Patent ID: 9746560
Date: 2017-08-29
CPC Classifications: G01B,G01C,G01S

Claim:
1. A coordinate measurement device comprising: an optical delivery system; a first absolute distance meter including a first light source, a first optical detector, and a first electrical circuit, the first light source configured to send a first light through the optical delivery system to a retroreflector target, the first optical detector further configured to generate a first electrical signal in response to the first light reflected by the retroreflector target and to transmit the first electrical signal to the first electrical circuit, the first electrical circuit configured to determine a first distance from the coordinate measurement device to the retroreflector target based at least in part on the first electrical signal; a second absolute distance meter including a second light source, an adjustable focusing mechanism, a second optical detector, and a second electrical circuit, the second light source configured to send a second light through the adjustable focusing mechanism and the optical delivery system to an object surface, the second optical detector configured to receive a portion of the second light reflected by the object surface and passed through the optical delivery system, the second optical detector further configured to generate a second electrical signal in response to receiving a portion of the second light reflected by the object surface and to send the second electrical signal to the second electrical circuit, the second electrical circuit configured to determine a second distance from the coordinate measurement device to the object surface based at least in part on the second electrical signal; a structure operably coupled to the optical delivery system, the first absolute distance meter, and the second absolute distance meter; a first motor configured to rotate the structure about a first axis; a first angular transducer operably coupled to the structure, the first angular transducer configured to measure a first angle of rotation about the first axis; a second motor configure to rotate the structure about a second axis, the second axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis; a second angular transducer operably coupled to the structure, the second angular transducer configured to measure a second angle of rotation about the second axis; a position detector, the position detector configured to receive a portion of radiation emitted by the coordinate measurement device and reflected by the retroreflector target, the position detector configured to generate a third electrical signal based at least in part on a location at which the portion of radiation strikes the position detector; and a processor, the processor having a non-transitory computer readable media configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, wherein the first mode includes tracking the retroreflector target based at least in part on the third electrical signal, and determining a first three-dimensional coordinate of the retroreflector target based at least in part on the first angle of rotation to the retroreflector target at a first position, the second angle of rotation to the retroreflector target at the first position, and the first distance of the retroreflector target at the first position, and wherein the second mode includes directing the second light to the object surface and determining a second three-dimensional coordinate of a point on the object surface based at least in part on the first angle of rotation to the point on the object surface, the second angle of rotation to the point on the object surface, and the second distance of the point on the object surface, the second mode further including adjusting the adjustable focusing mechanism.