{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8472029","patent":{"patent_number":"US-8472029","title":"Methods for using a locator camera in a laser tracker","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2012-09-05T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2013-06-25T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["G01C","G01S","G01S","G01S"],"num_claims":14,"abstract":"A method of steering a laser beam from an instrument toward a point on a retroreflector, including: intercepting with the retroreflector a cone of light from the instrument; obtaining a first image of retroreflected light on a photosensitive array and transmitting an electrical data signal in response; determining a position on the photosensitive array of the first image; calculating first and second angular increments to steer the laser beam to the point; rotating the first and second motors to intercept with the position detector the retroreflected laser beam and to place the laser beam at a preferred location on the position detector; measuring fifth and sixth angles with first and second angle transducers; measuring a distance with a distance meter; and determining three-dimensional coordinates of the point based at least in part on the fifth angle, the sixth angle, and the distance."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Methods for using a locator camera in a laser tracker","description":"A method of steering a laser beam from an instrument toward a point on a retroreflector, including: intercepting with the retroreflector a cone of light from the instrument; obtaining a first image of","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8472029","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8472029","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Methods for using a locator camera in a laser tracker\" (US-8472029). https://patentable.app/patents/US-8472029","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8472029","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-8472029","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-05-30T16:21:09.890Z"}