Target apparatus and method

Abstract

A target includes a contact element having a region of spherical curvature, a retroreflector rigidly connected to the contact element, a transmitter configured to emit an electromagnetic signal, a temperature sensor disposed on the target, configured to measure an air temperature, and configured to send the measured air temperature to the transmitter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of obtaining the characteristics of a target by a device, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing the target, wherein the target has a target frame of reference and includes a first retroreflector and a body, the body containing an opening, the opening sized to hold the first retroreflector, the opening open to the exterior of the body, the first retroreflector at least partially disposed in the opening, the first retroreflector having a first retroreflector reference point in the target frame of reference;   providing a spherical contact element having a region of spherical curvature rigidly fixed with respect to the body, the spherical contact element having a sphere center and a sphere radius;   providing a device, wherein the device has a device frame of reference and a first light source, the device being configured to measure a distance and two angles from the device to the first retroreflector reference point;   providing an identifier element located on the body, the identifier element configured to store first information, the identifier element being one of a bar code pattern and a radio-frequency identification tag, the first information including one of the sphere radius and a serial number, the serial number accessed by a processor to obtain the sphere radius;   providing a workpiece having a workpiece surface;   placing the spherical contact element in contact with the workpiece surface;   illuminating the first retroreflector with light from the first light source to provide a first reflected light that is returned to the device;   measuring, from the device to the first retroreflector reference point, a first distance and a first set of two angles based at least in part on the first reflected light, the first distance based at least in part on the speed of light over the path traveled by the light from the device to the first retroreflector reference point;   reading the first information with a first reader attached to the device, the first reader being one of a bar code scanner, a radio-frequency identification reader, and a camera; and   calculating a three-dimensional coordinate of a point on the workpiece surface based at least in part on the first distance, the first set of two angles, and the first information.   
     
     
         2 . The probe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein in the step of providing the target the spherical contact element and the body have the same sphere center and sphere radius.