Radar metrology system

A method for operating a radar metrology system for use with a movement system that moves an end tool,

• the radar metrology system comprising:
• a mobile radar configuration comprising a plurality of mobile radar components that are configured to be coupled to at least one of the end tool or an end tool mounting configuration of the movement system that moves the end tool;
• and
• a stationary radar configuration comprising a plurality of stationary radar components that define at least part of a metrology frame volume that surrounds at least part of a movement volume in which at least a portion of the end tool is moved;
• the method comprising:
• determining distances between stationary radar components and mobile radar components based at least in part on radar signals, wherein the determined distances indicate a position and orientation of at least one of the mobile radar configuration or end tool, and the radar signals are either:
• transmitted from the stationary radar components and received by the mobile radar components, for which the stationary radar components are radar transmitters and the mobile radar components are radar receivers;
• or
• transmitted from the mobile radar components and received by the stationary radar components, for which the mobile radar components are radar transmitters and the stationary radar components are radar receivers;
• and
• determining a position and orientation of at least one of the mobile radar configuration or end tool based at least in part on the determined distances between stationary radar components and mobile radar components;
• wherein:
• the determining of the distances between stationary radar components and mobile radar components is based at least in part on determining a number of wavelengths of each received radar signal as occurring between the corresponding radar transmitter and the corresponding radar receiver;
• a first received radar signal as occurring between a first radar transmitter and a first radar receiver has a number of wavelengths that comprises an integer number of the wavelengths and a fractional portion of the wavelength;
• the movement system that that moves the end tool is configured to sense a position of the end tool based at least in part on using a plurality of position sensors included in the movement system, wherein the plurality of position sensors are at different locations than the stationary radar components of the stationary radar configuration and the mobile radar components of the mobile radar configuration, and each position sensor of the plurality of position sensors is an encoder which provides position information without utilizing radar signals and which is included in the movement system that moves the end tool, and a determining of the integer number of the wavelengths of the first received radar signal is based at least in part on the position information from the plurality of encoders included in the movement system;
• and
• a determining of the fractional portion of the wavelength is based at least in part on the phase of the first received radar signal and is not based on position information from the plurality of encoders included in the movement system.

A radar metrology system, comprising:

• a mobile radar configuration comprising a plurality of mobile radar components that are configured to be coupled to at least one of an end tool or an end tool mounting configuration of a movement system that moves the end tool;
• and
• a stationary radar configuration comprising a plurality of stationary radar components that define at least part of a metrology frame volume that surrounds at least part of a movement volume in which at least a portion of the end tool is moved;
• and
• wherein the radar metrology system is configured to:
• determine distances between stationary radar components and mobile radar components based at least in part on radar signals, wherein the determined distances indicate a position and orientation of at least one of the mobile radar configuration or end tool, and the radar signals are either:
• transmitted from the stationary radar components and received by the mobile radar components, for which the stationary radar components are radar transmitters and the mobile radar components are radar receivers;
• or
• transmitted from the mobile radar components and received by the stationary radar components, for which the mobile radar components are radar transmitters and the stationary radar components are radar receivers;
• and
• determine a position and orientation of at least one of the mobile radar configuration or end tool based at least in part on the determined distances between stationary radar components and mobile radar components;
• wherein:
• the determining of the distances between stationary radar components and mobile radar components is based at least in part on determining a number of wavelengths of each received radar signal as occurring between the corresponding radar transmitter and the corresponding radar receiver;
• a first received radar signal as occurring between a first radar transmitter and a first radar receiver has a number of wavelengths that comprises an integer number of the wavelengths and a fractional portion of the wavelength;
• the movement system that that moves the end tool is configured to sense a position of the end tool based at least in part on using a plurality of position sensors included in the movement system, wherein the plurality of position sensors are at different locations than the stationary radar components of the stationary radar configuration and the mobile radar components of the mobile radar configuration, and each position sensor of the plurality of position sensors is an encoder which provides position information without utilizing radar signals and which is included in the movement system that moves the end tool, and a determining of the integer number of wavelengths of the first received radar signal is based at least in part on the position information from the plurality of encoders included in the movement system;
• and
• a determining of the fractional portion of the wavelength is based at least in part on the phase of the first received radar signal and is not based on position information from the plurality of encoders included in the movement system.