Method and apparatus for measuring a distance to an object from dual two dimensional images thereof
US5317374A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 25, 1992 |
| Grant date | May 31, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 25, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B5/045
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A prismatic viewing plate is situated across the focal axis between an object and an imaging device such as a camera capable of acquiring only a two dimensional image of the object. A characteristic of the prismatic plate is that it presents dual images of the object to the imaging device. Characteristic of the separation between the dual images is that it is dependent upon the distance of the object from the prismatic plate. These characteristics are employed to determine a range to the object by measuring the separation between the dual images, visually or by use of one of the many available machine vision techniques. A third dimension of a surface profile also can be obtained by scanning a spot of light over the object while separately viewing the spot through the prismatic plate and measuring the separation between dual images of the light spot at various points of the scan.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.