Optical measurement system

1. A system for measurement of spatial coordinates and/or orientation of a probe, comprising:

a first spatial direction sensor associated with a pattern of targets with known positions relative to each other and to the first spatial direction sensor;

said pattern of targets placed onto spatial direction sensor so that at least three targets are visible from any direction;

a second spatial direction sensor;

a probe with targets in known positions relative to each other;

wherein at least three targets of the probe are in the field of view (FOV 1 ) of the first spatial direction sensor; and

processing means for the computation of

the orientation and/or spatial coordinates of the pattern of targets of the first spatial direction sensor relative to the second spatial direction sensor based on the observation of at least three targets on the first spatial direction sensor by the second spatial direction sensor;

the known positions of the targets of the first spatial direction sensor relative to each other and to the first spatial direction sensor; and

a determination of the spatial directions of the targets observed on the first spatial direction sensor with respect to the second spatial direction sensor;

and the computation of the orientation and/or spatial coordinates of the pattern of targets of the probe relative to the first spatial direction sensor based on the observation of at least three targets of the probe by the first spatial direction sensor;

the known positions of the targets of the probe relative to each other and to the probe;

a determination of the spatial directions of the targets observed on the probe with respect to the first spatial direction sensor;

and the computation of the orientation and/or spatial coordinates of the probe relative to the second spatial direction sensor based on the relative orientations and/or coordinates between the second spatial direction sensor, the first spatial direction sensor and the probe established in the preceding steps.

2. A system for measurement of spatial coordinates of a probe according to claim 1 , wherein the probe is aligned with an object so that determining the position and/or orientation of the probe also determines the spatial coordinates and/or orientation of the object.

3. A system for measurement of spatial coordinates of a probe according to claim 1 , wherein the probe is a touch probe having a touch point and wherein the processing means is further configured to compute the spatial coordinates of the touch point from known positions of the at least three targets of the probe and the touch point relative to each other.

4. A system for measurement of spatial coordinates of a probe according to claim 1 , wherein the first spatial direction sensor and the second spatial direction sensor are mechanically connected.

5. A system for measurement of spatial coordinates of a probe according to claim 1 , comprising at least one further probe and/or at least one further first spatial direction sensor and/or at least one further second spatial direction sensor.

6. A system for measurement of spatial coordinates of a probe according to claim 5 , wherein at least one reference point is in the fields of view (FOV 1 , FOV 1 ′) of the second spatial direction sensor and a further second spatial direction sensor; and wherein the processing means is further adapted to calibrate the spatial coordinate systems of the second spatial direction sensors based on the respective spatial coordinates of the at least one reference point.

7. A system for measurement of spatial coordinates of a probe according to claim 5 , wherein the target moves from the field of view (FOV 2 ) of the second spatial direction sensor in a field of view (FOV 2 ′) of a further second spatial direction sensor; wherein at least one reference point is in the fields of view (FOV 1 , FOV 1 ′) of the first spatial direction sensor before and after the movement; and

wherein the processing means is further adapted to calibrate the spatial coordinate systems of the second spatial direction sensors based on the respective spatial coordinates of the at least one reference point.

8. A method for measurement of spatial coordinates of a probe, comprising:

setting up a first spatial direction sensor associated with a pattern of targets with known positions relative to each other and to the first spatial direction sensor and configured to provide at least three observable targets from any direction;

setting up a second spatial direction sensor;

providing a probe with at least three targets with known positions relative to each other and to the probe;

orienting the probe so that the at least three targets of the probe are inside the field-of-view of the first spatial direction sensor

observing the at least three targets of the probe from the first spatial direction sensor thereby determining the spatial directions from the first spatial direction sensor to said at least three targets of the probe;

observing the at least three of the targets of the first spatial direction sensor from the second spatial direction sensor thereby determining the spatial directions from the second spatial direction sensor to said at least three targets of the first spatial direction sensor;

computing the orientation of the pattern of targets of the first spatial direction sensor relative to the second spatial direction sensor based on the known positions of the targets relative to each other and the determined spatial directions of the targets; and

computing the orientation of the pattern of targets of the probe relative to the first spatial direction sensor based on the known positions of the targets relative to each other and the determined spatial directions of the targets;

computing the orientation of the probe relative to the second spatial direction sensor based on the knowledge wherein at least three targets are in the field of view (FOV 2 ) of the second spatial direction sensor irrespective of the orientation of the pattern of targets.

9. A method for measurement of spatial coordinates of a probe according to claim 8 , wherein the probe has targets with known positions relative to each other and wherein the determination of the spatial coordinates and/or orientation of the probe further comprises:

determining the directions of the targets of the probe with respect to the first spatial direction sensor; and

computing the spatial coordinates and/or orientation of the probe based on the known spatial coordinates and/or orientation of the first spatial direction sensor, the known positions of the targets of the probe relative to each other and the determined spatial directions of the targets of the probe with respect to the first spatial direction sensor;

wherein at least three targets of the probe are in the field of view (FOV 1 ) of the first spatial direction sensor.

10. A computer program providing program code to compute, when executed by a computer, the spatial coordinates and/or orientation of a probe based on known positions of targets of a pattern of targets associated with a first spatial direction sensor relative to each other and to the first spatial direction sensor and a determination of the spatial directions of the targets with respect to a second spatial direction sensor and to determine the spatial coordinates and/or orientation of the probe ( 101 ) with the first spatial direction sensor;

wherein at least three targets are in the field of view (FOV 2 ) of the second spatial direction sensor irrespective of the orientation of the pattern of targets.

11. A computer program according to claim 10 , wherein the computation of the spatial coordinates and/or orientation of the probe is further based on the known spatial coordinates and/or orientation of the first spatial direction sensor, the known positions of targets of the probe relative to each other and a determination of the spatial directions of the targets of the probe with respect to the first spatial direction sensor;

wherein at least three targets of the probe are in the field of view (FOV 1 ) of the first spatial direction sensor.