# US 10,120,059 B2 · Feedback gain adjusting method and device of tracking-type laser interferometer and tracking-type laser interferometer

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- Number: US 10,120,059 B2
- Document ID: US10120059B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/664,051
- Filed: 2017-07-31
- Published: 2018-02-15
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-10
- Assignees: Mitutoyo Corporation
- Applicants: Mitutoyo Corporation
- Inventors: Shinichi Hara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120059B2

## CPC

- G01S 3/786: the desired condition being maintained automatically
- G01S 17/66: Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES

## Abstract

A laser interferometer that includes a laser interferometer, an position sensitive detector detecting an offset of an optical axis of the laser interferometer, a biaxial rotator turning the laser interferometer toward an arbitrary direction, an angle sensor detecting a rotation angle of the biaxial rotator, a retro reflector reflecting reflected light in a direction parallel to incident light, and a controller performing feedback control of the biaxial rotator so as to track the retro reflector based on signals from the position sensitive detector and the angle sensor. The tracking-type laser interferometer starts tracking control when return light from the retro reflector is returned to a detection range of the position sensitive detector, and changes gain for the feedback control in accordance with a behavior for a position of the return light on the position sensitive detector due to the tracking control.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A feedback gain adjusting method of a tracking-type laser interferometer, the tracking-type laser interferometer including:
a laser interferometer,
a position sensitive detector detecting an offset of an optical axis of the laser interferometer,
a biaxial rotator turning the laser interferometer toward an arbitrary direction,
an angle sensor detecting a rotation angle of the biaxial rotator,
a retro reflector reflecting reflected light in a direction parallel to incident light, and
a controller performing feedback control of the biaxial rotator so as to track the retro reflector based on signals from the position sensitive detector and the angle sensor,
the method comprising:
starting tracking control when return light from the retro reflector is returned to a detection range of the position sensitive detector; and
changing gain for the feedback control in accordance with a behavior for a position of the return light on the position sensitive detector due to the tracking control.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The feedback gain adjusting method of the tracking-type laser interferometer according to claim 1, further comprising increasing the gain for the feedback control when an amount of settling time required for the position of the return light to reach a center of the position sensitive detector from a circumference thereof due to the tracking control is at least a predetermined time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The feedback gain adjusting method of the tracking-type laser interferometer according to claim 2, wherein the increasing the gain for the feedback control is changed based on the settling time.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The feedback gain adjusting method of the tracking-type laser interferometer according to claim 1, further comprising decreasing the gain for the feedback control when the position of the return light jumps out of the detection range of the position sensitive detector due to the tracking control.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The feedback gain adjusting method of the tracking-type laser interferometer according to claim 4, wherein the decreasing the gain for the feedback control is changed based on a jumping out time required for the position of the return light to jump out of the detection range of the position sensitive detector due to the tracking control.

### Claim 6

A feedback gain adjusting device of a tracking-type laser interferometer, the tracking-type laser interferometer comprising:
a laser interferometer;
a position sensitive detector configured to detect an offset of an optical axis of the laser interferometer;
a biaxial rotator configured to turn the laser interferometer toward an arbitrary direction;
an angle sensor configured to detect a rotation angle of the biaxial rotator;
a retro reflector configured to reflect reflected light in a direction parallel to incident light; and
a controller configured to perform feedback control of the biaxial rotator so as to track the retro reflector based on signals from the position sensitive detector and the angle sensor, wherein:
tracking control is started when return light from the retro reflector is returned to a detection range of the position sensitive detector, and
gain for the feedback control is changed in accordance with a behavior for a position of the return light on the position sensitive detector due to the tracking control.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The feedback gain adjusting device of the tracking-type laser interferometer according to claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to:
measure an amount of settling time required for the position of the return light to reach a center of the position sensitive detector from a circumference thereof due to the tracking control, and
increase the gain for the feedback control when the settling time is at least a predetermined time.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The feedback gain adjusting device of the tracking-type laser interferometer according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to increase the gain for the feedback control based on the settling time.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The feedback gain adjusting device of the tracking-type laser interferometer according to claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the gain for the feedback control when the position of the return light jumps out of the detection range of the position sensitive detector due to the tracking control.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The feedback gain adjusting device of the tracking-type laser interferometer according to claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:
measure an amount of time required for the position of the return light to jump out of the detection range of the position sensitive detector due to the tracking control, and
decrease the gain for the feedback control based on the jumping out time.

### Claim 11

A tracking-type laser interferometer comprising:
a laser interferometer;
a position sensitive detector configured to detect an offset of an optical axis of the laser interferometer;
a biaxial rotator configured to turn the laser interferometer toward an arbitrary direction;
an angle sensor configured to detect a rotation angle of the biaxial rotator;
a retro reflector configured to reflect reflected light in a direction parallel to incident light; and
a controller configured to, when feedback control is performed on the biaxial rotator so as to track a behavior of the retro reflector based on signals from the position sensitive detector and the angle sensor:
start tracking control when return light from the retro reflector is returned to a detection range of the position sensitive detector, and
change gain for the feedback control in accordance with a behavior for the position of the return light on the position sensitive detector due to the tracking control.