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US3982837A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for calibrating Reseau grids

Assignee: Controlled Environment Systems Inc
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Filing: 1975-01-24
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Granted: 1976-09-28
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Expires: 1995-01-24
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Abstract

Abstract Apparatus and method for calibrating the points in a large Reseau grid with extreme accuracy. The method includes superimposing a smaller calibrated master grid on the large grid, comparing the location of the point on the large grid with the location of the corresponding point on the master grid, generating the comparison data, translating the master grid to another location, comparing the points on the two grids, and repeating the translating and comparing steps until the entire large grid is calibrated. A laser interferometer is used to determine the amount of translation of the master grid with the requisite accuracy.

Inventors

  • 👤 James B. Cummins

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 22:14
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/14

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 207 words
A method for calibrating elongate large grids having a plurality of points in a repeating grid pattern wherein the points have errors in their location in the grid pattern, said method comprising the steps of: superimposing on the large grid a smaller calibrated grid having the same grid pattern as the large grid wherein the points on the calibrated grid are precisely located, and the actual location of the points is accurately known, and orienting the calibrated grid pattern in the same orientation as the large grid pattern; comparing the location of the points on said superimposed calibrated grid with the location of the points on the large grid; translating said calibrated grid a known distance and superimposing said grid pattern of said calibrated grid on a different part of the grid pattern of the large grid; determining the exact amount of translation and rotation of said translated calibrated grid; comparing the location of said points on the superimposed calibrated grid in the translated position with the location of the points on the large grid for obtaining error displacement differentials of the points on the large grid; and repeating the translating, determining and comparing steps until all of the points on the large grid have been calibrated.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 207 words
A method for calibrating elongate large grids having a plurality of points in a repeating grid pattern wherein the points have errors in their location in the grid pattern, said method comprising the steps of: superimposing on the large grid a smaller calibrated grid having the same grid pattern as the large grid wherein the points on the calibrated grid are precisely located, and the actual location of the points is accurately known, and orienting the calibrated grid pattern in the same orientation as the large grid pattern; comparing the location of the points on said superimposed calibrated grid with the location of the points on the large grid; translating said calibrated grid a known distance and superimposing said grid pattern of said calibrated grid on a different part of the grid pattern of the large grid; determining the exact amount of translation and rotation of said translated calibrated grid; comparing the location of said points on the superimposed calibrated grid in the translated position with the location of the points on the large grid for obtaining error displacement differentials of the points on the large grid; and repeating the translating, determining and comparing steps until all of the points on the large grid have been calibrated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
A method for calibrating large grids as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said determining step is performed with a laser interferometer arrangement and said calibrated grid is translated solely along the longitudinal axis of the large grid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 66 words
A method for calibrating large grids as claimed in claim 2 wherein said superimposing step further comprises offsetting in one of the quadrants of a Cartesian coordinate system said calibrated grid pattern a predetermined known amount from the large grid pattern thereby insuring that all errors are located in the same quadrant, and said comparing step further comprises adjusting the comparison for the predetermined offset amount.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 46 words
A method for calibrating large grids as claimed in claim 2 wherein each said comparing step comprises measuring directly the distances in each Cartesian coordinate in a preoriented Cartesian coordinate system between each point in said calibrated grid and the corresponding point in the large grid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 51 words
A method for calibrating large grids as claimed in claim 4 wherein each said determining step further comprises determining the exact amount of erroneous transverse translation of said calibrated grid and said method further comprises adjusting said measurements for the determined amount of rotation and transverse translation of said calibrated grid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 89 words
A method for calibrating large grids as claimed in claim 2 further comprising placing unexposed film in alignment with the large grid and said calibrated grid before the first calibrating step is performed and each said comparing step further comprises exposing the portion of film located in alignment with said calibrating grid, said method further comprising developing said film and measuring directly the distances in each Cartesian coordinate in a preoriented Cartesian coordinate system between each point in said calibrated grid and the corresponding point in the large grid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 54 words
A method for calibrating large grids as claimed in claim 6 wherein each said determining step further comprises determining the exact amount of erroneous translation of said calibrated grid in the transverse direction and said method further comprises adjusting said measurements for the determined amount of rotation and transverse translation of said calibrated grid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 45 words
A method for calibrating large grids as claimed in claim 2 wherein said translating step comprises overlapping said translated calibrated grid pattern with part of the previously calibrated large grid pattern thereby obtaining redundant data about the location of the points on the large grid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 162 words
Apparatus for calibrating elongated large grids having a plurality of points in a repeating grid pattern wherein the points have errors in their location in the grid pattern, said apparatus comprising: a calibrated grid having the same grid pattern as the large grid and a length that is shorter than the large grid, and wherein the points on the calibrated grid are precisely located and the actual location of the points is accurately known; means for translatably supporting said calibrated grid in a superimposed, closely spaced relationship with the large grid; elongate guide means for accurately guiding the calibrated grid support means in a longitudinal direction along the large grid; an interferometer system for accurately determining the amount of translation and rotation of said calibrated grid; and means for comparing the location of said points on the superimposed calibrated grid with the location of the points on the large grid for obtaining error displacement differentials of the points on the large grid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 162 words
Apparatus for calibrating elongated large grids having a plurality of points in a repeating grid pattern wherein the points have errors in their location in the grid pattern, said apparatus comprising: a calibrated grid having the same grid pattern as the large grid and a length that is shorter than the large grid, and wherein the points on the calibrated grid are precisely located and the actual location of the points is accurately known; means for translatably supporting said calibrated grid in a superimposed, closely spaced relationship with the large grid; elongate guide means for accurately guiding the calibrated grid support means in a longitudinal direction along the large grid; an interferometer system for accurately determining the amount of translation and rotation of said calibrated grid; and means for comparing the location of said points on the superimposed calibrated grid with the location of the points on the large grid for obtaining error displacement differentials of the points on the large grid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 69 words
Apparatus for calibrating elongate large grids as claimed in claim 9 wherein said comparing means includes photographic film located in alignment with the large grid and means for exposing only that portion of said film also in alignment with said calibrated grid; and wherein at least one of said large grid and said calibrated grid is comprised of a photographically transparent base on which said grid pattern is located.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3551055A Cited
US3560093A Cited
US3632215A Cited
US3621582A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-09-28 1980-03-29 1980-09-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-09-28 1984-03-29 1984-09-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-09-28 1988-03-29 1988-09-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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