Serial network for coordinate measurement apparatus
AssigneeFaro Technologies, Inc.
InventorsSimon Raab, Ali Seyed Sajedi, Joselito Parguian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An articulated arm for use in a coordinate measuring machine. The arm includes a serial network for communicating data from transducers located in the arm to a controller. Each transducer includes a transducer interface having a memory which stores transducer data. The controller serially addresses each memory and handshaking is performed to transfer the data from the transducer interface memory to the controller.
Claims23
A three dimensional coordinate measuring system comprising:
- a movable arm including a plurality of joints with each joint corresponding to a degree of freedom such that said arm is movable within a selected volume, a plurality of said joints having a transducer, each said transducer producing position data;
- a controller coupled to said tranducers for receiving said position data;
- a capture line coupled to said controller for transmitting a capture signal for initiating acquisition of said position data;
- a serial network coupled to said controller and said transducers for transferring said position data to said controller.
- a display coupled to said serial network, said display providing information to an operator.
A method of transferring position data from a plurality of transducers located in a moveable arm to a controller comprising:
- storing the position data for each transducer in a respective memory provided in a transducer interface, said memory lacking the ability to execute instructions;
- serially accessing the position data in each memory;
- and
- serially transferring the position data to the controller via a serial network.
A three dimensional passive coordinate measuring system comprising:
- a movable arm including a plurality of joints with each joint corresponding to a degree of freedom such that said arm is movable within a selected volume, a plurality of said joints having a transducer, each said transducer producing position data;
- a capture line coupled to said transducers for transmitting a capture signal for initiating acquisition of said position data;
- a serial network coupled to said transducers for transferring said position data to a controller;
- a display coupled to said serial network, said display providing information to an operator.
A method of transferring position data from a plurality of transducers located in a moveable arm to a controller, the arm comprising a component of a passive coordinate measuring system, comprising:
- storing the position data for each transducer in a respective memory provided in a transducer interface, said memory lacking the ability to execute instructions;
- serially accessing the position data from each transducer;
- and
- serially transferring the position data to a controller via a serial network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.