Patent ID: 7576847

Claim:
A camera based target coordinate measuring system for use in measuring the position of objects without requiring use of a laser range finder for measuring distance comprising: a mirror rotatable about a first axis and a second axis; a camera located to receive light emitted by the light sources that is reflected off the mirror; a target having at least three or more light sources wherein the light sources are located on the target at known three-dimensional coordinates relative to each other and wherein at least one of the light sources is located at a different distance from the mirror than the midpoint of a line segment connecting two of the other light sources, and wherein the target is structured to be placed on an object to be measured or to be placed on a device to measure the object; two angular measuring devices to measure the angles of rotation of the mirror about the first and second axes; at least one motor to rotate the mirror about the first and second axes; a photosensitive pixel array located in the camera for recording images of the light sources on the target; and a processor for directing the motor and for determining up to three positional degrees of freedom and up to three rotational degrees of freedom of the target.