Patent ID: 9057610
Filing Date: 2015-06-16
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
1. A robotic laser-pointing apparatus, comprising: a. an instrument center, b. a first rotation axis, a second rotation axis, and a pointing axis, having a known relationship to the instrument center, c. a laser source providing a pointing-laser beam along the pointing axis toward a target, d. a pointing drive system to aim the pointing-laser beam by rotating the pointing axis about the instrument center in response to a pointing-direction control, e. focusing optics having a focusing-optics drive to focus the pointing-laser beam in response to a focusing-optics control, f. a measurement laser source providing a measurement beam along a measurement-beam path, g. a prism positioned along the pointing axis and configured to direct at least a portion of the measurement beam along the pointing axis and toward the target, and h. a processor, responsive to light from the measurement beam reflected from the target, to generate the focusing-optics control.