Patent · US Expired

Three-dimensional measuring system and method of measuring the shape of an object

US6151118A · kind A · utility

41Cited by
11References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 18, 1997
Grant dateNov 21, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 18, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B11/2518
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A three-dimensional measuring system comprises an optical system for emitting a light and optically scanning an object, a measuring sensor having an image pickup surface consisting of a plurality of picture elements and adapted to receive the light reflected on the surface of the object, a galvanometer mirror for changing a direction in which the light irradiates the object, a system controller for driving the measuring sensor so as to allow the same to output information on the quantity of light incident on each of the picture elements, and a barycentric calculation circuit for finding an instant when the light traverses each of the picture elements. This instant is found by implementing a barycentric calculation on the basis of outputs of the measuring sensor taken for a prescribed period of time and an instant at which each of the outputs is taken. The measuring system further comprises a host computer for finding a position on the surface of the object corresponding to each of the picture elements. This position is found on the basis of a relationship between a direction in which the light irradiates the object at an instant when the light traverses each of the picture elements…

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