Renishaw Plc

John Anthony Styles

Martin Woollett

Tim Prestidge

Derek Marshall

Paul Anthony Taylor

John Liptrot

Jonathan Paul Fuge

Peter Kenneth Hellier

Jamie John Buckingham

Jamie Buckingham

Martin Adrian Woollett

A touch trigger probe interface for a machine tool is described that includes a probe communication portion for receiving probe event information from a touch trigger probe. A machine tool communication portion is also provided for outputting probe event information to a numerical controller of the machine tool. The machine tool communication portion outputs the probe event information as digital data packets, for example over a digital data bus. The digital data packets may include a time stamp and/or the touch trigger probe interface may receive timing information from the machine tool. A touch trigger probing system and a machine tool system including the probe interface are also described.

Machine tool apparatus

A transmission system for a measurement device on a coordinate positioning apparatus comprises a station mounted on the measuring device and another station mounted on the coordinate positioning apparatus, wherein the station and the another station communicate with each other using a spread spectrum radio link, for example, frequency hopping. The station on the probe sends a regular signal and on receiving the signal the another station on the coordinate positioning apparatus synchronizes its clock and sends an acknowledgement signal. Measurement data is either sent in the regular signal or in a measurement event driven signal.

Signal transmission system for a measurement device

A measurement probe, such as a touch trigger measurement probe, is described that comprises a measurement portion for measuring an object and a data transfer portion for receiving data from and/or transmitting data to an associated unit. The measurement device also comprises an authentication module for verifying the authenticity of the associated unit. The authentication module may include a processor for running a one-way hash algorithm. Authenticity may be established using a challenge and response authentication process.

Measurement probe systems for co-ordinate positioning apparatus

A transmission system for a measurement device on a coordinate positioning apparatus comprises a station () mounted on the measuring device () and a station () mounted on the coordinate positioning apparatus (), wherein the stations communicate with each other using a spread spectrum radio link, for example frequency hopping. The station on the probe sends a regular signal and on receiving the signal the station on the coordinate positioning apparatus synchronises its clock and sends an acknowledgement signal. Measurement data is either sent in the regular signal or in a measurement event driven signal.

A measurement probe (), such as a touch trigger or analogue probe, is described that comprises a deflectable stylus portion () and a wireless communications unit () for transmitting stylus deflection data to a remote probe interface (). The wireless communications unit () is arranged to transmit digital data packets comprising stylus deflection data and a probe identity code. The wireless communications unit () allows said probe identity code to be set by a user. The measurement probe () may communicate with an associated probe interface () over a radio frequency (RF) spread spectrum link ().

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Bristol, United Kingdom

John Anthony Styles