Patent ID: 8511891

Claim:
A method for warming up an instrument, the method comprising steps of: providing the instrument including; a light source configured to emit a beam of light, a beam steering device configured to direct the beam of light in a first direction, the first direction based on rotation of the beam steering device about a first axis and a second axis, a distance meter configured to measure a distance traveled by the beam of light from the instrument to a point on an object, a first temperature sensor configured to measure an instrument temperature at a first position in the instrument, a second temperature sensor configured to measure an air temperature, a first heat source configured to inject heat into the instrument in response to an application of a first electrical current, and a processor configured to control the first electrical current as a function of time; measuring the instrument temperature with the first temperature sensor at a starting time; measuring the air temperature with the second temperature sensor at the starting time; determining a first profile based at least in part on the instrument temperature and the air temperature, the first profile representing an amount of first electrical current applied as a function of time, the first profile selected to provide a predicted level of instrument performance within a warm-up time; applying the first electrical current according to the first profile; and providing an operator at the starting time with a numerical value for the warm-up time of the instrument, wherein the warm-up time is based at least in part on the instrument temperature and the air temperature.