GB2350906A

GB2350906A - Device for producing image or disposition of material or objects

Info

Publication number: GB2350906A
Application number: GB9906583A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Piers Wardle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-03-22
Filing date: 1999-03-22
Publication date: 2000-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 2019-03-22
Also published as: GB9906583D0; GB2350906B

Abstract

A device capable of producing an image output or a disposition of materials or objects with an area of operation potentially larger than the device itself processes or mediates image information and information relating to the current position of the device in space. For example, the operation of a manually or otherwise controlled spray gun (15) is controlled by computer 12 based on calculations relating to coordinates acquired from an associated positioning device (10), and is thereby capable of rendering an image on a large area without the need for a motorised carrier or framework. Other embodiments include the device being an electrically operated chisel or router, a device capable of hardening a fluid, or a dispenser of liquid or solid materials or objects. Th positioning device may operate by mechanical, optical, sonar, infrared, UHF or other means such as the GPS navigation system.

Description

1 2350906 MOBILE OUTPUT DEVICE The invention consists of a digital output

device capable of free movement within its area of operation.

Present digital output devices rely on mechanical constraint of the part of the device producing the effect to render the digital image or effect coherent. For example a dot matrix printer consists of a print head controlled by a computer or integral processor the action of which will vary according to the image being printed, but the position and movement of which on the surface on which the effect is being produced may not vary, being necessarily constrained by its transit across the paper roller and the movement of the roller at the end of a line of output.

Large scale devices for producing digital images rely on the construction of a large framework outside the area of operation of the device, with a travelling bar moving across it carrying a computer switched spray gun, router or other tool to produce regular repeated parallel movement across the surface in order to render the image. The framework is the bulkiest and heaviest part of the system and may need frequent disassembly for transport and readaption for different conditions of operation.

2 The invention consists of the replacement of the physical carrier or framework with feedback to the device based on its current position. The feedback may consist of or be obtained from reference points or other means of obtaining positional information or other information necessary for operation which might be or be directed to locations inside or outside the area of operation Some instances of the application of the invention will now be outlined.

1 A spray gun(s) capable of free movement, and capable of rendering an image coherently on a surface. The local action of the gun(s) would be controlled by a computer or other system capable of mediating or transmitting information using information obtained from a positioning device(s) or other suitable mechanism capable of ascertaining or transmitting the current relative or absolute position of the spray gun(s). Mechanical, optical, sonar, infared, UHF or other means of ascertaining or receiving relative or absolute positional information such as GPS could be employed. The positional measurement might relate to previous output, to objects or reference points placed inside or outside the surface or area of operation, or might relate to another factor such as the current velocity of the system. A computer or other system would process this data in combination with image coordinate data to control the nozzle or triggering mechanism of the gun(s) in order to render the image. The image data might be stored in the memory of the computer or other storage device and used as coordinate data for comparison by controlling software, or the image information might be mediated by or obtained by other means. The components of the system might be integrated with one another or 3 placed separately at any point inside or outside the area of operation, passing information by any feasible means. The gun(s) would be moved across the area of operation by the operator or by other methods. It would be possible for the operator to move to any part of the surface in order to operate the device at that point; the image might thereby be modified by the operator. Further operator control could be introduced by allowing full or partial manual operation of the gun(s), or by allowing modification of the source image or image data by the operator or allowing operator input or modification at other stages in the operation of the system. A number of extra devices operating in the same way could be employed simultaneously to speed up operation.

2 A similar system capable of similar operation to that outlined above where any of the components might be integrated with one another, replaced by another component(s) capable of similar action or communication of information or dispensed with. For example a simplified version of the systems described above whereby the device is controlled directly, in accordance with the action of a photoelectric cell(s) or other sensing device(s) and the image information is supplied by an image projected onto the area of operation or by other means of passing information to, obtaining information from or locating information at a specific point(s) on a surface or in space.

3 A system similar to those outlined above wher the distance and/or angle from the operating surface is maintained or varied by mechanical means or by means of a positioning device(s) as outlined above.

4 4 Another example of variation or replacement of components of the systems outlined above. The spray gun(s) is replaced by any other tool(s) or output device(s) such as an electrically operated chisel or router, a device capable of hardening a fluid or a dispenser of liquid or solid materials or objects.

A system constructed similarly to those outlined above capable of operating in three dimensions, in order to produce three dimensional images, structures or arrangements in space or images on the surface of such structures.

Any of the systems or components outlined above modified in scale.

The specific application of the invention to a computer controlled freely moving spray gun capable of producing an image on a large area will now be described in more detail. A diagram showing a possible arrangement of the components of the system, and a flow diagram illustrating the basic algorithm necessary for its operation accompany the description.

Figure 1 shows a laptop computer with input connections from a position measuring device and output connections to a switching device operating the trigger or motor of an airless spray gun.

Figure 2 is a flow diagram outlining an algorithm on which the software controlling the operation of the system could be based.

Referring to the drawing (Figure 2) the system comprises a position measuring device 10 (based on or using for example the type used in electronic tape measures) mounted on a handheld spray gun 15.

The positional coordinates measured by the device 10 are passed via the input connection 11 to the laptop computer 12. The computer may be carried by the operator in a backpack or similar.

The computer 12 runs software based on the algorithm in the flow diagram (c.f, figure 2) to convert the positional information to signals to operate the switching mechanism 14 to operate the gun 15. The switch 14 may also be controlled by the operator. The operator is free to move to any part of the surface at any time during operation.

6

Claims

1 A method of producing a physical image or images or disposition of materials or objects ("the output") by employing a component or components ("the output device") which is capable of movement in space during operation by an operator or other method and which is capable of producing the output, the output device being controlled by components which enable processing or mediation of image or other data and/or information relating to the position and/or orientation of the output device and/or the intended relative position of the component parts of the output.

2 A method as claimed in claim 1 where the information relating to the position and/or orientation of the output device is obtained from a position locating device.

3 A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 where positional and/or orientation information is obtained by optical means.

4 A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 where positional and/or orientation information is obtained from radiation.

5 A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 where positional and/or orientation information is obtained from sound.

6 A method as claimed in any of the above claims where the output is produced in relation to a starting point.

7 A method as claimed in any of the above claims where the output is produced in relation to a position or positions in space including the position in space of another object or objects or effect(s).

8 A method as claimed in any of the above claims where the image information is in the form of an image projected onto the area of operation of the device and the output device or tool is switched or controlled in accordance with the action of a photoelectric cell or cells or other device directly sensitive to light or radiation.

9 A method as described in any of the above claims where the components of the output device are multiple components being moved independently of one another to produce the output.

10 A method as claimed in any of the above claims where the output device consists of an array or combination of devices.

11 A method as claimed in any of the above claims where the distance and/or angle from the operating surface or location is maintained or varied by mechanical means.

7

12 A method as claimed in any of the above claims where a component or components of the output device is replaced or replaceable with another component or components for example to produce a different disposition of materials or objects

13 A method as claimed in any of the above claims employed in three dimensional space to produce or modify three dimensional images.

14 A method as claimed in any of the above claims employed in three dimensional space to produce or modify three dimensional structures.

15 A method as claimed in any of the above claims employed in three dimensional space to produce or modify three dimensional arrangements in space.

16 A method as claimed in any of the above claims employed in three dimensional space to produce or modify images on the surface of such structures.

17 A device producing a physical image or images or disposition of materials or objects ("the output") consisting of a component or components ("the output device")which is capable of movement in space during operation by an operator or other method and which is capable of producing the output, the output device being controlled by components which enable processing or mediation of image or other data and/or information relating to the position and/or orientation of the output device and/or the intended relative position of the component parts of the output.

18 A device as claimed in claim 1 where the information relating to the position and/or orientation of the output device is obtained from a position locating device.

19 A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 where positional and/or orientation information is obtained by optical means.

20 A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 where positional and/or orientation information is obtained from radiation. 21 A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 where positional and/or orientation information is obtained from sound. 22 A device as claimed in any of the above claims where the output is produced in relation to a starting point. 23 A device as claimed in any of the above claims where the output is produced in relation to a position or positions in space including the position in space of another object or objects or effect(s).

8 24 A device as claimed in any of the above claims where the image information is in the form of an image projected onto the area of operation of the device and the output device or tool is switched or controlled in accordance with the action of a photoelectric cell or cells or other device directly sensitive to light or radiation. 25 A device as described in any of the above claims where the components of the output device are multiple components being moved independently of one another to produce the output. 26 A device as claimed in any of the above claims where the output device consists of an array or combination of devices. 27 A device as claimed in any of the above claims where the distance and/or angle of the component(s) of the operating device producing the output from the operating surface or location is maintained or varied by mechanical means. 28 A device as claimed in any of the above claims where a component or components of the output device is replaced or replaceable with another component or components for example to produce a different disposition of materials or objects 29 A device as claimed in any of the above claims working in three dimensional space to produce or modify three dimensional images. 30 A device as claimed in any of the above claims working in three dimensional space to produce or modify three dimensional structures. 31 A device as claimed in any of the above claims working in three dimensional space to produce or modify three dimensional arrangements in space. 32 A device as claimed in any of the above claims working in three dimensional space to produce or modify images on the surface of such structures. 33 A device as claimed in any of the above claims where the output device is a spray gun(s) controlled by a computer running software processing image and positional information as described in the main text and the accompanying diagrams.