Patent US3072986A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6697147B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6697147B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Position measurement apparatus and method using laser
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
•
Filing: 2002-11-07
•
Granted: 2004-02-24
•
Expires: 2022-11-07
Abstract
Abstract A position measurement apparatus and method using laser includes a laser generating device, an image device, and a control unit. The laser generating device generates three or more laser beams progressing in parallel with each other at regular intervals. The image device obtains a picture for three or more points formed on a target by the laser beams. The control unit calculates a position relative to the target using number of pixels between pairs of neighboring ones of the three or more points in the picture. Thus, the present invention is advantageous in that laser pointers and a CCD camera having simple constructions and low prices are used, so that the position measurement apparatus is handled conveniently and is economical.
Inventors
- 👤 Won-Jun Ko
- 👤 Soo-Sang Yang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 14:27
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C3/00; G01C3/02; G01C3/06; G01C3/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A position measurement apparatus, comprising: a laser generating unit to generate three or more laser beams progressing in parallel with each other at regular intervals; an image unit to obtain a picture for three or more points formed on a target by the laser beams; and a control unit to calculate a position relative to the target using numbers of pixels between pairs of neighboring ones of the three or more points in the picture.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
75 words
A position measurement apparatus, comprising: a laser generating unit to generate three or more laser beams progressing in parallel with each other at regular intervals; an image unit to obtain a picture for three or more points formed on a target by the laser beams; and a control unit to calculate a position relative to the target using numbers of pixels between pairs of neighboring ones of the three or more points in the picture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The position measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the laser generating unit comprises: laser pointers installed to allow the three or more points to be positioned on a straight line.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The position measurement apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a point formed by a center one of the laser pointers is displayed at a center position on a screen of the position measurement apparatus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The position measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image unit is configured so that a focus thereof is set to be in a same direction as an indicating direction of the laser pointers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
The position measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit detects the numbers of pixels between pairs of neighboring ones of the three or more points, and calculates an actual distance between the target and the image unit using the numbers of pixels obtained by the detection if the numbers of pixels are the same.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
77 words
The position measurement apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the actual distance between the target and the image unit device is calculated by the following Equation: L = k 1 x - b where L is the actual distance between the target and the image unit device, x is a sum of the numbers of the pixels between the pairs of neighboring ones of three points in the picture, and k and b are constants.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The position measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a picture processing unit to detect position information of the points by filtering the picture, wherein the control unit measures the relative position using the position information detected by the picture processing unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The position measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the position measurement apparatus is mounted on a mobile robot to measure a relative position of the mobile robot to a surrounding target.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
81 words
A position measurement method, comprising: generating three or more laser beams progressing in parallel with each other at regular intervals; obtaining a picture for three or more points formed on a target by the laser beams; and calculating an angle between each of the laser beams and the target, and a distance between an image device to obtain the picture and the target using numbers of pixels between pairs of neighboring ones of the three or more points in the picture.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
81 words
A position measurement method, comprising: generating three or more laser beams progressing in parallel with each other at regular intervals; obtaining a picture for three or more points formed on a target by the laser beams; and calculating an angle between each of the laser beams and the target, and a distance between an image device to obtain the picture and the target using numbers of pixels between pairs of neighboring ones of the three or more points in the picture.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
The position measurement method according to claim 9 , wherein the calculating comprises: detecting the numbers of pixels between the pairs of neighboring ones of the three or more points; and calculating the distance between the target and the image device using the numbers of pixels obtained by the detection if the numbers of pixels are the same.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
72 words
The position measurement method according to claim 10 , wherein the distance between the target and the image device is calculated by the following Equation: L = k 1 x - b where L is the distance between the image device and the target, x is a sum of the numbers of pixels between the pairs of neighboring ones of three points in the picture, and k and b are constants.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The position measurement method according to claim 9 , wherein the calculating is performed so that position measurement is executed by detecting position information of the points by filtering the picture.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
A position measurement method, comprising: obtaining a picture of points provided on a target on which lasers are incident; and measuring a position of a mobile object relative to an angle and a distance of the mobile object to the target using numbers of pixels between the points in the picture.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
A position measurement method, comprising: obtaining a picture of points provided on a target on which lasers are incident; and measuring a position of a mobile object relative to an angle and a distance of the mobile object to the target using numbers of pixels between the points in the picture.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein the measuring of the position of the mobile object is performed in real time.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
75 words
An apparatus comprising: a motor controllable to move the apparatus; lasers to generate laser beams; an image unit to obtain a picture of laser points formed on a target by the laser beams; and a control unit to calculate a position of the apparatus relative to the target using numbers of pixels between the laser points shown in the picture, and to control the motor to move the apparatus in accordance with the calculated position.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
75 words
An apparatus comprising: a motor controllable to move the apparatus; lasers to generate laser beams; an image unit to obtain a picture of laser points formed on a target by the laser beams; and a control unit to calculate a position of the apparatus relative to the target using numbers of pixels between the laser points shown in the picture, and to control the motor to move the apparatus in accordance with the calculated position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
67 words
A computer readable medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a position measurement method performed by a computer, the method comprising: obtaining a picture of points provided on a target on which lasers are incident; and measuring a position of a mobile object relative to an angle and a distance of the mobile object to the target using numbers of pixels between the points in the picture.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
67 words
A computer readable medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a position measurement method performed by a computer, the method comprising: obtaining a picture of points provided on a target on which lasers are incident; and measuring a position of a mobile object relative to an angle and a distance of the mobile object to the target using numbers of pixels between the points in the picture.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
88 words
An apparatus comprising: first and second lasers to generate first and second laser beams to be incident on a target; an image unit to obtain a picture of points formed on a target by the first and second laser beams; a rotation correction unit which rotates the image unit such that an average path of the first and second laser beams is perpendicular to the target; and a control unit to calculate a position relative to the target using numbers of pixels between the points in the picture.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
88 words
An apparatus comprising: first and second lasers to generate first and second laser beams to be incident on a target; an image unit to obtain a picture of points formed on a target by the first and second laser beams; a rotation correction unit which rotates the image unit such that an average path of the first and second laser beams is perpendicular to the target; and a control unit to calculate a position relative to the target using numbers of pixels between the points in the picture.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4834531A
Cited
US4751658A
Cited
FR2630538A1
Cited
US4954962A
Cited
US5929784A
Cited
US5633718A
Cited
US5731870A
Cited
US6088106A
Cited
US6349249B1
Cited
US6369880B1
Cited
US6400451B1
Cited
US6288774B1
Cited
US6483536B2
Cited
US6392744B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-02-23 | 2007-08-25 | 2008-02-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-02-23 | 2011-08-25 | 2012-02-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-02-23 | 2015-08-25 | 2016-02-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |