Articulated arm localization

1. A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) for measuring the coordinates of an object in space, comprising:

a base;

a manually positionable arm portion having an opposed first end and second end, the arm portion being rotationally coupled to the base, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal;

an electronic circuit configured to localize the AACMM, the localization comprising:

in response to the base being placed at a first position:

receiving a first frame of reference associated with a predetermined area;

capturing a first set of images of a positioning element in the predetermined area using at least two image capture devices;

determining first 3D coordinates of the positioning element in the first frame of reference from the first position using the first set of images; and

receiving the position signal from the at least one position transducer and computing 3D coordinates corresponding to a position of a first measurement probe in the predetermined area, the 3D coordinates based on the first frame of reference; and

in response to the base being moved to a second position:

capturing a second set of images of the positioning element in the predetermined area using the at least two image capture devices;

determining second 3D coordinates of the positioning element from the second position using the second set of images;

determining a translation matrix to convert the second 3D coordinates to the first 3D coordinates; and

receiving the position signal from the at least one position transducer and computing the 3D coordinates corresponding to the position of the first measurement probe in the predetermined area, the 3D coordinates converted to the first frame of reference by using the translation matrix.

2. The AACMM of claim 1 , wherein positioning element comprises a light emitting device.

3. The AACMM of claim 1 , wherein the positioning element comprises a light reflective element.

4. The AACMM of claim 1 , wherein the positioning element is placed at a predetermined fixed position in the predetermined area.

5. The AACMM of claim 1 , wherein the image capture devices are mounted on the base with a predetermined distance between the image capture devices.

6. The AACMM of claim 5 , wherein the 3D coordinates of the positioning element are determined using triangulation.

7. The AACMM of claim 1 , wherein the translation matrix is a first translation matrix, and the electronic circuit is further configured to:

compute a second translation matrix to convert the first 3D coordinates of the positioning element to an origin.

8. The AACMM of claim 1 , wherein the first measurement probe is a tactile measurement probe operable to measure three-dimensional (3D) coordinates in response to contacting a probe tip of the tactile measurement probe with points on an object in the predetermined area.

9. A method for localizing a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM), the method comprising:

in response to a base of the AACMM being placed at a first position:

receiving a first frame of reference associated with a predetermined area;

capturing a first set of images of a positioning element in the predetermined area using at least two image capture devices;

determining first 3D coordinates of the positioning element in the first frame of reference from the first position using the first set of images; and

receiving a position signal from at least one position transducer of the AACMM and compute 3D coordinates corresponding to a position of a first measurement probe in the predetermined area, the 3D coordinates based on the first frame of reference; and

in response to the base being moved to a second position:

capturing a second set of images of the positioning element in the predetermined area using the at least two image capture devices;

determining second 3D coordinates of the positioning element from the second position using the second set of images;

determining a translation matrix to convert the second 3D coordinates to the first 3D coordinates; and

receiving the position signal from the at least one position transducer and compute the 3D coordinates corresponding to the position of the first measurement probe in the predetermined area, the 3D coordinates converted to the first frame of reference by using the translation matrix.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein positioning element comprises a light emitting device.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the positioning element comprises a light reflective element.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the positioning element is placed at a predetermined fixed position in the predetermined area.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the image capture devices are mounted on the base with a predetermined distance between the image capture devices.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the 3D coordinates of the positioning element are determined using triangulation.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the translation matrix is a first translation matrix, and the method further comprises:

computing a second translation matrix to convert the first 3D coordinates of the positioning element to an origin.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first measurement probe is a tactile measurement probe operable to measure three-dimensional (3D) coordinates in response to contacting a probe tip of the tactile measurement probe with points on an object in the predetermined area.

17. A computer program product comprising a memory storage device having computer executable instructions stored therein, the computer executable instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to localize a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM), the localizing comprising:

in response to a base of the AACMM being placed at a first position:

receiving a first frame of reference associated with a predetermined area;

capturing a first set of images of a positioning element in the predetermined area using at least two image capture devices;

determining first 3D coordinates of the positioning element in the first frame of reference from the first position using the first set of images; and

receiving a position signal from at least one position transducer of the AACMM and compute 3D coordinates corresponding to a position of a first measurement probe in the predetermined area, the 3D coordinates based on the first frame of reference; and

in response to the base being moved to a second position:

capturing a second set of images of the positioning element in the predetermined area using the at least two image capture devices;

determining second 3D coordinates of the positioning element from the second position using the second set of images;

determining a translation matrix to convert the second 3D coordinates to the first 3D coordinates; and

receiving the position signal from the at least one position transducer and compute the 3D coordinates corresponding to the position of the first measurement probe in the predetermined area, the 3D coordinates converted to the first frame of reference by using the translation matrix.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein positioning element comprises a light emitting device.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the positioning element comprises a light reflective element.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the positioning element is placed at a predetermined fixed position in the predetermined area.