Laser Tracker Graphic Targeting
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Solution Overview
Problem
State-of-the-art laser trackers face challenges in quickly and accurately identifying and aligning with a desired target among multiple reflecting objects, leading to increased user effort and potential errors due to ambiguity in reflected reflections.
Innovation Solution
A laser tracker system with a target search unit and homing cameras that use illumination radiation to identify and mark target positions in an overview image, allowing for user-friendly selection and alignment of targets through graphic markings, reducing ambiguity and improving accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple reflecting targets are present in the measurement environment, then the laser tracker can measure multiple objects, but the user effort and time required to identify and align with the desired target increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color coding to different target types (e.g., red for sphere, green for plane, blue for cylinder) in the overview image. This visual differentiation allows users to quickly identify and select the desired target among multiple reflecting objects without time-consuming manual searching, directly resolving the contradiction between measuring multiple targets and the time required for target identification.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple reflecting targets are present, then comprehensive measurement capability is improved, but measurement accuracy decreases due to ambiguity in reflected beam identification
Solution Approach 1:
Different target types are represented by distinct color-coded markings in the overview image (sphere=red, plane=green, cylinder=blue). This visual encoding eliminates ambiguity in target identification, allowing users to precisely identify the desired target type and location among multiple reflecting objects, thereby maintaining high measurement accuracy while supporting comprehensive multi-object measurement capability.
3Device complexity
If a traditional target search interface is used, then the system structure remains simple, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in target selection and alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy/representation of the physical measurement environment in the form of an overview image displayed on the display unit. This graphical interface shows the positions of multiple reflecting targets and allows users to select targets by clicking on their visual representations, dramatically improving ease of operation without adding significant physical complexity to the laser tracker system itself.
4Device complexity
If manual target alignment is used, then the system requires fewer components, but productivity decreases due to time-consuming alignment procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides visual feedback by displaying an overview image that shows the current positions of multiple reflecting targets in the measurement environment. This feedback mechanism allows users to quickly identify and select the desired target, and the system can automatically guide alignment based on the selected target's position, significantly improving measurement efficiency without requiring additional physical alignment tools or components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and accurate target selection and alignment by providing a clear, user-friendly interface for identifying and marking target positions, reducing the complexity of the measurement process and minimizing errors.
Implementation Method 1
illumination means (25) for generating electromagnetic radiation for illuminating a target search field of view
Implementation Method 2
positions of reflecting targets radiation reflections can be identified by means of the position-sensitive detector
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3a
Figure 3b~3c
AI summary
A laser tracker having: a base defining a standing axis; a beam steering unit for emitting a measurement radiation, wherein the beam steering unit can swivel by means of a motor around the standing axis and a tilt axis relative to the base, and a measurement axis is defined by an emission direction of the measurement radiation; a distance measuring unit for determining the distance to the target; and angle measurement functionality for determining an alignment of the beam steering unit. The laser tracker further comprises a target-seeking unit having lighting means and at least one target-seeking camera having a position-sensitive detector, wherein the one target-seeking field can be illuminated by means of the lighting means and a search image for the position-dependent identification of the target can be detected with the target-seeking camera and at least part of the lighting beam reflected on the target can be determined as a search image position. In addition, an overview camera is provided, wherein an overview field of vision of the overview camera overlaps with the target-seeking field, and an overview image (61b) showing the visual range can be detected with the overview camera, and the target-seeking camera and the overview camera are arranged in a known position and alignment relation relative to each other. In the implementation of a target preparation functionality by a processing unit, a graphic marking (66a-d) representing the target is superimposed by means of image processing on the overview image (61b) depending on the search image position.