non-circular cross section, which corresponds to a large number of spray guns available on the market. Alternatively, the spray cone defined by the spray paint model data can have a circular cross section.

[0096] Figure 3C The nozzle 146 is shown at a second distance from the surface, the second distance being less than Figure 3A A smaller distance results in a smaller cross section between the spray cone 148 and the surface of the body part 144. Thus, Figure 3D The oval spray shown is less dense.

[0097] The density distribution within the cross section is identical. Note that the total density over the entire cross section (i.e., the integral of the flow density per unit area over the area of ​​the cross section) is Figure 3B and Figure 3D Preferably they are the same. In another implementation, the coating material loss at each distance from the nozzle 146 may be considered.

[0098] Figure 3E The nozzle 146 is shown positioned below and at an angle relative to the surface of the body part 144. With the elliptical cross section of the spray cone 148, this can produce a spray cone 148 having ... Figure 3F Cross section 142 is shown. In further embodiments, when determining the paint deposition per unit area and per unit time on a surface, obstructions due to obstacles protruding from the surface or indentations in the surface may also be taken into account.

[0099] Next, consider Figure 3B , Figure 3D and Figure 3F The depicted data (whichever is applicable), movement data or displacement data obtained by double integration of acceleration data (or other data indicative of movement) and time, can be used to determine the total amount of coating material deposited in step 244. One option for doing this is by convolution of the time-varying movement of the spray gun and the time-varying deposition rate, which can be processed by the convolution unit 174. Other data can also be considered, including but not limited to ambient pressure, ambient temperature, humidity.

[0100] In the convolution step, different data sets may be used. One example is to use positioning data determined based on an evaluation of beacon data acquired over time. Another example is to use movement data obtained by double integration of acceleration data. In another example, data acquired as beacon data and accelerometer data are combined. In yet another example, rotation data acquired by the rotation sensor 134 is used.

[0101] In another example, scan data acquired, for example, using the distance sensor module 106 is used to provide distances and angles relative to the surface of the body part. The data acquired, calculated, determined, or otherwise acquired thereby may be combined in any manner using averages, other statistical parameters, or other algorithms to provide a trajectory of the nozzle 146, spray cone 148, and / or spray gun 140 as a basis for a convolution step or another step to determine deposition of the coating fluid on the surface of the body part 144 over time.

[0102] In step 246 , the processing computing unit 178 may use the coating data related to the curing of the coating material to determine the thickness of the cured coating based on the results of step 244 .

[0103] The process described above can be performed continuously during the spraying process. In particular, determining the final coating thickness before or after curing can be determined after the coating process is completed. Alternatively, some steps are performed when the spraying operation is completed.

[0104] The end of the spraying operation can be determined as a time point when the monitored flow data indicates that there is no flow at a certain moment or during a specific time interval. Alternatively or additionally, as described above, it can also be considered that no swinging motion is detected to determine that the spraying process has ended in step 250. Once the process is completed, the process ends in terminator 252.

[0105] In summary, various aspects and implementations thereof relate to the reconstruction of a coating; by measuring the position of a spray gun relative to a physical surface to be coated, using data about the spray gun relating to technical characteristics, such as the spray cone that the spray gun can produce and data about the coating fluid used, the characteristics of the coating layer thus physically deposited can be reconstructed. Since the data is recorded during the spraying operation, this is faster and more accurate than measuring the layer thickness at predetermined or random individual positions. By determining the flow characteristics in the spray cone and the position of the spray cone relative to the surface over time and using a model of the spray cone, the deposition of the coating can be determined and the final layer, cured or uncured, including thickness, can be reconstructed.

Claims

1. A system for acquiring data related to the position of a spray gun relative to a surface disposed in space, comprising: a spray gun support configured to rigidly connect the device to the spray gun; a beacon sensor module configured to receive beacon data from one or more reflective beacons located in the space; a surface scanning module, configured to scan the surface and provide scanning data by scanning the surface; The system further comprises an electronic processing unit, wherein the electronic processing unit is configured to: receiving the beacon data; determining positioning data based on the beacon data, the positioning data indicating a location of the device within the space; as well as Based on the positioning data and the scanning data, position data is determined, the position data indicating a position of the spray gun relative to the surface.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The beacon sensor module includes a first optical sensor configured to capture light reflected by a visual beacon and to provide first image data representative of the reflected light; and The processing unit is further configured to: identifying data in the first image data related to the beacon as received first beacon data; Get beacon reference data; comparing the received beacon data with the beacon reference data; determining a relative position of the device with respect to the beacon based on the comparison; as well as The determined position is provided as positioning data.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The beacon sensor module includes a first optical sensor and a second optical sensor, the first optical sensor having a first field of view, the second optical sensor having a second field of view, the first field of view at least partially overlapping the second field of view; as well as The processing unit is further configured to: identifying data in the first image data related to the beacon as received first beacon data; identifying data in the second image data that is associated with the beacon as received second beacon data; comparing at least one of the received second beacon data and the reference beacon data with the received first beacon data; determining a relative position of the device with respect to the beacon based on the comparison; as well as The determined position is provided as positioning data.

4. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The processing unit is further configured to determine a beacon angular position of the device relative to the one or more beacons based on the beacon data as part of the positioning data.

5. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The positioning data includes one or more of the following parameters: the distance to said beacon; two or more Cartesian coordinate values; The angular position of the device relative to the beacon.

6. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, the device further comprising an angular position sensor arranged to determine a first angular position of the device, wherein The processing unit is further configured to determine device angle data based on the first angle position and the positioning data, the device angle data indicating a device angle position of the device relative to the beacon.

7. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The scan surface module comprises a first distance sensor arranged to provide a first distance signal indicative of a first distance to the surface in a first direction, the first signal comprising the scan data; and The processing unit is further configured to determine a distance between at least one of the device and the spray gun and the surface based on the first distance signal.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The scanning surface module also includes: a second distance sensor configured to provide a second distance signal indicative of a second distance to the surface in a second direction; a third distance sensor configured to provide a third distance signal indicative of a third distance to the surface in a third direction; The first direction, the second direction and the third direction are substantially parallel to each other; and the processing unit is further configured to determine scanning angle data based on the first distance signal, the second distance signal and the third distance signal, the scanning angle data indicating an angle of the device relative to the surface.

9. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The processing unit is further configured to: Acquiring the positioning data and the scanning data that change over time; and Based on the positioning data over time and the scanning data, a trajectory of the spray gun relative to the surface over time is determined.

10. The system of claim 9, to the extent dependent on at least one of claim 6 and claim 8, wherein: The processing unit is further configured to: acquiring at least one of the scan angle data and the device angular position as a function of time; and A time-varying trajectory of the spray gun relative to the surface is further determined based on at least one of the time-varying scan angle data and the angle set data.

11. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The processing unit is further configured to: Acquiring the positioning data and the scanning data that change over time; and The configuration of the surface relative to the beacon is determined.

12. The system of claim 11, to the extent dependent on at least one of claim 6 and claim 8, wherein: The processing unit is further configured to: acquiring at least one of the scan angle data and the device angular position as a function of time; and A time-varying trajectory of the spray gun relative to the surface is further determined based on at least one of the time-varying scan angle data and the angle set data.

13. The system of any preceding claim, further comprising at least one reflective beacon.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein: The beacon includes at least one of the following: 2D visual binary code; an electronic device configured to transmit a transmitted electromagnetic signal upon receiving a received electromagnetic signal from the device; Visualize the geometry.

15. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The apparatus comprises a first accelerometer and a second accelerometer, the first accelerometer being used to determine a first acceleration substantially perpendicular to the spraying direction, the second accelerometer being used to determine a second acceleration substantially perpendicular to the spraying direction, the first direction being substantially perpendicular to the second direction, wherein the processing unit is further configured to: Integrate the first acceleration twice over time to obtain first displacement data in the first direction as a first part of the accelerometer position data; integrating the second acceleration twice over time to obtain second displacement data in the second direction as a second part of the accelerometer position data; and The positioning data is determined based on the beacon data and the accelerometer position data.

16. A system according to any of the preceding claims, in part according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein: The processing unit is further configured to: acquiring from electronic storage three-dimensional coating model data of a spray cone associated with the spray gun; Based on the trajectory and the three-dimensional coating model, coating deposition area data of the positionally sprayed coating deposited on the area of ​​the physical surface per unit time is calculated.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein: The track is provided with first timestamp data, and the processing unit is further configured to: acquiring coating fluid flow data having second time stamp data, the fluid flow data providing an indication of mass flow rate of the coating fluid through the spray gun; adjusting the coating model data based on the coating fluid flow data; matching the fluid flow data and the trajectory based on the first timestamp data and the second timestamp data; as well as Based on the scanning data, coating deposition area data of the position sprayed coating deposited on the area of ​​the surface per unit time is calculated.

18. A system according to claim 15 or 16, wherein: The processing unit is further configured to: obtaining curing data associated with the coating fluid; calculating a thickness of a coating fluid layer on the physical surface based on the coating deposition area data of the location-sprayed coating deposited on the area of ​​the physical surface per unit time; as well as Based on the curing data, a cured thickness of the cured layer of the coating fluid on the surface is determined.

19. A method for acquiring data relating to a position of a spray gun relative to a surface disposed in space, the method comprising: receiving beacon data from a beacon sensor module, the beacon sensor module being configured to receive beacon data from one or more reflective beacons located in the space; receiving scan data from a surface scanning module, the surface scanning module being configured to scan the surface and to provide the scan data by scanning the surface; as well as Based on the positioning data and the scanning data, position data is determined, the position data indicating a position of the spray gun relative to the surface.

20. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed by a processor included in a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for acquiring data related to a position of a spray gun relative to a surface disposed in space, the method comprising: receiving beacon data from a beacon sensor module, the beacon sensor module being configured to receive beacon data from one or more reflective beacons located in the space; receiving scan data from a surface scanning module, the surface scanning module being configured to scan the surface and to provide the scan data by scanning the surface; as well as Based on the positioning data and the scanning data, position data is determined, the position data indicating a position of the spray gun relative to the surface.

21. A non-transitory medium having a computer program product stored thereon, the computer program product comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed by a processor included in a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for acquiring data related to a position of a spray gun relative to a surface disposed in space, the method comprising: receiving beacon data from a beacon sensor module, the beacon sensor module being configured to receive beacon data from one or more reflective beacons located in the space; receiving scan data from a surface scanning module, the surface scanning module being configured to scan the surface and to provide the scan data by scanning the surface; as well as Based on the positioning data and the scanning data, position data is determined, the position data indicating a position of the spray gun relative to the surface.

Images