Method of determining sub-divisional error of an encoder apparatus configured to measure relative position of relatively moveable parts

1. A method of determining sub-divisional error of an encoder apparatus that is configured to measure relative position of relatively moveable parts of an apparatus on which an inspection device is mounted, the method comprising:

causing the inspection device to inspect a feature so as to obtain measurements of a surface of the feature by relatively moving the relatively moveable parts of the apparatus; and

using the measurements of the surface of the feature obtained by the inspection device during the inspection of the feature to determine the sub-divisional error of the encoder apparatus.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one error map for correcting for the sub-divisional error of the encoder apparatus.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the at least one error map comprises a look-up table or function.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein

the error map comprises a description of a form of the sub-divisional error, and

the description varies along a measurement range of the encoder apparatus.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising determining the sub-divisional error of the encoder apparatus based on properties of a periodic variation in the measurements at at least one predetermined spatial frequency.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the properties comprise amplitude and phase offset of the periodic variation at the at least one predetermined spatial frequency.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the at least one predetermined spatial frequency corresponds to a scale or signal period of the encoder apparatus.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the at least one predetermined spatial frequency corresponds to harmonics of the scale or signal period of the encoder apparatus.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising determining the sub-divisional error for different regions of a measurement range of the encoder apparatus.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the apparatus on which the inspection device is mounted comprises at least one rotational axis about which the inspection device can be oriented, and

the encoder apparatus is a rotary encoder apparatus for measuring orientation of the inspection device about the at least one rotational axis.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inspection device comprises a contact probe.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein

the contact probe comprises a stylus having a stylus tip, and

the measurements relate to stylus tip position measurements.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus on which the inspection device is mounted comprises a coordinate positioning machine.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the encoder apparatus comprises a scale and a readhead for reading the scale.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code comprising instructions that, when executed by a controller of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the method of claim 1 .

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the encoder apparatus comprises a scale and at least one readhead that outputs a periodic signal that represents position and/or motion of the scale relative to the at least one readhead, the scale comprising a series of periodic features, and

the sub-divisional error of the encoder apparatus is determined to a resolution finer than a period of the periodic signal.

17. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving measurements of a surface of a feature obtained by an inspection device mounted on an apparatus in which an encoder apparatus is incorporated, the measurements of the surface of the feature being derived from output of the encoder apparatus; and

determining sub-divisional error of the encoder apparatus from the measurements of the surface of the feature.

18. A method of determining sub-divisional error of an encoder apparatus comprising a scale and readhead, the method comprising:

moving the scale and readhead relative to each other and using an inspection device, a position of which is determined from output of the readhead, to obtain measurements of a surface of a feature; and

determining the sub-divisional error of the encoder apparatus based on a periodic variation in the measurements of the surface of the feature obtained by the inspection device at at least one predetermined spatial frequency.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the at least one predetermined spatial frequency corresponds to a signal period or a scale period of the readhead.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the at least one predetermined spatial frequency corresponds to harmonics of the signal period or the scale period of the readhead.

21. The method as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising generating an error map for correcting for the determined sub-divisional error.

22. An apparatus comprising:

an encoder that is configured to measure relative position of relatively moveable parts of the apparatus; and

an inspection device,

wherein the apparatus is configured (i) to cause the inspection device to inspect a feature so as to obtain measurements of a surface of the feature by relatively moving the relatively moveable parts of the apparatus and (ii) to use the measurements of the surface of the feature obtained by the inspection device during the inspection of the feature to determine sub-divisional error of the encoder.