Method and apparatus for optimizing sub-pixel resolution in a triangulation based distance measuring device
US5627635A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 25, 1994 |
| Grant date | May 6, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 25, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S7/4972
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus for optimizing sub-pixel resolution in a triangulation based target distance measuring device at a desired stand-off distance has a laser light source projecting a light beam along a light beam axis so as to project a light spot onto a surface of a workpiece, a lens having an optical axis and a depth of focus dependant on the target distance, the lens for gathering light reflected from the light spot on the surface of the workpiece, a linear photodetector array of adjacent light detecting pixels, the array having a longitudinal array axis, the array for detecting light impinging the pixels and generating an output signal indicative of the position of the pixels being impinged by the light, the light beam axis, the optical axis, and the longitudinal array axis co-planar, the lens imaging the reflected light across and impinging the array so as to form an image across the array, the output signal indicative of an intensity profile of the image impinging the array, the image defocussed so as to optimize the output signal from the array, whereby movement of the surface of the workpiece relative to the distance measuring device while the light spot is projected onto the sur…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.