IP Library Granted Patent US 11,525,968
Granted Patent B2
US 11,525,968 · App. 16/817,357 · Granted Dec 13, 2022

Calibration validation using geometric features in galvanometric scanning systems

Inventors: Jay Small (Vancouver, WA); Ken Gross (Vancouver, WA)
Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.
G02B6/4224G02B26/101G02B26/105
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,525,968
App. No.
16/817,357
Granted
Dec 13, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Some embodiments may include a method of generating assessment data in a system including a galvanometric scanning system (GSS) having a laser device to generate a laser beam and an X-Y scan head module to position the laser beam on a work piece. The method may include selecting a dimension based on a desired accuracy for validation (and/or a characteristic of an imaging system in embodiments that utilize an imaging system). The method may include commanding the GSS to draw a mark based on a polygon or ellipse of the selected dimension around a predetermined target point associated with the work piece to generate assessment data, and following operation of the GSS based on said commanding, validating a calibration of the GSS using the assessment data (or an image thereof in embodiments that utilize an imaging system). Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.

Claims (40)

1. An imaging system for use with a galvanometric scanning system (GSS) having a laser device to generate a laser beam and an X-Y scan head to position the laser beam on a workpiece, the imaging system comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

recognize a geometric marking feature in an image of the workpiece, wherein the geometric marking feature is centered on a point;

generate a geometric feature having a center, wherein the geometric feature is based on a logical polygon or ellipse;

locate the point by comparing the recognized geometric marking feature to the generated geometric feature, wherein the point is located without distinguishing a line intersection in the image of the workpiece; and

determine an offset between the located point and a predetermined target point, wherein the offset is indicative of an accuracy of a calibration of the GSS.

2. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the geometric marking feature comprises a pattern including plural polygon portions or plural ellipse portions centered on the point, and wherein recognize a geometric marking feature in an image of the workpiece further comprises search the image for the largest one of the plural polygon portions or plural ellipse portions visible to the imaging system at a lowest magnification setting.

3. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the offset comprises a first offset and in a case that the first offset is not greater than the threshold, the first offset is indicative of the accuracy of the calibration of the GSS, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

recognize an additional geometric marking feature in an image of the workpiece or another workpiece, wherein the additional geometric marking feature is centered on a point;

generate an additional geometric feature having a center, in a case that the first offset is greater than the threshold, wherein the generated additional geometric feature is based on a larger logical polygon or ellipse;

locate the point associated with the recognized additional geometric feature by comparing the recognized additional geometric marking feature to the generated additional geometric feature;

determine a second offset between the point associated with the recognized additional geometric feature and the predetermined target point, wherein the second offset is indicative of the accuracy of the calibration of the GSS.

4. A system, comprising:

a galvanometric scanning system (GSS) having a laser device to generate a laser beam and an X-Y scan head to position the laser beam on a workpiece; and

an imaging system including one or more processors configured to:

recognize a geometric marking feature in an image of the workpiece, wherein the geometric marking feature is centered on a point;

generate a geometric feature having a center, wherein the geometric feature is based on a logical polygon or ellipse;

locate the point by comparing the recognized geometric marking feature to the generated geometric feature, wherein the point is located without distinguishing a line intersection in the image of the workpiece; and

determine an offset between the located point and a predetermined target point, wherein the offset is indicative of an accuracy of a calibration of the GSS.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the geometric marking feature comprises a pattern including plural polygon portions or plural ellipse portions, and wherein recognize a geometric marking feature in an image of the workpiece further comprises search the image for the largest one of the plural polygon portions or plural ellipse portions visible to the imaging system at a lowest magnification setting.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the offset comprises a first offset and in a case that the first offset is not greater than the threshold, the first offset is indicative of the accuracy of the calibration of the GSS, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

recognize an additional geometric marking feature in an image of the workpiece or another workpiece, in a case that the first offset is greater than the threshold, wherein the additional geometric marking feature is centered on a point;

generate an additional geometric feature having a center, wherein the generated additional geometric feature is based on a larger logical polygon or ellipse;

locate the point associated with the recognized additional geometric marking feature by comparing the recognized additional geometric marking feature to the generated additional geometric feature;

determine a second offset between the point associated with the recognized additional geometric marking feature and the predetermined target point, wherein the second offset is indicative of the accuracy of the calibration of the GSS.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the imaging system comprises an integrated optical coordinate measurement machine (CMM), wherein the integrated optical CMM comprises a component of the GSS.

8. A method of validation of a calibration of a galvanometric scanning system (GSS) having a laser device to generate a laser beam and an X-Y scan head to position the laser beam on a workpiece, the method comprising:

selecting a dimension based on a desired accuracy for validation and one or more characteristics of an imaging system to image the workpiece;

commanding the GSS to draw a mark based on a polygon or ellipse of the selected dimension around a predetermined target point associated with the workpiece to generate assessment data; and

following operation of the GSS based on said commanding:

imaging the workpiece using the imaging system to generate an image;

recognizing a geometric marking feature in the image, wherein the geometric marking feature is centered on a point;

generating a geometric feature having a center, wherein the geometric feature is based on a logical polygon or ellipse;

locating the point by comparing the recognized geometric marking feature to the generated geometric feature, wherein the point is located without distinguishing a line intersection in the image of the workpiece; and

determining an offset between the located point and the predetermined target point, wherein the offset is indicative of an accuracy of the calibration of the GSS.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a characteristic of the one or more characteristics comprises a field of view of the imaging system at a lowest magnification.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein commanding the GSS to draw a mark based on a polygon or ellipse of the selected dimension around a predetermined target point associated with the workpiece comprises remotely commanding the GSS based on one or more communications transmitted over a network.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the imaging system comprises an integrated optical coordinate measurement machine (CMM), wherein the integrated optical CMM comprises a component of the GSS.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the polygon has n-order symmetry in which n is greater than one.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the polygon comprises a rectangle, an equilateral triangle, a hexagon, an octagon, or an icosagon.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 24, 2020
From: NLIGHT, INC.
To: PACIFIC WESTERN BANK
Reel/Frame 053027/0400 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2020
From: SMALL, JAY; GROSS, KEN
To: NLIGHT PHOTONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052157/0708 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 18, 2020
From: NLIGHT PHOTONICS CORPORATION
To: NLIGHT, INC.
Reel/Frame 052189/0118 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62818624 · Mar 14, 2019
Related Publication 20200292765A1 · Sep 17, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,578,571