Optical coordinate measuring machine

A means for maintaining the line of-sight between an article and a transceiver, wherein the article sends out a beacon;

• said beacon can be seen by the transceiver;
• the transceiver orients itself, using a coarse tracking apparatus that senses the article when the article is in a wide field of view, so that the article becomes located in a narrow field of view;
• and when the article in the narrow field of view, the transceiver can send out a signal to a retroreflector on the article that will return to the transceiver;
• this signal falls onto a quad detector and the transceiver then orients itself, using a fine tracking apparatus, to achieve fine alignment between the article and the transceiver.

Apparatus for directing a light beam onto a moving article, the apparatus comprising:

• first and second mirrors for directing the light beam onto a path;
• means movably supporting the first mirror;
• means movably supporting the second mirror;
• a first motor connected to the first mirror to move the first mirror;
• a second motor connected to the second mirror to move the second mirror;
• and
• a tracking system connected to the first and second motors to operate the motors to move the mirrors to direct the light beam at the article as the article moves;
• wherein the tracking system includes
• i) a coarse tracking means to sense the article when the article is in a wide field of view, and to operate the motors to move the mirrors to locate the article within a narrow field of view, and
• ii) a fine tracking means to sense the article when the article is in the narrow field of view and to operate the motors to move the mirrors to direct the light beam substantially directly onto the article.

Apparatus for directing a light beam onto an article, said article generating a beacon, the apparatus comprising:

• first and second mirrors for directing the first light beam onto a path;
• means movably supporting the first mirror;
• means movably supporting the first mirror;
• a first motor connected to the first mirror to move the first mirror;
• a second motor connected to the second mirror to move the second mirror;
• and
• a tracking system connected to the first and second motors to operate the motors to move the mirrors to maintain the first light beam directed at the article as the article moves;
• wherein the tracking system includes
• i) first and second light panels connected to the first mirror,
• ii) means for moving the first and second light panels until the intensity of the beacon on the first panel is substantially equal to the intensity of the beacon on the second panel,
• ii) third and fourth light panels connected to the second mirror,
• iv) means for moving the third and fourth light panels until the intensity of the beacon on the third panel is substantially equal to the intensity of the beacon on the fourth panel.