CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) from Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-086439, filed on Apr. 26, 2019, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-040292, filed on Mar. 9, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a visualization apparatus for visualizing a back surface of a target object, and more particularly, to an apparatus effective for measurement by a three-dimensional measuring instrument.

Background Art

As one of the methods for measuring a three-dimensional shape of an article, there is a method using a three-dimensional measuring instrument (e.g., see JP-A-2000-65561). An exemplary three-dimensional measuring instrument is shown inFIG. 1A. The three-dimensional measuring instrument10is roughly divided into a main body10aand a probe10bhaving a stylus at tip thereof. The target object W of the measurement is placed on the main body10a, and the probe10bis attached to the main body10aso as to be movable in the three-dimensional direction by a drive mechanism provided in the main body10a.

The three-dimensional measuring instrument10measures the three-dimensional coordinate value of the contact position by bringing the tip of the probe into contact with the surface of the target object W. In addition to the contact type, there is also a non-contact type probe such as an optical type which measures the surface position by photographing the surface of the target object W from an arbitrary three-dimensional space position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

For example, as shown inFIG. 1B, when the three-dimensional measuring instrument10measures the depression D on the front face of the target object W as viewed from an operator, the depression D can be visually recognized from the viewpoint of the operator. In addition, the tip10btof the probe10bin front of the target object W as viewed from the operator can also be visually recognized. Therefore, the tip10btcan be brought into appropriate contact with the depression D. However, as shown inFIG. 1C, when the shape of the back surface of the target object W is measured without changing the arrangement of the target object W, the shape of the back surface cannot be visually recognized from the viewpoint of the operator. Further, since it is necessary to arrange the probe10bbehind the target object W, the tip10btcannot be visually recognized. Therefore, when measuring the back surface, the arrangement of the target object W is generally changed (for example, inverted) so that the back surface can be measured.

However, when the arrangement of the target object is changed, the coordinate system must be reset so that the measurement coordinates on the object after the position change match the measurement coordinates at the same position before the position change. This causes problems such as a long measurement time.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a visualization apparatus and program that enable visualization of a back surface shape of a target object with respect to the front in a gaze direction of the operator as a shape viewed from the front in a gaze direction.

Means for Solving the Problems

The visualization apparatus of the present invention comprises: a display that displays predetermined information superimposed on a three-dimensional space to make the predetermined information visible; a three-dimensional sensor that detects coordinate information of objects existing in the three-dimensional space within a field of view through the display; a fitting unit that sequentially acquires coordinate information of each object detected by the three-dimensional sensor, matches the coordinate information of the object with a three-dimensional model of a target object prepared in advance for each acquisition to specify the target object from among the objects, and sequentially fits the three-dimensional model to the specified target object; and a display control unit that make the display to display a see-through region in the three-dimensional model so as to be superimposed on a predetermined gaze area of the target object. The see-through region is corresponding to the predetermined gaze area of the surface of the target object existing within the field of view through the display. The see-through region is seen through from the surface area of the three-dimensional model superimposed on the target object in a gaze direction from the three-dimensional sensor toward the approximate center of the predetermined gaze area. The display control unit may make the display to display the see-through region superimposed on a predetermined gaze area of the target object by transparentizing the region except the see-through region in the three-dimensional model superimposed on the target object. The predetermined gaze area may be, for example, a region of the surface of the target object to be visually recognized in a predetermined region in the display. The predetermined gaze area may be a predetermined region on the surface of the target object, centered on the intersection of a line from the predetermined position on the display toward the gaze direction and the surface of the target object. Here, the “predetermined position of the display” may be, for example, the center of the display. The “gaze direction” may be, for example, a direction perpendicular to the screen of the display, a direction of the line of sight, a direction at which the tip of the probe exists, or the like.

As a result, by viewing the surface of the target object through the display, the shape of the back surface of the target object can be seen through in a simulated manner. The display may be a transmissive display that allows the three-dimensional space to be viewed through the display screen, or a non-transmissive display that allows the three-dimensional space to be viewed by displaying an image of the three-dimensional space captured by a camera.

The visualization apparatus may further comprise: a measuring instrument information acquisition unit for acquiring information on the three-dimensional model and tip coordinates of a probe of a predetermined measuring instrument in which the measuring coordinate system is set to be the same as the detecting coordinate system of the three-dimensional sensor by a predetermined method; and a probe portion specifying unit for specifying, when the tip coordinates of the probe are included in a coordinate range behind the target object that sweeps through the predetermined gaze area of the target object in the gaze direction, the portion of the probe included in the coordinate range and the existence position of the portion based on the tip coordinates and the three-dimensional model of the probe. Then, the display control unit may superimpose a portion of the three-dimensional model of the probe on a predetermined gaze area of the target object so that a portion of the three-dimensional model of the probe corresponding to the portion of the probe is visually recognized at a position behind the see-through region corresponding to the existence position of the portion of the probe specified by the probe portion specifying unit. In this case, the predetermined gaze area may be, for example, a predetermined area of the surface of the target object centered on an intersection point between a line connecting the predetermined position of the display and the tip of the probe and the surface of the target object.

As a result, the measurement of the back surface of the target object by the measuring instrument can be performed from the front surface side while the position of the probe behind the target object and the back surface shape of the target object are seen through in a simulated manner.

A visualization apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention comprises: a display that enables visualization of a predetermined information by superimposing the predetermined information in a three-dimensional space; a three-dimensional sensor that detects coordinate information of objects existing in the three-dimensional space within a display range of the display; a fitting unit that sequentially acquires coordinate information of each object detected by the three-dimensional sensor, matches the coordinate information of the object with a three-dimensional model of a target object prepared in advance for each acquisition to specify the target object from among the objects, and sequentially fits the three-dimensional model to the specified target object; and a display control unit that make the display to display a back surface shape of the target object detected by the three-dimensional sensor with respect to the front in a gaze direction by superimposing and displaying a three-dimensional model corresponding to a shape viewed from the front in the gaze direction on the target object.

Thus, by viewing the front of the target object through the display, the buck surface shape of the target object can be seen through in a simulated manner. The display may be a transmissive display that allows the three-dimensional space to be viewed through the display screen, or a non-transmissive display that allows the three-dimensional space to be viewed by displaying an image of the three-dimensional space captured by a camera.

In the present invention, the visualization apparatus may further comprises: a coordinate measuring instrument information acquisition unit for acquiring information of the tip coordinate of a probe in a predetermined measuring instrument in which the measuring coordinate system is set to be the same as the detection coordinate system of the three-dimensional sensor according to a predetermined method; and a probe portion specifying unit for specifying a portion of the probe overlapping the three-dimensional model of the back surface shape when the probe is present behind the three-dimensional model superimposed on the target object as the back surface shape of the target object viewed from the front in the gaze direction. The fitting unit may fit the three-dimensional model of the probe to the portion of the probe specified by the probe portion specifying unit. Further, the display control unit may make the three-dimensional model corresponding to the back surface shape of the target object viewed from the front in the gaze direction, and the three-dimensional model fitted to the portion of the probe present therebehind be visibly distinguished.

In the present invention, when the three-dimensional model corresponding to the shape seen from the front in the gaze direction is superimposed on the target object, the display control unit may not display the superimposed display of the region other than the specific range in the gaze direction.

Here, as a specific example of “visibly distinguished”, the back surface shape may be displayed in the form of a grayscale display color or a wire frame format, while the portion of the probe may be displayed in a true color display color or in a texture map format so as to give a texture to the surface of the three-dimensional model. Thereby the back surface shape and the portion of the probe may be superimposed so that they can be clearly distinguished.

The functions of the respective units of the visualization apparatus of the present invention may be realized by being described in a program and executed by a computer.

