Method of determining a target spatial coordinate using an apparatus comprising a movable hand-held probe and a portable base unit, and a related apparatus

摘要

A method of determining a target spatial coordinate using an apparatus comprising a movable hand-held probe, having a body and a pointing element for pointing the target spatial coordinate, and a portable base unit provided with line-of-sight distance coupling means, wherein the hand-held probe is coupled to the base unit by said line-of-sight distance coupling means, coupled to the body at an attachment point, and wherein the base unit is provided with sensors providing measuring signals for measuring length or a change in length of the line-of-sight distance coupling means and rotation of said line-of-sight distance coupling means in at least one degree of freedom. Computer-controlled processing means are arranged for processing measuring signals. The method further comprising retrieving measuring signals wherein the target spatial coordinate is appointed from different orientations of the hand-held probe, and determining the target spatial coordinate from the measuring signals.

主权项

1. A method of determining a target spatial coordinate using an apparatus comprising a movable hand-held probe, having a body and a pointing element for pointing said target spatial coordinate, and a portable base unit provided with line-of-sight distance coupling means, wherein said hand-held probe is coupled to said portable base unit by said line-of-sight distance coupling means, coupled to said body at an attachment point, and wherein said base unit is provided with sensors providing measuring signals for measuring length or a change in length of said line-of-sight distance coupling means and angular direction of said line-of-sight distance coupling means in at least one degree of freedom, wherein said measuring signals correspond to spatial coordinates of said attachment point, and computer-controlled processing means communicatively connected to said sensors for processing measuring signals delivered by said sensors, the method further comprising the steps of:
retrieving, by said computer-controlled processing means, measuring signals from said sensors when said target spatial coordinate is appointed by said pointing element from different orientations of said hand-held probe, determining, by said computer-controlled processing means, said target spatial coordinate from said measuring signals at each orientation of said hand-held probe, by one of: 1) determining said coordinates of said attachment point, determining virtual spheres having centres corresponding to said spatial coordinates of each attachment point, wherein radii of said spheres equal a crow flying distance between said attachment point and a pointing tip of said pointing element, determining an intersection point of said spheres, said intersection point being said target spatial coordinate, and: 2) determining said coordinates of each attachment point, determining one virtual sphere spanned by said coordinates of each attachment point, determining a centre of said sphere, said centre being said target spatial coordinate.