Patent ID: 7239761

Claim:
A method for calibrating a measuring instrument comprising: formulating a mathematical model describing the positions of at least two partial systems relative to one another and at least one image of at least one first partial system; deriving at least one parameter set, which quantifies the factors influencing systematic measurement errors of the measuring instrument, with at least one parameter from the mathematical model; generating of an image of structural elements of the first partial system, wherein the image contains information about the relative position of the partial systems; obtaining a quantity which describes a movement of the partial systems relative to one another, where the position of the structural elements and the quantity are factors influencing systematic measurement errors of the measuring instrument; converting the image of the structural elements of the first partial system into signals by a detecting component; recording at least one signal vector with at least one component, wherein the vector contains information, from the signals, about the relative position of the partial systems; estimating values of the parameter set from the at least one signal vector; and deriving correction values from the values of the parameter set, the correction values are used to reduce systematic measurement errors of the measuring instrument.