Patent · US Expired

Optical distance sensor

US5991040A · kind A · utility

26Cited by

5References

14Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

Gunter Doemens · Holzkirchen, DE
Anton Schick · Taufkirchen, DE
Paul Kollensperger · Hersbruck, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Dec 23, 1997
Grant date	Nov 23, 1999
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Dec 23, 2017

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG01B11/026
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In addition to triangulation methods, measurement systems according to the confocal principle are employed for the three-dimensional sensing of surfaces. These measurement systems have a higher resolution but, under certain circumstances, a lower data rate. An optical proximity sensor is described which, on the basis of the confocal microscope, carries out automatic inspection of surfaces in a time which is acceptable for a fabrication process. A linear system of corresponding light sources and photo receivers is used instead of a scanning beam, which requires a high outlay for generation. The optical path length between the receiving unit and the optical imaging arrangement is varied for the resolution of height values, wherein a light intensity maximum is detected by a peak detector.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.