Patent · US Expired

Three-dimensional shape detection by means of camera images

US6947582B1 · kind B1 · utility

100Cited by

5References

12Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Brainlab AG · DE

Inventors

Stefan Vilsmeier · Munich, DE
Rainer Birkenbach · Erding, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Sep 15, 2000
Grant date	Sep 20, 2005
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Feb 3, 2022

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG01B11/24
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method of detecting the shape of an object comprises the following steps: a) producing a camera image of the object; b) mapping an outline of the object, which appears sharp in the camera image, in a first plane by means of an analyzer connected to the camera; c) altering the focusing distance of the camera; d) mapping a sharp outline of the object in a second plane by means of the analyzer; e) repeating steps b) to d) until a sufficient number of outlines has been mapped so that the three-dimensional shape of the object can be established. Also disclosed is an apparatus for implementing the method.

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