Hexagon Technology Center Gmbh

Leica Geosystems Ag

Robert Fritsch

Knut Siercks

Jürg Hinderling

Pascal Jordil

Marcel Rohner

Reto Stutz

Juerg Hinderling

The invention relates to a method for allocating participant-specific communication addresses for participants in a measuring system such as, for example, a position measuring system of a coordinate measuring device with measuring sensors as participants. In the measuring system, the participants communicate via a bus system using messages with at least one communication address and message content. The messages transmitted by one participant are received by each of the other participants. The participant-dedicated communication addresses are ascertained as part of a calibrating or referencing process in which the participants monitor the messages on the bus system. If a collision by a communication address of a received message is detected, wherein the address matches the participant-dedicated communication address, a participant-dedicated communication address, which has been changed and has not collided with the received message, of the participant is allocated to said participant as a result of the collision.

Measuring machine communication with automatic address allocation

System for determining positions along a direction of advance, having a first sensor, particularly a line sensor, having a scanning length (L) for scanning a first 2D pattern and producing a scan signal. The first 2D pattern has pattern elements that each form a first code word on at least one portion of the scanning length (L), which first code word codes a position along the direction of advance absolutely. In addition, the first code word can be taken as a basis for determining a deviation from an ideal position for the first sensor in relation to the first 2D pattern.

System for determining positions with a sensor using a 2D-code pattern for determination of a discrepancy from an ideal situation

Some embodiments of the invention include an area position code pattern, comprising an arrangement of code marks in a basic grid. At least one portion of said position code pattern is readable by a matrix sensor for determining positions. According to some embodiments of the invention, the position code pattern is embodied with a first absolute code sequence in a stringing-together of the code marks in a first line direction of the basic grid as first line on the area to be encoded and the code marks are encoded with a second absolute code sequence in the line direction along a second line which follows the first line. The first line and the second line form a line pair and the two absolute code sequences are each arranged offset in the first direction in the basic grid in a subsequent line pair.

Absolute surface coding/encoding an area in absolute terms

Some embodiments of the invention relate to an absolute code scale of an angle or linear position encoder, which is composed of a first absolute code sequence having a first primary code period length, which is periodically continued, and at least one second absolute code sequence having a second primary code period length, which is periodically continued. The first and the at least one second absolute code sequence are codeword-foreign in relation to one another in this case. Along the absolute code scale, in each case one section from the first and one section from the at least one second absolute code sequence are successively arranged alternately and in this case the absolute code sequences are each shifted in relation to one another in the different sections from the same absolute code sequence along this arrangement.

Absolute position determination

A synchronization method for at least two sensors, which enables synchronized collection of a sensor value of a slave sensor in relation to a predetermined intended value of a master sensor. Time-dependent measured values of the master sensor are used to determine open parameters of a prediction model, on the basis of which a time associated with a master sensor intended value to be predetermined is extrapolated. When this time is reached, a synchronization signal triggering the recording of a slave sensor value, in particular the recording of a measured value, is transmitted to the at least one slave sensor. Master sensor intended value and slave sensor value are provided as connected value tuple. As a result of continuous collection of measured values by the master sensor, it is possible to form updated extrapolation rules continuously. Predetermined intended values of the master sensor can have, in particular, an equidistant spacing.

Sensor synchronization method and sensor measuring system appertaining thereto

Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for line-conducted bidirectional communication between subscribers in a measuring system, the subscribers being arranged in a chain-like series structure. In said series structure, each of the subscribers is connected to one of the subscribers that precedes same by means of a first communication interface and to one of the subscribers that follows same by means of a second communication interface. Each of the subscribers has a message processing unit, by means of which the first and second communication interfaces can be operated independently of each other in order to send and/or receive a message. In the communication by the message processing unit, the message is received as a digital data structure by means of the first communication and an identification range of the message is evaluated by comparing a content of the identification range within specified target criteria.

Measuring machine communication

The invention relates to a position transmitter with a position code and an optical sensor element for detecting at least one part of the position code. The sensor element has a row of photosensitive detection regions, which convert incident photons into electric charges, and a readout structure for outputting an electric data signal corresponding to the stored electric charges. The sensor element has an analog memory unit structure with a number of N&#x3e;1 rows of photo-insensitive analog memory cells in order to temporarily store the electric charges and an electric switching structure, by means of which a charge transfer can be carried out between the detection regions and the memory cells, between the memory cells amongst one another, and between the memory cells and the readout row.

Optical position transmitter with analog memory unit

Highly accurate electro-optical time of flight distance measuring device for determining a distance to a target, including a transmitter for sending out a pulse shaped optical radiation to the target as well as a receiver for an optical signal built for turning the optical signal to an electrical signal, and a filter with a transfer function for filtering the electrical signal whereby the filter is built in such a way that its transfer-function is of at least 4th order, in particular 5th or 7th or higher order, so that aliasing is suppressed. Further a waveform-sampler, as an analog-to-digital-converter, for digitalizing the pulse shape from the filtered electrical signal as time- and value-quantized digital data, and a computation means for a numerical evaluation of the distance according to the pulse shape or a pulse shape representing numerical signature from the digital data.

Highly accurate distance measurement device

The invention relates to a method for wire bound, high precision, temporal synchronization of measured value acquisition in a measurement system designed as a space coordinate measurement apparatus having a plurality of measurement sub-units with signaling of a time for triggering the measured value acquisition by means of a trigger signal and with the respective acquisition and intermediate storage of a measured value in the measurement sub-unit at the time determined by the trigger signal. Each acquisition of the measured value is carried out in the measurement sub-units in a time quantified manner with a local timing signal of the measurement sub-unit. A phase synchronization of the local timing signals of the measurement sub-units is then carried out using a synchronization signal in order to ensure simultaneity of the acquisition of the measured value in the measurement sub-units with a temporal uncertainty which does not exceed a phase jitter of the synchronization, and which is in any case less than 90% of a period duration of the local timing signal.

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Balgach, Switzerland

Robert Fritsch